Nonito Donaire gives weight update ahead of Ryan Burnett fight

Tomorrow afternoon Nonito Donaire [38(24)-5(1)] will step on a pair of scales in Glasgow and he believes that, for the first time in seven years, the reading will register 118lbs or below.

The Filipino four-weight champion was a surprise entry into the World Boxing Super Series bantamweight competition and many questioned the 35-year-old’s ability to make weight having not fought in the class since 2011.

That said, Donaire is a glamorous name and was the first choice for Ireland’s Ryan Burnett [19(9)-0] at the Draft Gala in Moscow during the summer.

Rumours were abound last week that the Asian was set to pull out of his fight with Burnett and be replaced by first reserve Paul Butler but, as fight night at the SSE Hydro approaches, the bubbly Donaire is still very much in the fight.

Indeed, Donaire has revealed that he has been close to weight since the start of the week.

Expected to come in eight pounds lower than he did when he took on Belfast’s Carl Frampton in April, Donaire revealed to the Irish News that the process has been “quite easy.”

“On Tuesday I did the preliminary weigh-ins which was 121lbs and I weighed in at 119.8lbs or something. So I don’t really have any problem at all.”

Donaire needs to hit the weight tomorrow to be take his place in the quarter final bout, a fight for Burnett’s WBA world title. Should he miss the weight, the slot will pass to Paul Butler and, should the Scouser slip-up on the scales, it will pass to Frenchman Yoann Boyeax.

Speaking yesterday, the future Hall of Famer noted how “I’m still very cohesive, I’m not slouching. Sometimes guys are just laying back, but I feel good. I feel really good.”

“When I was fighting Frampton, I was walking the weight I was weighing in. Being at this weight, it feels good.”

Donaire was aware of the rumours of his withdrawal and reasoned that they may have come from Paul Butler’s team.

He said that “I don’t know where it came from, how it came about. I think they were just trying to hype their man.”

“There’s nobody that’s in my gym who is open to anybody else, so no-one would have known if I did have any struggles.”

“No-one would have known if there was anything.”