Donaire in Arum's arms anew

Manila, Philippines - As many people had hoped for, Nonito Donaire Jr. and Bob Arum are back in each other’s arms.

A couple of months after their much-publicized falling out, the “Filipino Flash” has started spreading the news that everything has been ironed out between them.

“We have reached a new respect for each other and are moving forward together,” said Donaire in an exclusive interview by Dennis Guillermo of The Examiner.

Donaire, the reigning WBO and WBC bantamweight champion, can once again look forward to his career with Top Rank, and may fight in October.

“There were a lot of things that have been said that have put a strain in the relationship, but both parties have agreed to open the lines of communication and wipe the slate clean,” he said.

Donaire, however, could not reveal any other details about the reconciliation, and if there were any new agreements involved.

“Both parties have agreed to drop our cases with the arbitration, and we are going ahead to work together, and I’m excited to move on with my career,” the boxer said.

Donaire, always in search of the big fights, thanked his wife, Rachel, for taking the “brunt of all the blame” during the impasse.



He said Rachel was “actually the one who personally met with Top Rank to find resolution and mediate things for me, when both parties were looking the other way.”

Everything seemed rosy for Donaire after he scored a sensational second-round knockout over Fernando Montiel at the Mandalay Bay last February.

But a month after the victory, Donaire announced that he was leaving Top Rank in favor of Golden Boy.

He claimed that his contract with Top Rank had already expired, and that Top Rank had failed to give him three fights a year as stated in the contract.

Arum claimed otherwise, saying Donaire nursed injuries for some time and thus the contract was to expire only by the end of 2012 or early 2013.

The issue was also taken to arbitration, and the federal judge ruled that Top Rank was on the side of the law, and continued to hold the rights on Donaire.

“We’ll clear this up. He’ll probably come back into our fold,” Arum said as early as March, as the controversy unfolded.

Abac Cordero, Philippine Star