Dodong Donaire: Molding three champions and counting

October 22, 2009 | Posted by Benjie

‘Filipino Flash’ Nonito Donaire, Jr. first rose to prominence in July 2007 when he upset a highly favored Vic Darchinyan via a stunning 5th round TKO for the WBO 112-pound title. Working for him as his trainer was his father Nonito Sr.

It was the first time that the elder Nonito led his ward to earn a championship. Dodong, as he is fondly called, mapped out an effective training regimen and a perfect plan for his son that led to dramatic victory over the flamboyant Armenian.

After a fallout with his son Nonito Jr., Dodong has been continuing to train boxers. In August this year, he was tapped to work together with Jun Agrabio as co-trainers for the eventual champion Marvin Sonsona. Team Sonsona must have seen something special in Nonito Sr. that’s why they included him to work for Marvin. As a result, Sonsona scored a Unanimous Decision victory over Jose Lopez in Ontario, Canada for the WBA 115-pound title on September 4, 2009.

Instead of joining Team Sonsona in celebration, Dodong flew immediately to San Francisco to attend to Ana Julaton, a young Filipino-American who was scheduled to a title fight against a polished veteran in Kelsey Jeffries by September 12. Nonito Sr. was already training Julaton as early as July. Again, in a stunning upset, Julaton edged out Jeffries via a Majority Decision.

Nonito Sr., a high school drop out from General Santos City, had been with the Philippine Army before grabbing the opportunity to migrate in the United States in 1993. As of the moment, he is working again for Marvin Sonsona who has been training in Cebu City to prepare for his next bout. Dodong has already molded three world champions and is looking forward to add more.