NONITO DONAIRE Jr. (AKA The Filipno Flash) is a champion boxer based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Next to Manny Pacquiao, he is probably the best known contemporary Filipino pugilist, holding multiple crowns in various weight divisions.
Like many men who have taken up the sport professionally, he's full of self-confidence to the point of being overconfident. He's brash, outspoken and proud to be a Filipino. The commercial for Cobra Energy Drink combines his confidence and pride to send a powerful positive message about being Filipino (its implied that comes with drinking Cobra, of course.)
Forget the drink, when I first saw the commercial, my reaction was "Oh, yeah!!!" It is one of the most positive and powerful messages about being Filipino that I've seen. Warrior, Perseverance, Power, Against all odds. Good stuff.
He has a fight this coming Saturday against up-and-coming fighter Nicholas Walters, a powerful puncher who hasn't been defeated in his 24-fight career. The fight in Carson, Calif. is for the featherweight WBA crown.
Donaire, at 31, may be on the downside of his spectacular career. Since he lost to Guillermo Rigondeaux, Donaire hasn't been the same. However, the "Flash" is no slouch either sporting a 33-2 record with 21 KOs.
It's a big fight for Walters to legitimize his quest for a world championship. The stakes are just as high for Donaire to regain the respect of the fight world but more importantly, to regain his swagger.
UPDATE: Nonito Donaire lost to Nicholas Walter by TKO in the 6th round. Donaire was overmatched by size, weight and reach. He should stay in the lower weight divisions.
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