Donaire admits Mares fight unlikely [1]

By Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBNnews.com | 12/19/2012 1:29 PM

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MANILA, Philippines – World super bantamweight champion Nonito "The Filipino Flash" Donaire admits it is unlikely he will ever get to fight fellow title-holder Abner Mares of Mexico.

Donaire fights under the Top Rank banner, while Mares is a Golden Boy fighter. The two promotional companies are currently embroiled in a feud that has prevented numerous fights from happening, including a potential mega-fight with Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather.

Recently, both Mares and Donaire have expressed their desire to fight each other in order to determine who is the best fighter in the super bantamweight division.

But in an interview with ABS-CBNnews.com, Donaire admitted that the fight is unlikely to happen given the rift between their promoters and their networks.

"If it's possible for next year, we would like to have that fight happen," Donaire said. "But I don’t think the mending thing (between Top Rank and Golden Boy) will ever happen."

"It's just a different world, it's like Mars and Earth co-existing," he added.

Donaire said that aside from having different promoters, he and Mares also fight on different networks. "They want to go with Showtime and I'm with HBO," he said.

"Showtime wants Mares to fight for Showtime, with Golden Boy, and for me, with Top Rank. So there's that's struggle," Donaire added.

"Between the two, from the network itself and the promotion, it's not likely."

A more likely fight for Donaire is a showdown with unbeaten Cuban Guillermo Rigondeaux, though "The Filipino Flash" does not see him as a deserving opponent.

"We have been trying to make that fight happen, but they ask for too much," Donaire said of the Rigondeaux camp. "I'm the money guy, and they want more."

"I keep telling people that he's not deserving of fighting me," he added. "But I will fight him just to get his belt. That’s pretty much why I will fight the guy."

If Donaire does not get to fight Mares or Rigondeaux, he will move up in weight again, pointing out that "126 (pounds) is just around the corner."

Donaire has already won world titles in four different weight divisions and he believes he can carry his power and speed through at least two more.

"I like to take things step by step. If I can be how I am competitively in 126, then I’ll stay at 126, but if I'm more than enough, I can go to 130," he said.