Nonito Donaire ready for April 7th Belfast showdown with “incredible” Carl Frampton

Nonito Donaire has officially confirmed he is ready to travel to Belfast and fight Carl Frampton [24(14)-1(0)] in the Spring.

The Filipino Flash has hinted via Twitter that a bout with the Belfast star was on the cards for 2018, but speaking in America recently he confirmed that he was more than willing to share the ring with the fighter he labels “incredible.”

In fact Donaire went as far as to suggest both April 7th, the date put out by Frank Warren for Frampton’s return, and Belfast wouldn’t be stumbling blocks in negotiations.

“From what I am reading, April 7th is what Frank Warren has said so I am very excited about it. He is an incredible fighter and I have always wanted to get in the ring with incredible guys. There is a lot of excitement, a lot of people are wanting to see it, so I am ready and willing to go anywhere,” Donaire told ES News before sending a message directly to Frampton.

“I have great respect for you, your an incredible fighter and that’s what it’s all about, being in the ring with incredible fighters in the ring.”

At this point, a massive BT-broadcast fight between two world renowned names looks nailed-on, but Donaire has recently been called out by Abner Mares and says he is open to that clash too – although the Mexican-American may be merely angling for more money for his seemingly nailed-on rematch with Leo Santa Cruz.

“That would be great too,” said Donaire. “Abner is an incredible fighter and I supported him for his last fight. These guys are just incredible guys and to mix it up with them, I am honoured.”

The 35 year old is a former pound-for-pound rated star and four-weight champion, last holding the WBO super bantamweight title which he lost to Jessie Magdaleno last November.

Following this defeat he would move back up to featherweight and, in his return bout this September, outpointed Ruben Garcia Hernandez for the WBC silver title.

Donaire [38(24)-4(1)] is ranked 4th with the WBC, while Frampton is ranked 2nd, as well as 3rd with both the WBA and IBF, and 7th with the WBO.

The American-based South East Asian would offer an opponent with name value for Frampton – whose path back to world titles looks to be in the Summer at Windsor against the winner of Lee Selby’s IBF title defence against Josh Warrington, which will take place on May 19th.