Donaire, ‘still growing,’ to battle for WBA title

Nonito Donaire said he's ready to leave the flyweight division, and he'll get his first taste of life as a 115-pounder next month when he faces Rafael Concepcion at the Hard Rock Hotel.

Donaire (21-1, 14 knockouts) will fight for the WBA interim super flyweight title Aug. 15 at The Joint. He said his ultimate goal is to get to 130 pounds, much like Manny Pacquiao did earlier in his career.

"I'm still growing," said Donaire, 26. "The reason I'm moving up is because there was no one who wanted to fight me at 112. So it makes sense to move up now."

Three pounds might not seem like much. But Donaire said for fighters like himself who have small frames, the difference is noticeable.

"It does matter," Donaire said. "You worry about losing speed and quickness when you put on weight, and I have to prove that I can carry that speed and power at 115 pounds."

Donaire, who has been training in San Carlos, Calif., near San Francisco, will be heading south to Oxnard, Calif., this week to complete his training for Concepcion (13-3-1, eight KOs). Donaire will be working at the same gym as Steven Luevano, who puts his WBO featherweight crown on the line on the same card against Donaire's Filipino countryman, Bernabe Concepcion.

The card, billed by Top Rank as "Pinoy Power 2," is a new series showcasing Filipino fighters, much like "Latin Fury" has been designed to draw attention to up-and-coming Latino boxers.

• GREATEST EVER? -- The debate over who is the greatest boxer ever has raged on for decades. Now, fans can vote for who they think is the greatest fighter of all time.

A panel of boxing experts, including Las Vegas radio and television personality Al Bernstein, has compiled an impressive list of fighters in eight weight classes -- heavyweight, light heavyweight, middleweight, welterweight, lightweight, bantamweight, featherweight and flyweight, as well as a pound-for-pound "Greatest Ever" category.

Voting is being conducted online at GreatestEver.com and will run through the summer. For a vote to count, the person's name and e-mail address must be given.

The results will be revealed during a weekend of events Oct. 2 to 4 at Paris Las Vegas that will include appearances by Thomas Hearns, Roberto Duran and Larry Holmes. A USA vs. Europe pro boxing competition will take place, with a black-tie awards dinner to announce the results of the poll capping the weekend.

For information on ticket packages, contact the promotion's Web site.

• MCCALL'S RETURN -- Oliver McCall and his son Elijah will return to Las Vegas on Aug. 21 to headline a Crown Boxing card at The Orleans.

Oliver McCall, who won the IBA continental heavyweight title May 22 when he knocked out John Hopoate in the second round, will face former IBA champ Franklin Lawrence. Elijah, who fought on the same card as his father May 22 and knocked out Chad Davis in the first round, also will appear on the seven-bout card against an opponent to be determined.

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@ reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913.