Donaire faces tall test in South African foe Mathebula

AFP

Nonito Donaire admits he is intrigued by the prospect of facing Jeffrey Mathebula of South Africa on July 7 at the Home Depot Center in the City of Carson, California.

“He will be the tallest guy I will face in the ring,” Donaire said during a meeting with Filipino reporters recently in Las Vegas.

Mathebula stands 5-10, according to Donaire, and poses some problems.

“Never fought anyone that tall,” said the Filipino-American puncher who stands 5-6.

Through the years, Donaire has fed on a steady diet of short and compact foes like Fernando Montiel, Omar Narvaez and Hernan Marquez.

But not against a lanky fighter like Mathebula.

Still, Team Donaire is not losing sleep since they’re working hard in the gym to remedy this problem.

Donaire, who holds a 28-1 card with 18 knockouts, said he expects everything to fall into place by the time they travel from the Bay Area to southern California late this month or early next month.

Mathebula, who totes a 26-3-2 card with 14 stoppages, holds a win over a Filipino.

In June 2006 in South Africa, Mathebula outpointed Aaron Melgarejo.

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