Top Rank Promotions has signed IBF flyweight titleholder Nonito Donaire after the 25-year old Filipino parted ways in a dispute with Gary Shaw, reports Dan Rafael.
Donaire (19-1, 12 KO) publicly feuded with Shaw last year after upsetting Vic Darchinyan and getting just one fight the rest of the year, against Luis Maldonado. That was Donaire's last fight, and it took place in December.
Donaire was approved by Shaw to fight on that ill-fated card in Dubai that got called off, but after that, it's rumored all Shaw offered Donaire was a spot on the undercard of the upcoming Darchinyan-Kirilov fight on Showtime. It's worth being fair -- maybe that's all Shaw had open.
Donaire's not the only fighter to leave Shaw recently, as rising junior middleweight knockout artist James Kirkland has also split from his stable. Both men are managed by Cameron Dunkin, who has almost all of his fighters signed with Arum's Top Rank, including Kelly Pavlik.
Arum says that Donaire will likely fight in August and then hopefully be part of a massive October card in Macau, where Arum wants to stage a championship triple-header. It's rumored that he could be matched with 115-pound titlist Fernando Montiel or Jorge Arce, a contender in the same division, both exciting fighters and good opponents for Donaire, who seems to have the body to move up at least two more divisions if he wishes.
Kirkland, for the record, has a date on October 4th scheduled, and it's rumored that Deandre Latimore may be his opponent. Latimore recently upset Sechew Powell on ESPN2.