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PEP EXCLUSIVE Nonito Donaire: "I was very happy to be able to give my dad a hug."

by Karen A. Pagsolingan posted on March 16, 2011  STATS: 926 Views | 63 Comments

 

The past few weeks have been stressful for the Donaire couple. While Nonito Jr. was busy training for his bout against Fernando Montiel, his wife Rachel made sure her husband had everything he needed, including a "shield" from the controversies surrounding the boxer's family.

Photo By: Karen A. Pagsolingan

Nonito Donaire Jr.'s most recent fight with Fernando Montiel earned for him a double victory.

First, he won the WBC and WBO Bantamweight World Champion title. Second, he became his father's son again.

PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) had the chance to talk to the boxing champ and his wife Rachel at the house of the latter's parents in Alabang last March 14. During the one-hour exclusive interview, the couple talked about the events that led to the end of Nonito Jr.'s almost three-year-old feud with Nonito Sr. (CLICK HERE to read related story.)

"We [finally] got to communicate, to talk," was how the 28-year-old boxer described the fateful dinner with his father on March 3.

Initially, we sensed Junjun's (Nonito's nickname) hesitation to talk about the feud. He had this "a-family-matter-remains-within-the-family" stance at the start of  the interview. Slowly, he began to relax and open up about the controversy and its aftermath.

BEFORE THE FIGHT. "I knew a little bit... that something was going on. When I saw the article, I didn't [realize] how big it got," he said.

The Filipino-American fighter was referring to his interview with Tris Dixon that was published on the website of Boxing News magazine last January 6. It was one of the few times he discussed his sentiments about his family. Following is an excerpt:

"All my life, I have done everything for my family," he says, leaning forward and with an expression that shows the opulent surroundings actually count for very little.

"Even my subjects in school, it was them who picked my subjects, it wasn't me. Everything that I did was for them. Anything and everything they've wanted me to do I have done. I was one of those kids who wanted my parents to be proud of me. I wanted my parents to be happy. I didn't want to be a burden to them.

"I have never been in trouble at all. And when I finally became my own man; they were not ready to accept that. When I chose my wife, they were not ready to accept that. They did not want me to get married, they just wanted me to keep doing things that I've done for them and they wouldn't accept my wife."

Almost a week later, his mom—Imelda Donaire—issued a statement through Anthony Andales of philboxing.com. (CLICK HERE to read story

Up until a few days before Junjun's February 20 bout, the family feud was fodder for the media.

While his mom and dad gave interviews left and right, the boxer was oblivious to what was being said and written against him and Rachel.

Junjun said, "She [Rachel] pretty much sheltered me. But the thing is, it's something that was already there, you know... There's something mga ganun-ganun... But I really just focused on my fight and tried not to be distracted."

Rachel made sure he had no access to TV and the Internet.

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63 Comments

  • 63  tigersaint1454

    03/18/2011 | 01:13 PM
    pera pera lang yan....malayo si Donaire kay Pacman....mas humble at marunong lumingon sa pinanggalingan si Pacman....hindi puro yabang at pagpapacute ng asawa...malayong maging fan ako ni Donaire, kahit sya ay isang pilipino.
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  • 62  venicejoy

    03/18/2011 | 12:30 PM
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  • 61  venicejoy

    03/18/2011 | 12:09 PM
    para sakin hindi kampyon ang sinu mang hindi marunong lumingon sa kanyang pinanggalingan! Utang na loob ni Donaire sa kanyang magulang kung nasan man sya ngayon kaya dapat lang na maging mapagkumbaba sya sa taong nagbigay ng buhay sa kanya. Mabuti naman at nakipag ayus na sya dahil wala syang patutunguhan kung ngayon palang ay mapagmalaki na sya. Kung gusto nya gumanda ang career nya sa pag aartista man o pagiging buksingero, dapat unahin nya na maging magalang at di mapagmalaki sya na anak.
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  • 60  toblerone75

    03/18/2011 | 09:55 AM
    OMG ang yabang naman nitong si Donaire . .magpasalamat k nga sa mga reporters ksi sila ang gumagawa ng paaan para makilala ka . .well kung hindi ka sanay sa Showbiz or sa industry na pinasok mo well then iwan mo sya . .db pnasokpasok then mag rereact ka ng ganyan . .at huwag ka gumawa ng isyu para hindi isulat ng reporters . .Gusto mo ng publicity ayan db meron . .
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  • 59  iceland

    03/18/2011 | 06:37 AM
    boksingero din pa tong si Rachel? pa epek din kasi..sorry im not a big fan nonito. what a shame to both of them criticising some sport media, na sila rin ang nag simula. jus my opinion.
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  • 58  nice1

    03/18/2011 | 04:12 AM
    go nonito and rachel!!! mag papansin lang ng mag papansin kyo nyahahahahhaahhaa
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  • 57  wilfredonggago

    03/18/2011 | 01:20 AM
    hindi kaya na-cu-curious itong si rachel sa mga marked inappropriate comments dito? ha ha. talk about freedom of speech!
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  • 56  pochee

    03/17/2011 | 07:15 PM
    NAKAKA-IRITA tong MAG-AsaWang toh.. bakit ba kase my NEWs Pa about THEM! Che! NAkaka-sira sa PEP!
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  • 55  Starbelle

    03/17/2011 | 03:11 PM
    Guys, read the article first before you make any comment. We should just be glad the rift is over.
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  • 54  angelnyt

    03/17/2011 | 01:13 PM
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  • 53  angelnyt

    03/17/2011 | 12:51 PM
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  • 52  halabira

    03/17/2011 | 12:25 PM
    shldnt blame the media for your interviews.kung ayaw mo palang lumaki bakit may mga intreview pa.next topic pls!kaya lang naman nakipagbati tong rachel na to dahil pangit na image nila sa public.everything calculated.
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  • 51  sipsip

    03/17/2011 | 10:14 AM
    Raquel, kung nagbabasa ka, magpapasalamant ka sa mods ng pep kasi panay and delete nya.
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  • 50  birtwal

    03/17/2011 | 09:07 AM
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  • 49  showbizdak

    03/17/2011 | 03:50 AM
    mga pilikmata ni rachel ang nagbigay ng hug sa daddy nila. those lashes go on forever and ever...cool ka lang rachel, may tinatawag kasing overexposure.
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  • 48  StocksAndBonds

    03/17/2011 | 03:26 AM
    somebody should really advise rachel to not share the limelight with nonito all of the time. i understand that she is both his wife AND manager but i have never seen any boxer in the world whose wife or manager shares the camera time the way this woman does. kaka-umay pls lang. i mean, who's the athlete here?
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  • 47  chikorita_pikachu

    03/17/2011 | 03:06 AM
    kahit mag tumbling pa misis nya o backstroke si nonito, who cares.. joke, peace po..
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  • 46  flow246

    03/17/2011 | 02:24 AM
    I'm happy about the son and tatay relationship now, though hindi ko matiis na mag-isip ng sincerity for Rachel. Sana hindi niya ito magamit para makuha niya ang sympathy ng mga tao because she knows na bad image talaga siya sa mga fans ni Nonito. Si Nonito naman, panay praise niya ang ginawa ni Rachel para mabinta ang asawa niya. Pero para sa akin, dahil sa ginawa ni RAchel, may lamat na ang pagkatao niya at hindi na yon mabura.
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  • 45  avidpepreader

    03/17/2011 | 01:41 AM
    tayong mga pinoy nga naman.....mamaya pag sikat na yan si Donaire, bigla tayong kakabig ng direksiyon. dahan dahan naman ang panlalait kay nonito at rachel. lahat naman tayo may mga pagkakamali, huwag masyadong judgemental.
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  • 44  sipsip

    03/17/2011 | 01:36 AM
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