AN obviously irate Nonito Donaire Jr wants a public apology from fellow Filipino Johnriel Casimero or else their historic August 14 unification bout for the world bantamweight championship is off for good.
The 38-year-old Donaire wants Casimero to make amends for saying words in public which he deemed were disrespectful and were a personal attack to himself and his family.
Otherwise, it could be the final straw from the Filipino Flash as he threatened to walk away from the planned fight and face someone else instead.
“There’s a thing about me that I’m at a point that I don’t need all this stuff. It’s gonna be my rules or get the heck out,” Donaire told Play It Right TV hosted by Quinito Henson and Dyan Castillejo.
“First he disrespected me, my family, my kids, my wife, for what reason that you have,” stressed the current World Boxing Council (WBC) champion. “If ever the fight goes through, definitely an apology from them to my wife, to my team for the disrespect.”
In an earlier statement, MP (Manny Promotions) president Sean Gibbons, who handles Casimero, said the fight is still very much on
But Rachel Donaire, manager, trainer, and wife of the champion who also appeared in the show, said she’s had enough of what Team Donaire referred to as a ‘circus’ that she already pulled off the plug from the fight as early as Sunday.
“For me no,” she said. “This is not worth it anymore.”
DONAIRE SAYS HE HAS OPTIONS IF CASIMERO FIGHT FALLS THROUGH
The bone of contention has something to do with the drug testing procedure of VADA (Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency), which Donaire insists the 31-year-old Casimero should take.
The Casimero camp said they’ve already enrolled in the VADA testing program, a claim which Team Donaire disputed, with Rachel Donaire already communicating with the agency.
Donaire, who said it was he who actually made the fight happen, added he has lots of choices if ever the fight doesn’t push through.
“If they don’t play my way, I have choices,” he stressed. “He (Casimero) has to follow my direction, my rules, and go from there.”
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