WORLD Boxing Association (WBA) super flyweight interim champion Nonito “Filipino Flash” Donaire Jr. has assured he would destroy Mexican challenger Gerson Guerrero on February 14, Valentine’s Day.

The two competitive boxers, who will face each other in a Top Rank Promotion’s Pinoy Power III/Latin Fury 13 fight card at the Las Vegas Hilton, are both preparing for their much awaited bout.

Donaire Jr. (22 wins with 14 knockouts and 1 loss) said to philboxing.com on Tuesday that he needed to be 100 percent when he fights in Las Vegas especially on a tough opponent like Guerrero (34 wins with 26 knockouts and 8 losses).

“This time around, I’m 100 [percent] and confident,” said Donaire Jr. “I’m going to be floating on air and going with the flow. This camp has brought out the best in me and I’m going to fight without inactivity and distractions.”

Meanwhile, ageless Gerry Peñalosa, who is set to end his 20-year boxing career, said he aims for a knockout victory against Puerto Rican ex-convict Eric Morel in their interim World Boxing Organization (WBO) bantamweight title fight in an undercard fight.

The 37-year-old Peñalosa, who lost via technical knockout against newly crowned WBO featherweight titlist Juan Manuel Lopez in Puerto Rico in April, will not rest until he captures another belt.

Unbeaten Filipino Ciso Morales of Talibon Bohol takes on Mexico’s WBO bantamweight champion Fernando Montiel.

Aside from Donaire Jr., Peñalosa and Morales, other Filipino boxers are featherweight Bernabe Concepcion who will battle Puerto Rican Mario Santiago and Bacolod welterweight Mark Jason Melligen who will face undefeated Texan Raymond Gatica.

The bout will be telecast in the Philippines as part of a two-year deal between Top Rank promoter Bob Arum and the giant broadcasting network ABS-CBN.

Donaire had captured the International Boxing Federation/International Boxing Organization flyweight title via the “Knockout of the Year” when he stopped Australian Vic Darchinyan with a cracking left hook in the 5th round to take Darchinyan’s titles on July 7, 2007.
Josef T. Ramos