Nonito Donaire to engage in year-round drug testing!

Super-bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire.

Super-bantamweight world champion Nonito Donaire will become the first ever professional boxer to engage in year-round drug testing. The Filipino has enrolled in the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) according to his consultant Victor Conte.

When VADA was conceived, this was the ulitmate goal," explained Conte. "Whether Nonito has a fight or doesn't have a fight, he wants to go above and beyond anything Floyd Mayweather has done as far as drug testing goes. This is going to be true Olympic style 365-24/7 drug testing."

Donaire's next fight is against Jeffrey Mathebula on July 7th. Due to scheduling conflicts he will start the testing as early as July 8th (the day after the bout). Donaire's future opponents will also be free to use this style of drug testing.

"They will politely be offered a sponsorship eight weeks out so they will have the same opportunity as Nonito to show they have nothing to hide... It will have the highest standard of testing available. If they don't want the testing, the media will get to say what they think about that."

According to Conte, Donaire was more than willing to enrol in VADA and is happy to be a role model to all of the younger fighters and children out there so hopefully they will do the same.

"When it came to who would to step up and do this, Nonito doesn't ask people, he tells people," said Conte. "That's what he's about. He's a leader. He's going to make history here and help save boxing."

This is a great thing for a world class fighter to do. Although Donaire is not one of the most popular fighters in the world. He is relatively well known and could become even more popular in the future. Hopefully now, other fighters will be willing to engage this type of drug testing. As Conte said, this could be something that will help save boxing.