DONAIRE-NISHIOKA SUPER FIGHT SLATED FOR HBO'S BOXING AFTER DARK

Press Release: On October 13th in Carson, California, Nonito “Filipino Flash” Donaire and Japan's Toshiaki Nioshioka, two of the top three 122-pounders in the world [besides Guillermo Rigondeaux], will compete for Donaire's WBO and IBF championships. Nishioka was the WBC world champion before being stripped of that title by the WBC.  On the same show, ex-WBA lightweight champion Brandon Rios will take on Mike ALvarado in what should be an all-action fight. Both fights will be televised Live on HBO Boxing After Dark, beginning at 10 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

"History shows there is only one way for a fighter to make the leap to stardom and that’s by accepting the challenges and risks like the ones Donaire, Nishioka, Rios and Alvarado committed to on October 13.  They are young, hungry and ambitious," said Todd duBoef, president of Top Rank.

Donaire (29-1, 18 KOs), a native of General Santos City, Philippines, now living in the Bay Area of San Leandro, Calif., is a consensus top-five pound-for-pound fighter.  He enters this fight riding an 11-year, 28-bout winning streak, which includes an IBF/IBO flyweight title knockout victory of defending champion Vic Darchinyan, and a fourth-round blasting of former WBA bantamweight titlist Wladimir Sidorenko, December 4, 2010.  However, Donaire’s most impressive knockout victory occurred on February 19, 2011, when he stopped WBC/ WBO bantamweight champion Fernando Montiel in the second round, ending Montiel’s 25-bout winning streak while also claiming his third world title in as many weight divisions.  That victory was named the 2011 Knockout of the Year.  Ten of Donaire’s last 13 victories have come by way of knockout. He successfully defended his bantamweight championships by blitzing undefeated Omar Narvaez, winning virtually every round en route to a unanimous decision victory.  On February 4, Donaire captured the vacant WBO 122-pound title, winning a gritty split-decision battle over former world champion Wilfredo Vazquez, Jr.  He unified the title on July 7th, winning a dominant unanimous decision over defending IBF champion Jeffrey Mathebula.

Nishioka (39-4-3, 24 KOs), of Hyogo, Japan, enters this fight riding an eight-year, 16-bout winning streak, including eight world title fights.  After capturing the interim WBC super featherweight title via a dominant unanimous decision over Napapol Kiatisakchokchai in 2008, he was elevated to world champion where he successfully defended the WBC 122-pound title seven times between 2009 and 2011 with only two of those fights going the distance.  In his last world title fight, he won a unanimous decision over two-division world champion Rafael Marquez. [He got stripped so the WBC could deliver a title fight to Abner mares].                      

Rios (30-0-1, 21 KOs), the former WBA lightweight champion, from Oxnard, Calif., is on the hunt for his second world title in as many weight divisions. He enters this fight having won 10 of his previous 12 fights by knockout.  One of boxing’s most exciting fighters, Rios is known for his an all-action fan-friendly fighting style.  His trainer, former IBF junior lightweight champion Robert Garcia, calls it a “throwback” style with a warrior’s mentality that screams excitement. Highlight knockout victories on Rios’ resume include Miguel Acosta, Anthony Peterson, Urbano Antillon and John Murray.  He returns to the ring after winning [an undeserved] split decision over Richard Abril on April 14.
 
Alvarado (33-0, 23 KOs) of Denver, has won 10 of his last 13 bouts by stoppage.  Notable knockout victims include Breidis Prescott, Ray Narh, Emmanuel Clottey and Cesar Bazan.  In his last fight, Alvarado went toe-to-toe for 10 brutal and exciting rounds winning a unanimous decision over Mauricio Herrera (18-1, 7 KOs) on April 14.  Herrera entered that fight riding a two-year, five-bout winning streak, highlighted by victories over Ruslan Provodnikov (17-0) and Mike Dallas, Jr. (17-1-1).  Alvarado’s victory over Herrera is already a consensus Fight of the Year candidate. 

Information on tickets, including prices and on-sale date, will be announced soon.