Boxing champ Donaire arrives; Manila readies motorcade

Over two weeks after bringing pride to the Philippines, Filipino boxing champion Nonito Donaire Jr. returned home to Manila before dawn Wednesday. Donaire, wearing a black jacket and a white cap, received a warm welcome from officials led by Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim and the Manila City band, radio dzBB’s Paulo Santos reported. The champion arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2 on a Philippine Airlines PR-103 flight at 5:30 a.m., the report said.
He showed off his World Boxing Organization and World Boxing Council bantamweight belts and posed for photos with well-wishers who welcomed him. Last Feb. 20 (Manila time), Donaire pummeled Mexico’s Fernando Montiel to win both WBO and WBC titles. He rocked Montiel with a left hook that sent the champion to the canvas. While Montiel made it back to his feet, referee Russell Mora stopped the fight at 2:25 of the second round. Donaire (26-1, 18 knockouts) has won 25 consecutive fights, raising his record to 26-1 with 18 knockouts. Lim said a grand welcome and motorcade now awaits Donaire. A report by dzBB’s Carlo Mateo said the welcome includes a ceremony and a victory motorcade around the city. “I-schedule natin ang motorcade sa buong Maynila. Sabik na sabik ang tao makita siya dahil champion uli si Donaire (We will schedule a motorcade for Donaire around Manila. People definitely want to see him)," Lim said in an interview on dwIZ radio. — LBG, GMA News