NONITO Donaire and Top Rank Promotions have agreed to part ways.
Top Rank decided to release four-division world champion Donaire with still one month left in his deal, ending an eight-year run with the promotion, ESPN.com’s Dan Rafael reported on Wednesday (Thursday Manila time).
“I'm grateful for what Top Rank has done with my career. I've gotten fighter of the year, been in front of everyone on television. But I've always been excited for new opportunities."
Donaire, 34 years old with a 37-4 ring record, is looking to continue his career and said he has been receiving a lot of offers to fight boxers from different promotions. He last fought in November, losing to Jessie Magdaleno.
“I fought my way there and conquered whatever I had to. I am very excited about the future. There's uncertainty but there is also opportunity,” said Donaire.
“The phones have been going crazy the past couple of days. I am getting calls from everywhere — international, East Coast, West Coast. There are a lot of opportunities out there for me. There are a lot of big names out there I could go against."
Nonito’s wife and manager Rachel Donaire said they are open to a fight with featherweight title holder Oscar Valdez, a boxer under Al Haymon of Premier Boxing Champions.
“If there's a point where he can fight Valdez, we are completely open to it. We've made lifelong friends at Top Rank. It's business, but the friends we made will always be there,” said Rachel.