Donaire waits for Montiel

WBA interim superflyweight champion Nonito Donaire Jr. is hoping to battle WBC bantamweight titleholder Fernando Montiel before the year ends but he’s not looking past Mexico’s Hernan (Tyson) Marquez whom the Filipino Flash faces in a 12-round bout at the Coliseo Jose Miguel Agrelot, Hato Rey, Puerto Rico, on July 10.

“It’s Montiel whom Nonito wants,” said his wife Rachel who’s in town to launch her personal Vera Coulture bag line in Global City this afternoon. “Vic Darchinyan and Eric Morel are avoiding Nonito like the plague. Jorge Arce just got cut in sparring. Only Montiel is calling out Nonito. Montiel’s got a belt and Nonito wants it. Besides, maybe it’s time for Nonito to move up to bantamweight.”

Rachel said Montiel has to stay on the throne to make the fight happen. The Mexican defends the WBC crown against Donaire victim Rafael Concepcion in Chiapas, Mexico, on July 17.

“We thought the Darchinyan rematch was a done deal,” said Rachel. “Nonito and I flew out to Las Vegas to sign the fight contract with Top Rank. Then, we found out the night before, Darchinyan told his promoter Gary Shaw he would fight the winner of the IBF bantamweight title bout between Abner Mares and Yonnhy Perez (it was a draw) instead. All of a sudden, Darchinyan stopped talking trash about Nonito. When Nonito agreed to the rematch, Darchinyan went quiet. It was a waste of time to go to Vegas for nothing. Nonito doesn’t need Darchinyan. He knocked him out before, he’ll do it again. Darchinyan hasn’t changed his style. All Nonito wanted to do was to shut him up for good. But Darchinyan’s too scared to fight Nonito in a rematch.”

Darchinyan, meanwhile, outpointed Filipino trialhorse Eric Barcelona to win the vacant IBO bantamweight crown in Australia last May and veered his career further away from a Donaire rematch.

While waiting for Montiel, Donaire will keep busy to avoid getting rusty. He’s now in the thick of training for Marquez with sparmates Dodie Boy Peñalosa Jr., Glenn Gonzales and Bruno Escalante at the Undisputed Gym in San Carlos, California, near his San Mateo home. Former IBF superfeatherweight champion Robert Garcia is expected to join Donaire’s coaching team in camp two weeks before the Marquez fight.

Rachel arrived here with mother Becky Marcial from San Mateo last Saturday. They return to the US tomorrow.

“I laid out Nonito’s clothes for seven days so he won’t do laundry when I’m gone,” said Rachel. “He’s preparing for Marquez like he’s preparing for Montiel. Nonito never takes anyone lightly. He trains hard for anyone. He leaves no room for chance. He’s upset that Darchinyan and Morel won’t fight him but that’s boxing. Montiel is his target right now.”

Rachel, a former taekwondo star, said she’ll be ready for a comeback in the sport early next year. “It’s my passion,” said the 27-year-old martial arts standout. “I’ll fight in the US and the Philippines. If I’m qualified and if the Philippine Taekwondo Association gives its go-signal, I’ll fight for the Philippines in the 2012 London Olympics. Taekwondo is my outlet, it’s what I love to do.”

Rachel said her Vera Coulture bag line is a knockout. The line will be introduced in a store opening at the W Building, Unit C, Global City, at 3 p.m. today. Expected to attend are Sen. Pia Cayetano, Mikaela Bilbao, Kyla, the GMA network top brass and the Aquino sisters.

“The store will carry about 100 exclusive one-of-a-kind bags,” she said. “Our bags are basically made of acacia wood and all hand-made. Our factory is in Laguna. Our bags are primarily for export but we want to make them available for the Philippine market, too. We can also do made-to-order wooden personal signature bags. We’ve put a lot of time and effort into creating a unique and beautiful line. We’re proud of our Aquino line which features a black wooden bag with yellow ribbons made of alligator skin.”

The Donaire-Marquez fight will be in the undercard of the main event pitting WBO featherweight champion Juan Manuel Lopez against Filipino challenger Bernabe Concepcion. Also in the card is Filipino bantamweight Eden Sonsona who takes on Puerto Rican Jonathan Oquendo in a 10-rounder.