Donaire will return to the ring against Narvaez on Oct. 22 on HBO
WBC and WBO bantamweight titleholder Nonito Donaire will defend his belts against unbeaten WBO junior bantamweight titleholder Omar Narvaez of Argentina on Oct. 22 at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., on NBO, said Top Rank, Inc. CEO Bob Arum.
“It’s done. That fight is happening,” said Arum, confirming an initial report by RingTV.com. “As far as I’m concerned, it’s a done deal.”
Narvaez (35-0, 23 KOs) is southpaw who will be making his debut as a full-fledged 118-pounder. The 36-year-old from Cordoba is coming off a unanimous decision over William Urina in June, the third successful defense of the title he took from Everth Briceno in May of last year.
Donaire (26-1, 18 knockouts) last fought on Feb. 19 in Las Vegas, scoring a second-round knockout of Fernando Montiel (45-3-2, 35 KOs). That was Donaire’s 25th consecutive win and his 10th KO in his past 12 fights. It also was the 28-year-old’s second fight as a bantamweight, following a fourth-round knockout of ex-titleholder Wladimir Sidorenko.
Narvaez won the WBO flyweight belt by beating Adonis Rivas, flooring him once in the seventh round in July 2002. Narvaez then made 16 successful defenses of that title.
Lem Satterfield can be reached at [email protected]