By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
Filipino boxing superstar Nonito Donaire recently clapped back at his dad, Donaire Sr., after hearing his statement that his son will receive a knockout loss at the hands of Alexandro Santiago.
It turned out that Donaire Sr.’s prediction came out to be true, only missing out on the knockout, as his son failed to become the oldest reigning champion when he received a unanimous decision defeat to Santiago during their World Boxing Council (WBC) bantamweight title fight.
Donaire was doing well in the first three rounds but the fighter out of Mexico stepped on the gas pedal in the next rounds to claim his first-ever WBC championship belt.
The moment Donaire found out about what his dad said in a video posted by Mike Plania, the former four-division world champion posted a heartfelt message on his Instagram account.
“Just found out that my dad was predicting I’d get knocked out by Santiago. That stings differently,” posted Donaire.
During the past few years, Donaire and his father made the public known that they are no longer on good terms and have figured in several back-and-forth exchanges.
When Donaire was still trying to make a name for himself, it was his father who mentored him and helped him rack win after win.
It was also his father who manned the sidelines during his emphatic championship-clinching win over Vic Darchinyan last 2007.
However, after that fight, the mutual relationship of the Donaires suddenly melted down which caused the son to change personnel in his fight camp.
“I am breaking generational trauma. And if this process has to hurt, I’ll take it to ensure my kids never never have to feel what I have felt. Hearing my dad say he’s training guys to beat me and teach me a lesson and predict I am going to get KOd. Just so he can point and laugh is painful,” added Donaire.
As of now, Donaire is yet to announce whether he will be retiring from the sport or give himself another chance of winning a bantamweight world championship at the age of 40.
