HOUSTON, Texas: Filipino boxing star Nonito Donaire Jr. seeks his 30th victory in a row on Saturday (Sunday in Manila) when he defends the World Boxing Organization (WBO) super bantamweight crown against Mexican veteran Jorge Arce.

Donaire, 30-1 with 19 knockouts, beat South African Jeffrey Mathebula in July and Japan’s Toshiaki Nishioka in October after taking the title with a split decision last February over Puerto Rico’s Wilfredo Vazquez.

“My speed is there. My power is there so he needs to keep a distance,” said Donaire. “But he needs to be in front of me all the time, so it’s going to be a war. That’s what Arce needs to do because that’s the only way he can win.”

Arce, who at 33 gives away three years to his larger opponent, predicted this would be the high point of his boxing career, one that has seen him go 61-6 with two drawn and 46 knockouts.

“I’m excited because it will be the best fight of my life,” Arce said. “I’m not going to make any predictions for this fight, just a promise that it will be a great fight.”

Arce has nine wins and a draw since last being beaten by South African Simphiwe Nongqayi in 2009—a defeat Arce avenged last year.

Donaire has not been beaten since 2001 in the second fight of his career.