Boxing champ and Fighter of the Year Nonito Donaire, Jr. announces he’s going to be a father soon

Sa lahat ng mga tagumpay na natamo ni Nonito Donaire Jr. nung nakaraang taon, walang makakapantay sa kasiyahang dulot ng balitang nakarating sa kanya nung taon ding iyon. Ito ay ang balitang malapit na siyang maging ama. Sa panayam ni Nonito sa PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) kagabi, sa pamamagitan ng Facebook Messenger chat, ibinalita ng four-division world champion na tatlong buwan nang buntis ang kanyang misis at PEP blogger na si Rachel. Nung mismong birthday pa niya, November 16, ibinalita sa kanya ni Rachel na magiging ama na siya. Sabi pa ng kasalukuyang World Boxing Organization (WBO), The Ring Magazine at World Boxing Council (WBC) Diamond Super Bantamweight Champion, parang nabalewala raw ang lahat ng awards at panalo na natamo niya dahil sa balitang ito. “Masaya ako sa lahat ng mga awards and victories sa 2012. Pero parang nabalewala lahat nung sabihan ako ng wife ko na magkakaanak na kami,” kuwento pa ng 30-year-old boxing champion at kasalukuyan ding The Ring Magazine Pound-For-Pound Boxer number-five placer. Kaya raw nung bumalik siya ng Pilipinas nung Disyembre, matapos ang third-round knockout victory niya laban sa Mehikanong boksingero na si Jorge Arce, hindi raw niya kasama ang asawa. “Sinabi nung doctor ni Rachel, delikado yung long travel over five hours. Kasi first trimester lang siya. “Sinabi niya better to rest na lang kasi even when we get to Manila, walang rest. Puro guestings, di ba?” ani Nonito. Mula nga nung dumating ang Boholanong boxing champion, panay ang guest appearance nito sa mga TV at radio shows ng ABS-CBN, kunsaan nagpamalas pa ito ng talento sa pagkanta. Kaninang umaga nga, January 14, sa Kapamilya morning show na Umagang Kay Ganda pa sila ni Rachel nag-announce ng tungkol sa nalalapit nilang pagiging magulang. “Hindi ko kinumfirm [confirm] sa interviews before kasi we were following the tradition of not saying anything until after the first trimester, at siyempre, we should announce it together,” dahilan ni Nonito. CHANGES IN PRIORITY. Sa pagdadalantao ni Rachel, may mga pagbabago ba sa mga plano niyang gawin ngayong 2013. Nasabi na kasi ni Nonito sa mga nauna na niyang interviews noon na balak niyang ulitin ang paglaban ng apat na beses din ngayong taon.

PBA teams commit to lend at least one player each to SMART-Gilas for FIBA Asia

With the Philippines hosting the top Asian cage competition for the first time in 40 years, the PBA has stepped up its support for the SMART-Gilas Pilipinas national team that will compete in the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship. PBA commissioner Chito Salud said the league’s 10 teams have committed to lend at least one player apiece from their lineups for the national team. “If there will be teams which will lend more than one player, it will be welcomed,” said Salud, who has already informed Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas about the development. “The important thing right now, everybody’s on board.” The final roster decisions, however, would still lie with SMART-Gilas coach Chot Reyes. “We will do it as practical and in accordance to the requirements,” added Salud. SMART-Gilas is bankrolled by SBP president Manuel V. Pangilinan, who owns PBA teams Talk ‘N Text and Meralco. The telecommunications mogul earlier declared his wish to form the “best possible team” for the competition, adding that he was ready to lobby his fellow owners to allow top players to join the national squad. (InterAKTV is part of InterAksyon.com, the news website of TV5, which is chaired by Pangilinan.) The team has had difficulty securing commitment from top players, particularly those from teams owned by San Miguel Corporation. On Twitter, Reyes has repeatedly hinted that management of SMC has been barring players from joining the team.

No tuneup: Roach wants Marquez after Pacquiao ban

If Freddie Roach had his way, there’s no need for Manny Pacquiao to go through a tuneup fight in April. The Hall of Fame trainer wants Pacquiao to tangle with Juan Manuel Marquez right away in September. Though aware that negotiations are underway for Pacquiao to fight either on April 13 or April 20 outside the United States, Roach told fighthub.tv that he would prefer that Pacquiao skip the bout and prepare for a grudge rematch with Marquez instead. “I don’t really want the tuneup fight,” Roach said. “I would rather just go straight into the fifth fight (with Marquez).” In their fourth bout last Dec. 8, Marquez caught Pacquiao with a right straight coming in and knocked out the Filipino eight-division world champion cold with one second to go in the sixth round. Pacquiao later told Roach his desire to fight Marquez one more time. After being cleared of head injuries, however, Pacquiao is pining for an early return and has given his adviser, Mike Koncz, the signal to seek a fight through Top Rank Promotions. In a television interview on Sunday, Koncz said nine names—among them, Timothy Bradley, Vyacheslav Senchenko, Jessie Vargas—are being considered for Pacquiao’s return fight which could be held in Macau, Singapore or Abu Dhabi for “lesser tax” purposes.