“Christmas will be coming early for me this year,” Jamaican boxing star Nicholas ‘The Axeman’ Walters, the World Boxing Association (WBA) featherweight champion, told The Gleaner yesterday, while commenting on his title fight at the StubHub Center in Carson, California, on October 18, against the WBA featherweight Super champion, Nonito ‘The Filipino Flash’
Donaire.

Walters has been the WBA featherweight champion since December 8, 2012, when he defeated Daulis Prescott to win the then vacant title. He has had two successful defences, the latest being against Vic Darchinyan on May 31, by knockout in round five.

Walters said that this is the fight he has been wanting to happen, and is happy that it is going to take place this year.

FAME AND FORTUNE
“Defeating Donaire will bring me fame and fortune. I will be ready on October 18, and it will be a great fight because he will be a tough opponent. At the end, however, the world will know that ‘The Axeman’ is a Super champion, and the best featherweight boxer in the world,” he added.

Donaire has been a top-10 fighter for several years, and has won world titles at super-bantamweight, junior featherweight twice, and then at featherweight. He was the World Boxing Council (WBC) Fighter of the Year in 2012, after defeating WBC Diamond Belt super-bantamweight champion Toshiaki Nishioka, to end his eight-year, 16-bout winning streak.

DREAM COME TRUE
Jacques Deschamps who manages Walters, told The Gleaner that he did not expect to get a fight with Donaire this quickly.

“The opportunity came, however, and we took it. Nicholas has been dreaming about this fight for a year, because it will mean a lot to him to beat Donaire. Jamaica and his fans around the world can be confident that Nicholas will be well prepared and that he will win.”

Walters goes into the ring with a 24-0 record with 20 knockouts, while Donaire is 32-2 with 21 knockouts. Their knockout records give a clear indication that this will be an action- packed fight.