Narvaez believes he can outsmart Donaire

Conventional wisdom suggests WBC and WBO bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire is too big and too powerful for challenger Omar Narvaez to handle while Narvaez moves up to the 118-pound class for the first time in his long career Saturday night at the Theater at Madison Square Garden.

Narvaez even admitted he's hoping to get by on experience and guile.

The 35-year-old Argentine is the reigning WBO junior bantamweight champion and has a 35-0-2 record that includes 19 KOs. But Donaire (26-1, 18 KOs) is coming off a devastating second-round KO of Fernando Montiel with a well-timed left hook in February and has knocked out nine of his past 10 opponents.

Speaking through an interpreter on Thursday, Narvaez repeatedly pointed to his head while explaining how he expects to beat Donaire. "I am prepared to avoid his left hook,'' said Narvaez, who is a southpaw. "I'm more of a boxer than Montiel. [Donaire] is a very good boxer. I will rely on my movements, my speed and my intelligence.

Friday's weigh-in raised some eyebrows when Donaire came in at 1161/2 pounds to Narvaez's 117. The thinking was that Donaire must have worked hard to get down and possibly drained himself while Narvaez should have had it easy going up in weight.

But the day before the weigh-in, Donaire said it was the opposite. The final news conference was held at Gallagher's Steak House, a tempting place for two guys trying to make 118. Donaire was four pounds overweight but noted he could eat his salmon entrée and drink fluids.

Keeping a sharp eye on Narvaez, Donaire correctly predicted, "I think he's heavier than me. It seems like he's really dry and thinned down. I've heard he's been in the gym, trying to come down. He's not even eating at all. Look at me. I had my salmon, and I'm drinking. I think I know proper weight management. But I know he's going to come in and try to hit me as hard as he can.''

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Undercard: Doors open at 7:30 p.m., and the undercard starts with a bout featuring Coram welterweight Cletus Seldin. Three other Long Island-based fighters are scheduled: Oceanside lightweight Michael Brooks, Plainview welterweight Tommy Rainone and Long Beach light-heavyweight Sean Monaghan.