Donaire vs Vetyeka: Nonito expects tough fight in May

Nonito Donaire will take aim at a world title in a fourth weight class this May, likely in Macao, as he tries to lift the WBA featherweight title from Simpiwe Vetyeka. Though Vetyeka is an unknown in the States and Donaire has been a premium network main event star for years now, Donaire isn't overlooking the man who beat and retired Chris John.

"(Vetyeka) is a really good fighter. I think he's the toughest of all the guys in that division. He's slick, he's got power. Pretty good."

Donaire (32-2, 21 KO) didn't look good in his last fight, a rallying stoppage of old rival Vic Darchinyan on November 9, 2013. Nonito was losing that fight and between that outing and his outclassing at the hands of Guillermo Rigondeaux, the cracks in Donaire's armor appear to be showing. He's 31 now and we've most likely seen his best days; at any rate, it's highly unlikely he's going to get better than he's been to date.

Vetyeka (26-2, 16 KO) scored one of the most notable upsets of 2013 when he knocked off John on December 6, ending the Indonesian star's 15-year unbeaten streak and nine year-plus WBA title reign. He's got back-to-back wins over John and Daud Yordan, another solid and credible fighter, and if anyone's expecting a Donaire cakewalk, they may be underestimating Vetyeka, overestimating Donaire, or both. Or maybe they'll be right. You never know! What analysis.