Keeping up with the Donaires (6-18-09)

June 18, 3:12 PMIndianapolis Fight Sports ExaminerDennis "dSource" Guillermo

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Photo courtesy of: Nonito and Rachel

CLICK HERE FOR THE NEXT ENTRY OF "Keeping up with the Donaires" (6-19-09) Nonito blogs about random stuff and how Danrchinyan was probably picked on too much as a kid.

Good day fight fans! I am delighted to announce to you that your friendly neighborhood writer has teamed up with Nonito Donaire Jr. and Rachel Marcial-Donaire for a column here exclusively on my Examiner page and can also be seen through Team Donaire’s Official website www.FilipinoFlash.com titled “Keeping up with the Donaires”.

This is an informal diary that will be written by Nonito and Rachel themselves to give fight fans a fresh new perspective not only on ring life, but everything else in between. The diary will enable fans to catch-up with the fast-paced life of the Donaires, Nonito’s career and also get a closer look at what goes on inside the life of one of the best Pound-for-Pound fighters in the world.

Rachel Marcial and Nonito Donaire Jr. wed on August 8, 2008 and have been inseparable since. It was a match made in heaven. Rachel is no stranger to fighting, and was a world champion tae kwon do jin herself. She knows and understands how it is to be a fighter and is one of the main reasons for Nonito’s continued success as a pugilist.

You already know about Nonito aka “The Filipino Flash”. Since he knocked out Vic Darchinyan in 2007 which The Ring Magazine hailed as the “Knockout of the Year” in 07, Nonito has been through a lot of ups and downs. He parted ways with his former manager Gary Shaw and is now with Bob Arum and Top Rank. He also had a highly-publicized dispute with his dad Nonito Donaire Sr. that also led to a bitter break-up. What seems to be constant however is his ascension as one of the best boxers in the planet. Nonito was recently ranked by Ring Magazine as their #8 Pound-for-Pound best fighter.

As most celebrity figures are, The Donaires can be somewhat misunderstood at times. Through this diary, which will also feature video posts of what the Donaires have been up to lately, fans will be treated to see what’s really behind the scenes without the hype and the interpretation of writers who aren’t always on point.

Enjoy reading!

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How do I start this? (Rachel Marcial-Donaire)

Posted on Wed, 17-Jun-2009 (Copyright FilipinoFlash.com)

Well Nonito asked me to write a blog. To me, “blog” is such an ugly word so I'd rather use “diary”. So how does it start again?

Dear Diary (Wow, so grade school!) Nonito has been training for the past 2 or 3 weeks now at Undisputed Boxing Gym in San Carlos. Crazy how it all comes full circle because that’s where I got my blackbelt!! Undisputed has another sector: Golden State Tkd. My instructors were Debbie Pederson, Chris Jensen, Brian Swartz, and Eddie Croft. There is a new guy to the team, Mike Bazzel. Currently he is working with Nonito on strength training. They have a love/hate relationship because Nonito loves his ideas, but hates actually going through it. LOL So we’ve been getting up at 6am-running and then at Undisputed at 1pm. Oh yea, Jonathon Penalosa came in from Philippines Saturday. He’s getting a crash course into the life of the Marcials because he's staying at my parents San Mateo house. My dad is protective and my mom, well she is a mom! They are fun and crazy and really open to everyone. They love Nonito because they always wanted a son and he appreciates everything they have done in their lives. He use to believe we were born rich. But after getting to know my parents, he found out they gave their blood, sweat, and tears to make our living more than comfortable. My parents were born in PI and migrated here in their teens. My dad’s dad worked for PAL. My mom’s dad was a lawyer. My mom is a nurse (haha as is every Filipina LOL) and anyone who is knows they make good money here. So my sister and I were always in private Catholic schools, voice and piano lessons, volleyball, taekwondo, and basketball, and choirs!! Nonito is learning to play the piano and you can hear my mom complain that she spent “all that money and no one is playing the piano”. Seeing how Nonito grew up wanting the opportunities I had when I was younger makes me appreciate how hard my parents worked.

You know what’s crazy??!! I saw Manny Pacquiao on TMZ!! Expectedly, TMZ was butchering Pacquiao for purchasing a 4 bedroom with less than a 5,000 square footage, not even in Beverly Hills, for$2.5 million and calling it a mansion. Hello?? TMZ is like Showbiz Central in PI. I agree with TMZ though, with the present market, they could have talked the seller down. I heard Jinkee is the new Belo model. Congrats girl!! *Note: Im too scared of going under the knife! Never have, never will. I’m afraid I won’t wake up after the sedation. I’d rather put on my sneaks and hit the concrete then depend on countless surgeries, downtime, and scars. Ewww! BTW, the Cotto vs Clottey fight was so much fun to watch with my friends! The room was split down the middle who should have won. I was hoping for another party for Marquez vs Mayweather but that doesn’t look like that’s gonna happen. Who is Manny going to fight next?? November will be here sooner than he knows.

That brings me to WHO IS NONITO FIGHTING? Lol. No clue, but I know Nonito is training hard for whoever steps in that ring, and Cameron and Top Rank will figure it out. I heard sooo many things, like the IBF Mandate of Mthalane. What was his ring name again? Cry Baby? Im not saying that it wasn’t a tough fight. But let’s be honest here. His left eye was split vertically in half. How is that up for discussion? Whatever! I really hate the cherry picking!! Seriously! Shouldn’t fighters just fight? Nonito is up for anyone who steps in that ring. I guess that’s where I forget it isn’t a sport, it’s a business by this time. And it doesn’t help that Nonito hits hard and is tall and smart. Lots of chickens, and even some doing the chicken dance. In the Olympics and/or amateurs you fight anyone who steps in the ring. No questions. Fighters should just fight, otherwise they can’t be called fighters. Let the managers and promoters hash out the money and opponents. But if you call yourself a fighter, than do just that.

Wow, this has been an interesting experience and hopefully I’ll get the hang of this. Let me know if there is something particular you want me to “diary” about. LOL Kisses Rae 

Nonito and Rae take you through their arrival at Hilton Grand Waikoloa Village on the Big Island!