CARSON, CALIF. (April 28, 2021) – WBC Bantamweight World Champion Nordine Oubaali and future Hall of Famer Nonito Donaire will battle in a long-awaited championship showdown taking place at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California on Saturday, May 29 headlining action live on SHOWTIME® in a Premier Boxing Champions event.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® televised undercard will feature hard-hitting contender Subriel Matias taking on undefeated Batyrzhan Jukembayev in an IBF Super Lightweight Title Eliminator in the co-main event.

The event is promoted by TGB Promotions. Tickets are on sale tomorrow, Thursday, April 29 at 10 a.m. PT and can be purchased at AXS.com. Dignity Health Sports Park will be open to fans in a limited capacity, with all guests remaining socially distanced and subject to local and state health guidelines throughout the event.

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For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotions on Instagram @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotions or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing.

By Bart Barry-

Thursday at Super Arena not far from Tokyo, Japan’s
Naoya “The Monster” Inoue decisioned “The Filipino Flash” Nonito Donaire to win
WBSS’ bantamweight tournament in a fight that saw the loser dropped by a liver
shot and the winner later treated for a cracked face.

It was splendid, gorgeous, a Thanksgiving-month reminder
to be grateful.  One can leave
of-the-year superlatives to others and say this 2019 match is the one any
aficionado should rewatch first.  This
was the match to show kids who wonder if boxing retains qualities they’ve heard
grandfathers conspire about.

It had class, courage, class, drama, class,
suspense, class, blood, class, concussion, class, bonebreaking, class, violence,
class, violence and class.  It didn’t
make its predecessors or successors worth their suffering because it was an
island, a tribute unto itself of what prizefighting looks like at its very
best.  Notice: It wasn’t horrorflick gory
or WWE paced or Boardwalk Hall thunderstriking – it was proper prizefighting in
a way as recognizable to Benny Leonard as Floyd Mayweather.

Inoue sought and encountered his foil in a way
none of his peers has done.  We now know
he could’ve signed with Top Rank and fought ESPN prelims till 2021 but
self-entered a single-elimination tourney instead to test himself three
weightclasses higher than his debut scaling. 
That’s what a pursuit of greatness looks like.  No cherrypicking, no ask-my-managering, no thank-God-and-Al-Haymoning;
rather, I will fight whosoever draws me and I will annihilate him.

And at tourney start Nonito did not look that part,
as the bracket configuration appeared prohibitive to Filipino Flash.  Three rounds into WBSS’ first round Donaire
looked outclassed enough by Irishman Ryan Burnett to be involuntarily retired before
three, 120-108 scores got read in Scotland. 
Then Burnett suffered a freak back injury Donaire had nothing to do
with, and Nonito was on to the semifinals where he blasted an anonymous
shortnotice sub.  All the while Inoue
stomped to the finals in a series of exertions better captured by punches-needed
than minutes or rounds.

I was ringside for Inoue’s only American tilt, two
years ago, and I did not see anything to make me anticipate the ease with which
Inoue’d go through Juan Carlos Payano and Emmanuel Rodriguez.  This year I went from admiring Inoue’s
character for signing with WBSS to quietly ranking him above Bud, Hi-Tech and
Canelo.  I expected him to blitz Donaire
and bring a mercy stoppage early, definitely before the fight’s mid rounds.  Too fast, too strong, too technically sound
for a 37-year-old returned in 2018 to a division he outgrew in 2011.

But did I remember July 7, 2007, in my
assessment?  Damn right I did.

That extraordinary lefthook against an onrushing
and sadistic savant, Vic Darchinyan, who’d humiliated Nonito’s older brother, Glenn,
then put Victor Burgos in a coma in the two fights that preceded his intended
wasting of Nonito.  Darchinyan’s
signature charge embraced contemptuous entitlement more than strategy, fists not
just waistlow but cocked, when Nonito clipped him and changed both their careers.

True an eraser as exists in our beloved sport,
that Donaire lefthook.  It erased
everything we predicted on Thursday, no? 
It flew in round 1 but got outsped by Inoue’s own eraser, the same way
everything Donaire did most of the fight got outsped by what Inoue did, but in
round 2 it did something wicked.  It
gifted The Monster with a monstrous gash, concussion and facial fracture. 

We hadn’t before Thursday an inkling how Inoue
might react to such trauma and hadn’t much more of an inkling immediately after
it happened; Inoue’s composure revealed that his brow had been sliced, not that
his cheek had been cracked.  In
retrospect and upon review, what is most beautiful about the rounds that
followed is how close the men stood to one another without wasted motion.  No twitching, no hotfooting; Donaire and
Inoue stood inside their arms’ lengths and threw punches at one another.

Donaire knew how good Inoue was, and Donaire gave
him everything he had left.  Inoue did
not know how good Donaire’s chin was, none of us did, frankly, and went after
him imprudently on several occasions but none so predatorily as after blackmatting
Donaire with a precise buttonshot 90 seconds in the championship rounds.  Donaire circled desperately as any man with a
vital organ under direct attack.  Inoue
hunted him with punches fundamentally flawless and a defense that was not.

After 30 seconds of being a prey Donaire let sail
a lefthook that braked Inoue’s engine for their fight’s final four minutes.  If Inoue knew a man is never more dangerous
than when hurt he didn’t feel it till 1:54 of round 11 of the WBSS Final – a
punch he will not forget.  Done were
Inoue’s leads; nearly every punch he threw after that Donaire lefthook got
preceded by a jab, the way you learn your first week in a boxing gym.  If the match’s final round was anticlimactic
it was because the match climaxed four minutes before its closing bell when
both men realized they’d given enough of themselves and enough to one another.

I watched Thursday’s WBSS Final on short rest and 12
hours after an
unsettling adventure with stroboscopic LEDs, so I may be an unreliable narrator,
but Inoue-Donaire was complete a prizefight as I’ve seen in many years.  Bless them both.

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Editor’s note: This column will return in December.

*

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry

Bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue broke his orbital bone during his fight with Nonito Donaire, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

Inoue said he would not require surgery to repair either fracture and that he will be reexamined by his doctor in a month to asses his progress.

“Then I will decide my training schedule thereafter,” Inoue said in translated remarks, adding that his plans for a spring fight in the United States would have to be delayed.

Nonito Donaire spoke to his fans through his Twitter account, and as always was classy in defeat to Naoya Inoue on Thursday.

” First of all, I want to thank God for keeping me safe in that ring. My guardian angels for holding that shield up, that armor as strong as they could. To Ringstar Sports Richard Schaefer for believing me so much to get me into this tournament. You truly have had my back through this all and appreciate you. To Mr. Honda, Teiken, the hospitality you have shown to me, my family and team has been amazing. I could not thank you enough. To Kato’s Clinic, your support is unending. I can’t thank you enough for your belief in me. To Mizuno, thank you for suiting me up for such an epic fight. You have treated me like family here and always taken care of me. To Japan, thank you for allowing us the experience of your wonderful culture both in the ring and out. Team Donaire, we trained our asses off and we just shrugged off anyone who said I didn’t stand a chance. We kept grinding and that work showed. HATERS said I was out in 1 round but we showed em our heart, our determination. To my fans, the journey we are on! You guys have gone gone thru it all with me and the amount of energy and love you’ve given is insurmountable. Lastly, to my family, my heart. I am a warrior on my shield. I came to Japan to take the Muhammad Ali trophy. I promised my sons they would see it in the morning. And with tears in my eyes, I humbly asked Inoue to borrow it for a night, not for me but for my word. It’ll be a life lesson my boys will soon learn. That you do your best and you come short. You will win. You will lose. But in either aspect you will do so graciously. It’ll pain them to see my face. They’ll kiss my wounds. They’ll see a trophy we don’t get to take home and understand what it means to want to train harder. And I told about the battle I fought. That I’d rather put my life on that sheild than give up. And that we will ALWAYS fight. I’m going to take time with my friends and family that have traveled to support me for the coming weeks. I thank you for the outpour of love and support,” said Donaire

Naoya Inoue unified the IBF and WBA Bantamweight titles as well as winning the World Boxing Super Series by winning a 12-round unanimous decision over former four-division champion Nonito Donaire in a terrific action fight in Tokyo, Japan.

The fight was ebb and flow throughout as both guys to establish themselves. In round two, Inoue was cut over his right eye from a punch. The cut bothered Inoue as Donaire was able to be more confident which translated into a good activity level. Inoue steadied himself in the middle rounds as he stunned Donaire several times.

Donaire showed his championship mettle by hurting Inoue very badly in round nine when he landed a hard right hand that had “The Monster” holding on. With the cut worsening, Imoue was able to get through the round. Donaire was not able to capitalize and then the fight was sewn up by Inoue has landed a ripping body shot that sent Donaire to the canvas. After weathering Inoue’s storm, Donaire was able to land one of his vaunted left hooks that stunned Inoue. That set up for a round 12 which both fighters stood toe to toe with Inoue getting the better of the action.

Inoue won by scores of 117-109, 116-111 and 114-113 to raise his mark to 19-0. Donaire is now 40-6.

Nordine Oubaali retained the WBC Bantamweight title with a 12-round unanimous decision over Takuma Inoue.

In round four, Oubaalui landed a right to the body that was followed by a huge left to the head that sent Inoue down for the 1st time in his career. Oubaali won most of the rounds with good counter punching. Inoue made one last effort in the final frame as he drove Oubaali into the ropes with a big left hand, but it was too little-too late as Oubaali won by scores of 120-107. 117-110 and 115-112.

Oubaali of France is now 17-0. Inoue of Japan is 13-1.

Shokichi Iwata stopped Alejandeo Cruz Valladares in round five of a scheduled six-round light flyweight bout.

In round five, Valladares began to bleed from his nostrils. Valladares continued to take big shots and was saved by the referee who stopped the bout at 2:10.

Iwata, 107 3/4 lbs of Tokyo, JAP is now 4-0 with three knockouts. Valladares, 106 3/4 lbs of Mexico City is 5-2.

Naoya Inoue made his case as one of the top fighters in the world by destroying previously undefeated Emmanuel Rodriguez in two rounds to retain his WBA and win the IBF Bantamweight title. In the process, Inoue advances to the final of the World Boxing Super Series where he will meet Nonito Donaire.

Inoue dropped Rodriguez three times in the 2nd round. The 1st was a booming right, and the final two were body shots. Rodriguez got to his feet, but with a bloody nose, the referee wisely waved off the bout at 1:19.

Inoue of Japan is now 18-0 with 16 knockouts. Rodriguez of Puerto Rico is 19-1.

Former world champion Paul Butler stopped Salvador Hernandez Sanchez in round six of their scheduled eight-round bantamweight bout.

Butler dominated the fight and dropped Sanchez with a left hook to the body in the 6th round that put Hernandez down for the count at 2:52.

Butler of England is now 29-2 with 15 knockouts. Sanchez of Mexico is 14-9-1.

Zach Parker remained undefeated by stopping Steven Cramber in round four of their scheduled eight-round super middleweight bout.

The bout was stopped after a barrage of punches at 2:47 for Parker, who is now 18-0 with 12 knockouts. Crambert of France is 8-5.

Lee McGregor went the distance for the 1st but won an easy decision over Brett Fidoe in a bantamweight bout.

McGregor of Scotland won by 60-54 scores and is now 6-0. Fidoe of England is 13-51-5.

Reece McFadden won a four-round decision over Georgi Georgiev in a super bantamweight fight.

Scores were 40-36 for McFadden who is 3-0. Gerogiev is 7-15-1.

By Bart Barry-

After two weeks of exhibitionist fare boxing returned Friday and Saturday to competitive and excellent matches, excellent for being competitive. Or maybe the passive voice delivers better here: Boxing got returned to competitiveness by DAZN. The aficionado’s platform delivered simple, striking excellence Friday, with its broadcast of Mexican Juan Francisco Estrada’s super flyweight rematch with Thailand’s Srisaket Sor Rungvisai. Then the next round of the World Boxing Super Series happened Saturday with two of its semifinal matches, Regis Prograis versus Kiryl Relikh and Nonito Donaire versus Stephon Young.

They were all three of a piece and beautiful for the same reason: They participated in a genuine pursuit of the best available competition by identifying that competition and then going to it.

Friday’s participants had the benefit of having already identified, through their own perseverance and courage, the very best opposition they might face, and then, bless their exceptional spirits, chosen to face each other once more. Saturday’s participants, two of the four anyway, did their level best to identify what men would challenge them properly – with one of the other two a latenotice replacement and the fourth, Donaire, having previously identified such men and done his best against them.

More about that in a bit if space and endurance allow, but back to the main event among main events, back to a fight unlikely to be surpassed the rest of this year. No, Estrada-Sor Rungvisai 2 was not what mindless madness we bestow yearend honorifics upon but rather two of the world’s very best prizefighters in their primes and fighting one another best they were able. More clearly written, even had Errol Spence and Mikey Garcia been the exact same size, they’d not have been able to match Estrada and Sor Rungvisai for quality; Spence lacks Sor Rungvisai’s experience like Garcia lacks Estrada’s complexity.

There is, as a matter of fact, no current prizefighter who has on his resume a man better than the man whom Sor Rungvisai took from prime to pursuing-other-career-opportunities. If you take the best win on the resumes of each of prizefighting’s five best practitioners currently and add all those men all together, they just about equal the Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez whom Sor Rungvisai decisioned then slept in a halfyear’s time.

Eight pounds and 6 1/2 years ago Chocolatito put it on Estrada thoroughly, and it made Estrada better – and that makes Estrada exceptional. Friday was about Estrada more than Sor Rungvisai. The man aficionados who know what’s what affectionately call The Rat King showed up and made the sort of fight he makes every time, and if DAZN’s mediocre broadcasting crew didn’t realize how close the fight was it was because their headsets precluded them from hearing punches well as the judges did – as, below a din of babbling groupthink, Sor Rungvisai’s body punches, to which he committed from the very start, made audible confirmations of what tariffs they exacted from Estrada’s awesome initiative. And it was indeed awesome.

Estrada showed Sor Rungvisai the same lack of respect that canvassed Chocolatito in March 2017 then savasana-d him in September that year. After 12 rounds of tasting power from a man who’s much of it as anyone fighting, Estrada went after Sor Rungvisai like he’d no inkling who Sor Rungvisai was. This column is proof you can write about our beloved sport 14 years and think about it in your spare time, too, and still not be very close to explaining how a man does what Estrada did – delusion himself into believing a man who beat a man who beat him, and who also punched him hard and often 14 months ago, is so much less than the sum of those accomplishments he might go after him directly if given another chance.

Estrada fulfilled every definition of courage Friday. With both an outcome and his own health in doubt Estrada chose to go first. Compare that statement to the very best you might say or write about what Terence Crawford did a couple Saturdays ago or Vasiliy Lomachenko did the week before that. Among the world’s best prizefighters, and Estrada is exactly that, the nearest one comes to a man making Estrada’s choices is Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, and we’re not allowed to celebrate him too loudly because he’s both overcompensated and guilty of bodypunching the shine right off yesteryear’s embellishment, the former “most feared” champion now readying to make a June war on Canada’s fourth-best middleweight.

Saturday’s fights were excellent and suffer only if one happens to watch them immediately before or after Estrada-Sor Rungvisai 2. No matter how much they might suffer by comparison, anyway, they are redeemed by the tournament that made them happen, even if that tournament’s masterminds have yet to realize their fights do not belong in American venues or any venues unknown to boxing and farflung as Lafayette, La.

Nonito Donaire, a subject of sympathy through his opening 10 minutes with Ryan Burnett in November, now finds himself the WBSS’ unlikeliest finalist yet, after hooksawing poor Stephon Young in Saturday’s comain. Donaire did not belong in the semifinals but Young belonged there much less, and Donaire played him a 2007 Vic Darchinyan remix to prove it.

The evening’s mainevent and ostensible reason WBSS stubbornly returns to empty Louisiana arenas, Regis “Rougarou” Prograis, beat the joy out a very good Belarusian super lightweight named Kiryl Relikh, causing Relikh and his corner and referee Luis Pabon to conclude as one the match needed concluding at its midway point. On his shield Relikh did not retire, but the result’d’ve doubtfully changed had he tried to do so.

Were this another tired exhibition on premium cable or its cheaper counterparts there’d be plenty of reason to doubt Prograis is good as he looks. But that’s the blessed thing about this WBSS tournament (and the Super Six before it): If Prograis turns out to be peerless it will be from his lessening his every peer.

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry

Don’t miss the WBSS Super-Lightweight and Bantamweight Semi-Finals – Regis Prograis vs Kiryl Relikh and Nonito Donaire vs Zolani Tete – at the Cajundome in Lafayette, USA on April 27.

Tickets priced from $25 go on sale at 10am CDT today (Friday, March 15).

Tickets will be available from TicketMaster.com here.

Ticket Price Bands:
Cat.1 Ringside – $400
Cat.2 Floor – $100
Cat.3 Lower Tier (centre) – $60
Cat.4 Lower Tier (corner) – $50
Cat.5 Upper Tier – $25

The magnificent doubleheader opens the semi-finals stage the World Boxing Super Series and the quest for the Muhammad Ali Trophy in the 140lb and 118lb edition of the tournament.

American and New Orleans native Regis Prograis (23-0, 19 KOs) faces Belarusian Kiryl Relikh (23-2, 19 KOs), who is training in Miami, in a super-lightweight semi-final and American-Philippine Nonito Donaire (39-5, 25 KOs) meets South African Zolani Tete (28-3, 21 KOs) in a bantamweight semi-final.

Join the Lafayette event on Facebook here!

A ticketing update on the Glasgow show will be made in the coming days.
Buy Lafayette Tickets!

A doubleheader that will see junior welterweights Regis Prograis battle Kiryl Relikh and Zolani Tete taking on Nonito Donaire will take place on April 27, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

After Ivan Baranchyk pulled out of the tournament for non-payment, Prograis has decided to stay in the WBSS.

“He is staying in. We worked out an arrangement where we feel comfortable,” Churchill Management’s Sam Katkovski, Prograis’ manager, told ESPN.

“First off, I’m just excited to continue with the tournament,” Prograis said. “It’s the best fighting the best. That’s what boxing should be about. I know Relikh is a tough and strong fighter, and I never look over an opponent, but I have no doubt in my mind that I will win.”

“I’m looking very much to the semifinal and the quest for the [Muhammad] Ali Trophy,” Relikh said. “When I fight the fans will get the money’s worth. I predict just like all of my fights a win for me.” Four-division world titlist Donaire (39-5, 25 KOs), 36, a Philippines native fighting out of Las Vegas, dropped down from featherweight to join the bantamweight field after having not boxed in the division since 2011. He won another bantamweight world title in the quarterfinals when he defeated Ryan Burnett on Burnett’s turf in Glasgow, Scotland, on Nov. 3 in a fight in which Burnett could not continue after the fourth round because of a freak injury — a torn oblique muscle on his right side.

“WBSS has set up such a great opportunity for me to achieve what I’ve always wanted and that’s to be undisputed champion,” Donaire said. “Since the last fight, I took just a couple weeks off and came right back to the gym. Tete is a formidable opponent and we have been preparing since the last fight. I’m even more excited with it being in the U.S. and won’t waste the opportunity to show the crowd what we’ve been working on.”

“Nonito Donaire is a true champion and has had a lot success against my fellow countryman like Moruti Mthalane and Jeffrey Mathebula in the past, but that stops here,” Tete said. “I respect Nonito, but I have a lot of faith in my own boxing ability, and I will come out victorious when we fight.”

In a battle of undefeated junior welterweights, Josh Taylor dominated and stopped Ryan Martin to advance to the semifinals of the World Boxing Super Series at the SSE Hydro Arena in Glasgow, Scotland.

Taylor dominated the fight by focusing on the body with both hands.  Martin did not offer much resistance as he continued to take a pounding round after round.   In round four, Martin began to have swelling around the right eye.  He began to bleed from around the left eye in round six.

In round seven, Taylor landed a hard left that froze Martin into the ropes.  Taylor followed with a hard combination and the fight was stopped as Martin fell to the canvas at 2:21.

Taylor of Scotland is 14-0 with 12 knockouts.  Martin of Tennessee is 22-1.

Nonito Donaire stopped Ryan Burnett after round four after Burnett hurt his back to win the WBA Bantamweight title.

In round four, Burnett threw a right hurt and grabbed his back before taking a knee.  Donaire was all over Burnett for the final 30 seconds of the round.  After the round, Burnett could not continue.

The official time was one second of round five. Burnett left ringside on a stretcher.

Donaire, who will now face Zolani Tete in the semifinals of the World Boxing Super Series is now 39-5 with 25 stoppages.  Burnett is 19-1.

Zach Parker won a 12-round split decision over Daryll Williams in a super middleweight bout.

Williams appeared to outwork Parker, but it was Parker who took cards 117-112 and 115-114. Williams won a card 115-113.

Parker, 167.9 lbs is 17-0. Williams, 167.6 is 17-1.

Former bantamweight champion Paul Butler decisioned Yoan Boyeaux over 10-rounds.

Butler, 118 lbs of England won by a 99-91 score and is now 27-2. Boyeaux, 117.9 lbs of France is 41-6.

Follow all the action from Glasgow Scotland as Ryan Burnett defends his bantamweight world title against Nonito Donaire as well as Josh Taylor taking on Ryan Martin.  The action starts at 3 PM ET.

NO BROWSER REFRESH NEEDED.  THE PAGE WILL UPDATE AUTOMATICALLY.

Round 1: Jab to body from Taylor..Body shot,,,Left..Right from Martin..Combination from Taylor..Left..

Round 2 Taylor lands a body shot..Right hook..Left..right to body..Jab from Martin..Uppercut from Taylor..Taylor dictating the fight

Round 3 Left from Taylor…Jab from Martin..Combination..Jab..Body and jab from Taylor..Body shots

Round 4 Left-Right from Taylor..Good jab..left to body..left..Right Hook..hard left to body..Swelling around right eye of Martin..Body shot from Taylor..Right from Martin

Round 5  Left from Taylor

Round 6 Right to body from Taylor..Right hook..Straight left…Right hook..Martin not doing anything..Martin cut around the left eye,..Left from Martin..Body shot from Taylor..Left to body..Right..Taylor dominating

Round 7 Good right to body from Martin..Right..Combination from Taylor..Left hook..Body shot..HARD SHOT..MARTIN CAUGHT IN ROPES..FIGHT STOPPED–2:21

Round 1 Jab from Burnett..Jab..Left hook to body. from to Donaire..Right..Right from Burnett..

Round 2 Donaire lands a jab..Good right from Burnett..Right to body..Left hook from Donaire..Right..Jab from Burnett..Good Right..Good combination

Round 3 Jab from Burnett..Good right from Donaire,,another Right…Combination from Burnett..Hard shots from Donaire

Round 4 BURNETT THROWS A PUNCH AND HIRTS HIS BACK,,,HE TAKES A KNEE..Donaire all over Burnett

FIGHT IS OVER…BURNETT CAN NOT CONTINUE..THE OFFICIAL TIME IS 1 SECOND OF ROUND 5

According to Dan Rafael of espn,com, former former four-division world champion Nonito Donaire will move down to bantamweight and enter the World Boxing Super Series (WBSS).

“I’m really looking forward to the tournament,” Donaire said. “Entering the tournament gives me an opportunity to showcase my capabilities against the best in this division. This division is stacked with talent and that’s really exciting! I believe my size, experience and most of all my power will give me the edge over my opponents.”

“Donaire is a legend in the game and an amazing addition to the Muhammad Ali Trophy action,” said promoter Kalle Sauerland, chief boxing officer for tournament organizer Comosa AG. “He has fought in various divisions, but will look at his very best in the 118-pound lineup because of exceptionally fast hand speed and terrific punching power.”

“People always asked about my goal and I said to be undisputed (world champion). With this tournament, that goal is now attainable,” Donaire said.

Carl Frampton won the WBO Interim Featherweight title with a 12-round unanimous decision over former 4-divison champion Nonito Donaire at the SSE Arena in Belfast, Ireland.

Frampton won on all cards 117-111 and is now 25-1.  Donaire is now 38-5.

“I think Jamie deserves a lot of credit because the gameplan was perfect,” said Frampton. “As you saw in the 11th round, Nonito Donaire is a dangerous opponent. I survived the round and stuck to the gameplan. At times, my boxing was beautiful.

“Donaire was a sharp puncher throughout. I was definitely hurt in the 11th round, people could see it. But champions survive and that’s what I did. The only thing on my mind is fighting at Windsor Park. I can’t wait to get there”

EARLY RESULTS FROM THE BELFAST SSE ARENA

Fight # 1 – 16:00 hrs
4 X 3 Minute Rounds International Super-Middleweight Contest
RYAN HATTON TKO2 (1:59) V ATTILA TIBOR NAGY

Fight # 2
4 X 3 Minute Rounds Heavyweight Contest
ALEX DICKINSON KO1 (1:08) V LEE CARTER

Fight # 3
6 X 3 Minute Rounds Middleweight Contest
TROY WILLIAMSON TKO4 (2:41) V CHRISTIAN HOSKIN GOMEZ

Fight # 4
6 X 3 Minute Rounds International Featherweight Contest
TYRONE McCULLAGH TKO3 (2:10) V ELVIS GUILLEN

Fight # 5
6 X 3 Minute Rounds Super-Featherweight Contest
MARCO McCULLOUGH WPTS6 (60-53) V ARNOLD SOLANO

Fight # 6
6 X 3 Minute Rounds International Super-Lightweight Contest
SAM MAXWELL KO1 (0:56) V MICHAEL ISSAC CARRERO

Fight # 7
6 X 3 Minute Rounds International Light-Heavyweight Contest
STEVEN WARD TKO3 (2:48) V MICHAL CIACH

Follow all the action as Carl Frampton and Nonito Donaire fight for the Interim WBO Featherweight title.  The fight begins at 5:15 PM ET.

NO BROWSER REFRESH NEEDED.  THE PAGE WILL UPDATE AUTOMATICALLY 

Round 1: Short left hook from Frampton..Body shot from Donaire..Body shot..Left hook

Round 2:  Hard right from Framptom..Left eye of Donaire is swelling..Right from FramptoN..Right

Round 3 Good right from Frampton..Left hook..Right from Donaire..Right from Frampton

Round 4 Straight right from Frampton ..Chopping right and a body shot…Left to the head..3 punch combination

Round 5 Good jab from Frampton..Right uppercut from Donaire..2 good uppercuts..Good jab from Frampton..Good right

Round 6 Good right from Frampton..Right..Good jab from Donaire..

Round 7 Good left from Frampton..2 Hard uppercuts hurts Frampton..

Round 8  Right and left from Frampton

Round 9  Body shots from Frampton

Round 10

Round 11 Body shot from Donaire..Jab from Frampton..Left..Right and body shot from Donaire..left hook..Big left

Round 12  Right uppercut and left hook from Donaire..Left from Frampton..Left from Donaire..6 punches on ropes from Frampton

117-111 ON ALL CARDS FOR FRAMPTON

https://www.facebook.com/btsport/videos/1975280272545165/

Doors open at 15:30 hrs

Fight # 1 – 16:00 hrs
4 X 3 Minute Rounds International Super-Middleweight Contest
RYAN HATTON 169lbs V ATTILA TIBOR NAGY –

Fight # 2
4 X 3 Minute Rounds Heavyweight Contest
ALEX DICKINSON 222lbs V LEE CARTER 268lbs

Fight # 3
6 X 3 Minute Rounds Middleweight Contest
TROY WILLIAMSON 160.8lbs V CHRISTIAN HOSKIN GOMEZ 160lbs

Fight # 4
6 X 3 Minute Rounds International Featherweight Contest
TYRONE McCULLAGH 127.3lbs V ELVIS GUILLEN 123.5lbs

Fight # 5
6 X 3 Minute Rounds Super-Featherweight Contest
MARCO McCULLOUGH 131.6lbs V ARNOLD SOLANO 133.3lbs

Fight # 6
6 X 3 Minute Rounds International Super-Lightweight Contest
SAM MAXWELL 142.8lbs V MICHAEL ISSAC CARRERO 140.7lbs

Fight # 7
6 X 3 Minute Rounds International Light-Heavyweight Contest
STEVEN WARD 171.5lbs V MICHAL CIACH –

BT SPORT GO LIVE @ 19:30 HRS

Fight # 8 – 19:40 hrs
10 X 3 Minute Rounds Super-Lightweight Contest
TYRONE McKENNA 142lbs V ANTHONY UPTON 141lbs

Fight # 9
THE WBO EUROPEAN MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
10 X 3 Minute Rounds
CONRAD CUMMINGS 11st 5lbs 8oz V LUKE KEELER 11st 5lbs 4oz

Fight # 10
8 X 3 Minute Rounds Lightweight Contest
DAVID OLIVER JOYCE 132.5lbs V JORDAN ELLISON 132.8lbs

Fight # 11
THE WBO BANTAMWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP OF THE WORLD
12 X 3 Minute Rounds
ZOLANI TETE 8st 4lbs 6oz V OMAR ANDRES NARVAEZ 8st 5lbs 4oz

Fight # 12
THE VACANT WBO INTERIM WORLD FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
12 X 3 Minute Rounds
CARL FRAMPTON 8st 13lbs 3oz V NONITO DONAIRE 8st 13lbs 5oz

Live Floater # 13
4 X 3 Minute Rounds Welterweight Contest
LEWIS CROCKER 153.6lbs V SCOTT JAMES 151lbs

NEW YORK (April 20, 2018) – Former world champions Carl Frampton and Nonito Donaire made weight ahead of their clash for the interim WBO Featherweight Title this Saturday, April 21. The main event bout from SSE Arena in Belfast will stream live to U.S. audiences via SHOWTIME Sports YouTube Channel and SHOWTIME Boxing Facebook Page.

INTERIM WBO FEATHERWEIGHT WORLD TITLE

Carl Frampton – 125 ¼

Nonito Donaire – 125 ½

The SHOWTIME BOXING INTERNATIONAL® livestream will begin at 5:15 p.m. ET/2:15 p.m. PT with coverage provided by BT Sport and BoxNation and featuring commentary by U.K. sportscasters John Rawling (blow-by-blow) and former featherweight world champion Barry Jones (analysis).

# # #

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing. To become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing.

LONDON (20 April) – Carl Frampton believes a loss to Nonito Donaire could spell the end of his career.

The Belfast boxer steps into the ring this Saturday night against four-weight world champion Donaire in front of his home city fans at The SSE Arena in a colossal fight that can be watched live on BoxNation.

31-year-old Frampton, who has just one loss on his record in 25 fights, is looking to become a world champion again like the highly-respected Donaire and believes that a loss could mean the end for one of them.

“Look at what he’s done in the ring and what’s he achieved. What I’ve done has been overshadowed by what he’s done. He’s a quality fighter and achieved a hell of a lot,” Frampton told iFL TV.

“He’s dangerous because I think we’re in a similar position maybe – last chance saloon – where a loss could be the end. I’m not thinking about that.

“I’ve done everything that’s been asked of me in training camp and I feel like it’s been a quality one,” he said.

Ulsterman Frampton also feels people are underestimating Donaire ahead of the fight but has insisted that he certainly isn’t one of them.

“I get the impression people are writing Donaire off [thinking he’s past it]. I’m not writing him off and that’s the important thing. I don’t think I can get carried away with that too much,” said Frampton.

“I’m preparing for the best Nonito Donaire there’s ever been. It’s been a long training camp. He’s had time to prepare and is a solid professional.

“I’m sure he’s done everything that’s asked of him in training like me. It’s going to be a good night,” he said.

Though he is aware that he must first get past the major test that ‘The Filipino Flash’ will set him this weekend, Frampton could potentially win the interim WBO belt and be set to face world champion Oscar Valdez next up.

“Valdez would be an unreal fight – it would be nothing but fireworks. That fight appeals to me at the minute,” he said.

“Leo Santa Cruz is fighting in June so that rules him out for an August fight. Hopefully we can do the third one at some point,” Frampton said.

Saturday’s massive evening of boxing also features WBO bantamweight champion Zolani Tete making the second defence of his title after his world record-breaking KO win in November against the experienced Argentine Omar Andres Narvaez.

BoxNation is available on Sky/Freeview/Virgin/TalkTalk/EE/Apple TV/ online at watch.boxnation.com, via apps (iOS, Android, Amazon) and TV Player for just £12 a month. Buy now at boxnation.com.

– ENDS –

About BoxNation

BoxNation, the Channel of Champions and proud partner of Rainham Steel, is the UK’s first dedicated boxing channel. From £12* per month with no minimum term customers can enjoy great value live and exclusive fights, classic fight footage, magazine shows and interviews with current and former fighters.

Previous highlights have included Haye vs Chisora, Mayweather vs Maidana, Saunders vs Eubank Jr and Canelo vs Golovkin.

The channel is available on Sky (Ch.437), Freeview (Ch.255), Virgin (Ch.546), TalkTalk (Ch.415), online at watch.boxnation.com, via apps (ios, Android, Amazon, Apple TV) and TV Player.

BoxNation is also available in high definition on Sky (Ch. 490), at no extra cost to Sky TV subscribers, providing they are already HD enabled.

Available on selected internet-connected Freeview products only, subject to coverage. Visit freeview.co.uk/availability.

BoxNation is also available to commercial premises (inc. pubs, clubs and casino’s) in the UK and Ireland, for more information on a commercial subscription please call 0844 842 7700.

For more information visit www.boxnation.com

*Plus £8 registration fee for Sky TV customers

Hall of Fame Promoter Frank Warren is delighted to announce a multi-event deal with the BBC for exclusive radio rights to his World Championship boxing events. The first event on the multi fight deal will get underway this Saturday at Belfast’s SSE Arena, with BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Northern Ireland broadcasting exclusive radio commentary of Irish boxing legend Carl Frampton’s Interim WBO World Featherweight Championship clash against four division World Champion Nonito Donaire.

Further radio coverage on the deal will include live commentary of the IBF World Featherweight title clash between Lee Selby and Josh Warrington at the home of Leeds United, Elland Road on 19th May and WBO World Middleweight Champion Billy Joe Saunders’ Title defence against domestic rival Martin Murray on 23rd June at London’s O2 Arena.

Frank Warren: “I’m delighted to partner with the BBC for exclusive radio commentary on my events. This is great news for boxing fans as they will be delivering live commentary of three huge upcoming World Championship events of mine, with many more to be added in the coming weeks and months.”

Ben Gallop, Head of BBC Radio and Digital Sport, said: “This new deal with Frank Warren is fantastic for boxing fans and 5 live Sport alike. This weekend’s bout between Carl Frampton and Nonito Donaire is an exciting proposition, as are the forthcoming fights in May and June, and our exclusive blow-by-blow commentary will ensure fans won’t miss a moment of the action on 5 Live and the BBC Sport website.”

Jane Tohill, Executive Producer, BBC Sport NI said: “Carl Frampton is one of Northern Ireland’s biggest and most popular sporting stars. He has a huge following here so it’s great to be able to bring fans the action from his much anticipated fight on Saturday night, live on BBC Radio Ulster, with this new deal with Frank Warren.”

Saturday’s Belfast showdown between Frampton and Donaire sees the meeting of two men who were both previously recognised as Fighter of the Year by the Ring magazine, ESPN and the Boxing Writers’ Association of America, and both will be determined to secure a shot at becoming a World Champion once again by claiming the Interim WBO crown.

Frampton said: “The injured WBO World Champion Oscar Valdez must face the Interim Champion when he is ready and that’s a big incentive for myself and Donaire. The Valdez fight is very appealing to me and obviously the winner of Selby v Warrington is also equally as appealing.”

Frampton believes he may have to produce a career-best performance to overcome 42-fight veteran Donaire in front of what will be a sell-out crowd come Saturday.

“With so much riding on this fight I need to make sure that I’m going to put in the performance of my career, which it might take to win this fight,” added Frampton.

Saturday’s massive evening of boxing also features WBO Bantamweight Champion of the World Zolani Tete (26-3-0, 21 KO’S) making the second defence of his title against Omar Andres Narvaez (48-2-2, 25 KO’s) after his World recording-breaking KO win at the same arena in November.

https://www.facebook.com/BoxNationTV/videos/1549054155199022/

Carl Frampton and Nonito Donaire took questions from the media at today’s press conference at the Europa Hotel ahead of their clash for the WBO Interim Featherweight World Title at Belfast’s SSE Arena this Saturday, broadcast live on BT Sport and BoxNation.

Below are a selection of quotes from both fighters and promoter Frank Warren.

Carl Frampton:

“To have a guy like Nonito Donaire coming Belfast to fight me almost feels like an honour. In terms of accolades, he’s accomplished more than anyone I’ve fought, that includes Leo Santa Cruz. He’s a future Hall of Famer and hopefully I can put my name in that bracket one day.

“Some people want the easiest fights, but that’s not me and I don’t think that’s Nonito either. I’m experienced enough to know that I need to be in fights that excite me and get me nervous.

“I think the crowd adds something to my performance. There isn’t an atmosphere like the SSE Arena anywhere in the World!

“There is a lot more to Donaire than just a left hook. To say that is disrespectful. He’s also got a brilliant right hand. I have a lot of respect for Nonito, he’s a quality fighter.”

Nonito Donaire:

“Me and my wife feel like we are married to Carl! We wake up, we see Carl. We go to bed, we see Carl. He’s a great fighter.

“I think I have been gifted with great genes. I feel like I’m entering my peak because of my positive mentality. I’m smarter now and I’ve learned with the ups and downs of my career in the past couple of years. We are very confident going into this fight.

“Carl is an amazing fighter. He has taken this fight because it inspires him and it inspires me massively too. I have my outcome and that’s what I believe in.”

Frank Warren:

“In some ways this is a crossroads fight for the both of them. Both guys know what they want. Winning the Interim title will get them a shot at the WBO Champion Oscar Valdez. This is a tough fight for Carl. Nonito has been boxing since the age of eleven and we’ve heard that he’s had a brilliant camp.

“It’s a pleasure and a joy to be back in Belfast, especially promoting such a great show involving so great Champions. There is no comparison anywhere else. This is what boxing is all about, the best fighting the best. We’re in for a special treat this weekend.

“The Belfast public are knowledgeable boxing fans and they appreciate good fights, we’ve got plenty of 50/50 match-ups right down the card and I can’t wait for Saturday. There’s some great Irish derbies on the card and we’ve also got knockout king Zolani Tete defending his WBO Bantamweight crown against Omar Andres Narvaez.

“This is a proper show, a real show. You want real fights? Be in Belfast, this is where it’s happening!”

A very limited number of tickets for Frampton v Donaire are available to purchase from the SSE Arena Belfast Box Office, www.ssearenabelfast.com and 0044(0)28 9073 9074. Prices range from £40 (tier) to £400 (inner-ring hospitality).

Fight Week schedule:

Thursday 19th April: PUBLIC WORKOUT

Carl Frampton and Nonito Donaire, along with fighters on the undercard, will perform public workouts at the Victoria Square Shopping Centre in Belfast from 1.00pm onwards.

Victoria Square,
1 Victoria Square,
Belfast,
BT1 4QG.

Time: 1.00PM onwards.

The ring will be located on Level 2, next to Odeon.

Brief one-on-one interview and photo opportunities are available with all fighters and their teams.

Friday 20th April: OFFICIAL WEIGH-IN

Fighters will hit the scales from 2.00pm at the Europa Hotel.

Europa Hotel, Belfast
Great Victoria Street,
Belfast,
BT2 ZAP

https://www.facebook.com/btsport/videos/1972556006150925/?hc_ref=ARQNWfnnt2yHss3KHojxjh9EFr6EpT_n9g2IM_WfA2hcO2zFifDuc2DDjnAlFcmUL6w

EDMONTON, Canada (April 17, 2018) – Canada’s preeminent destination for boxing fans in Canada, Super Channel, will air a world-class event featuring two world title fights this Saturday, headlined by the 12-round main event for the World Boxing Organization (WBO) Interim World Featherweight Championship between former world champions Carl “The Jackal” Frampton and Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire, live from The SES Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.

Frampton vs. Donaire, presented by Frank Warren’s Queensbury Promotions, will air exclusively on Super Channel across Canada, starting at 2:30 p.m. ET / 11:30 a.m. PT.

WBO World Bantamweight Champion Zolani “Last Born” Tete defends his title against former world champion and Olympian Omar “El Huracan” Andres Narvaez in the 12-round, co-featured event.

The 31-year-old Frampton (24-1, 14 KOs), fighting at home in Belfast, is a former World Boxing Association (WBA) Super World Featherweight Champion. The crowd-pleasing Irishman is 5-1 in world title fights, 6-1 (3 KOs) versus current or past world champions, including a victory over Canada’s Steve Molitor.

Frampton has also defeated world champions such as Kiko Martinez (twice), Scott Quigg and Leo Santa Cruz, the reigning WBA featherweight world champion who defeated Frampton in their world-title fight rematch on January 28,2017 for the WBA crown.

Philippines-native Donaire, who lives in San Leandro, California, is a seven-time, four-division world champion, who is 10-0 in fights held outside of the United States. The 35-year-old Donaire has a 13-3 (8 KOs) world title fight record and he’s 12-3 (8 KOs) against current or former world champions. His Who’s Who list of victims include Vic Darchinyan (twice), Ferrnando Montiel and Wilfredo Vasquez, Jr., among the more notables.

One of the greatest Filipino fighters of all time — along with Manny “Pac Man” Pacquiao, Gerry Penalosa and Gabriel “Flash” Elorde –Donaire is unquestionably a future Hall of Famer, who has won five of his last six fights.

Tete (26-3, 2 KOs), fighting out of South Africa, captured his WBO title a year ago, when he won a 12-round unanimous decision over Arthur Villanueva (30-1). Last November, Tete needed only 13 seconds to one-punch knockout his fellow countryman, Siboniso Gonya (11-1), In his first title defense.

Narvaez (48-2-2, 25 KOs) is a two-time, two division world champion, as well as a two-time Argentinian Olympian. The veteran southpaw has an incredible 28-2-1 (12 KOs) record in world title fights during his 17 1/2 -year pro career. One of his two career losses, ironically, was in 2011 to Donaire by way of a 12-round unanimous decision for the WBO world bantamweight title.

Other exciting fights on the “Frampton vs. Donaire” card, in addition to the aforementioned main event and co-feature, will air in Canada exclusively on Super Channel.

Super Channel aired major boxing events live in 2017 like Brook vs. Spence Jr., Pacquiao-Horn, Eubank, Jr. vs. Abraham, Lomachenko vs.Marriaga, Crawford vs. Indongo, Smith vs. Williams II, and the World Boxing Super Series (WBSS) quarterfinals and semifinals.

To watch Frampton vs. Donaire live, as well as more exciting boxing to come in 2018, fight fans in Canada can contact their local cable provider to subscribe to Super Channel and all that it offers, including premium series, movies and much more, for as low as $9.95 per month.

NEW YORK (April 10, 2018) – SHOWTIME Sports added two featherweight bouts to its robust boxing schedule with two high-stakes matchups from the U.K. streaming live on SHOWTIME Sports social media platforms, free to boxing fans in the U.S.

Former two-division world champion Carl Frampton will battle former four-division champion Nonito Donaire on Saturday, April 21 in Belfast, Ireland for the interim WBO Featherweight Title. Then, on Saturday, May 19, IBF World Champion Lee Selby will defend his 126-pound title against undefeated Josh Warrington live from Leeds, England. Both SHOWTIME BOXING INTERNATIONAL® social media offerings will stream live in the U.S. on SHOWTIME Boxing Facebook page and SHOWTIME Sports YouTube Channel. The events are promoted by Frank Warren with live coverage provided by BT Sport and BoxNation.

The previously announced rematch between WBA Featherweight World Champion Leo Santa Cruz and former three-division champion Abner Mares will take place just a few weeks later on Saturday, June 9 live on SHOWTIME® from the Staples Center in L.A.

In all, five of the consensus top-10 ranked featherweights will clash on SHOWTIME platforms in two months, including two world champions and four former multi-division champions. These matchups between titleholders and top-ranked featherweights will give further clarity to a stacked division.

“As we’ve seen at welterweight, super welterweight and even heavyweight, the top fighters in the featherweight division are looking to prove that they are undoubtedly the best in the world,” said Stephen Espinoza, President, Sports and Event Programming for SHOWTIME. “They are doing so by facing their toughest challengers and ultimately seeking to unify world titles. SHOWTIME proudly leads the industry with fights like these—the most competitive and important fights in boxing’s most talent-laden weight divisions. We commend the fighters who have dedicated themselves to this simple, yet dangerous premise. Their effort has been inspiring and contagious.”

Below are complete details on both upcoming events. For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports, subscribe to the SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing.

April 21: Frampton vs. Donaire – SSE Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland

Two Fighter of the Year award winners will meet in a 12-round bout for the interim WBO Featherweight Title. Carl Frampton (24-1, 14 KOs), of Northern Ireland, will face Nonito Donaire (38-4, 24 KOs) of General Santos, Philippines, on Saturday, April 21 from SSE Arena in Belfast live in the U.S. via SHOWTIME Sports YouTube Channel and SHOWTIME Boxing Facebook page.

Frampton’s all-action style and willingness to take tough challenges has made him a fan favorite all around the world and the 2016 Fighter of the Year. He handed featherweight champion Leo Santa Cruz his only defeat after conquering rival Scott Quigg in their 122-pound unification bout in 2016. Fighting out of Belfast, the Irish national amateur champion became a world champion in 2014 when he defeated Kiko Martinez to earn a super bantamweight title. Frampton, 31, lost his featherweight belt in a hard fought rematch against Santa Cruz on SHOWTIME in January 2017. He defeated Horacio Garcia via unanimous decision last November.

Donaire, the consensus 2012 Fighter of the Year, is working his way back to another world title fight. The two-time winner of The Ring’s Knockout of the Year award, “The Filipino Flash” turned pro in 2001 and has won championships in four weight divisions. Donaire has participated in nearly two dozen world title bouts thus far in his career. He lost his featherweight title to Jesus Magdaleno in 2016 and is coming off of a one-sided 10-round unanimous decision win over Ruben Garcia Hernandez at the Alamodome in San Antonio.

The winner of this fight will be in position to challenge WBO Featherweight Champion Oscar Valdez, who is recovering from injury following his fourth title defense, a UD win over Scott Quigg on March 10.

The livestream of Frampton vs. Donaire will precede that evening’s SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® tripleheader that features former four-division champion Adrien Broner and former champion Jessie Vargas in a 12-round welterweight bout live on SHOWTIME (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) from Barclays Center in Brooklyn. In the co-feature, Jermall Charlo will face Hugo Centeno Jr. for the interim WBC Middleweight World Championship and Gervonta Davis will meet Jesus Cuellar for the WBA Super Featherweight World Championship.

May 19: Selby vs. Warrington – Elland Road Football Ground, Leeds, England

Featherweight world champion Lee Selby (26-1, 9 KOs) of Cardiff, Wales, will make his 2018 debut when he puts his IBF belt on the line against undefeated Josh Warrington (26-0, 6 KOs) on Saturday, May 19. This main event bout will stream live in the U.S. via SHOWTIME Sports YouTube Channel and SHOWTIME Boxing Facebook page. The fight will take place in Warrington’s hometown of Leeds, at the Leeds United’s Elland Road Football Ground.

Selby, the 31-year-old Welshman, has held the IBF Featherweight Title since 2015 when he wrested it from Evgeny Gradovich with an eighth-round TKO. He has since made four successful defenses, the latest being a unanimous decision over Eduardo Ramirez last December.

Warrington, 27, won the British Featherweight Title in just his twelfth outing as he outpointed Chris Male in 2012. He stopped Samir Mouneimne in his hometown of Hull to win the Commonwealth Championship in 2013 and continued his campaign with victories over Martin Lindsay, David Dieli and Dennis Tubieron. He defeated Dennis Ceylan via stoppage in the 10th round in his last outing to earn his shot at the IBF title.

The WBO Interim Featherweight World Title will be on the line when Carl Frampton MBE and Nonito Donaire clash in a blockbuster bout at the SSE Arena in Belfast on Saturday 21st April, live on BT Sport and BoxNation.

With a much-anticipated summer fight date at Belfast’s Windsor Park in the works for ‘The Jackal’, 31-year-old Frampton knows that his mouth-watering showdown with four-weight World Champion Donaire is truly a make-or-break fight.

Both men were previously recognised as Fighter of the Year by the Ring magazine, ESPN and the Boxing Writers’ Association of America, and both will be determined to secure a shot at becoming a World Champion once again by claiming the Interim WBO crown next month.

“A huge night of boxing in Belfast just got even bigger,” said Frampton. “This is great news and it adds a whole lot more razzmatazz to the event – not that it needed it. I was sure that the winner of this fight was going to go on to fight for a World Title in their next fight and having an interim World Title on the line on April 21st all but confirms that.

“Oscar Valdez must face the Interim Champion when he is ready and that’s a big incentive for myself and Donaire. The Valdez fight is very appealing to me and obviously the winner of Selby v Warrington is also equally as appealing. I think the Valdez fight would get a lot more attention on both sides of the globe rather than just in the UK.

“The winner of Selby v Warrington would be a big fight in the UK but a fight with Valdez would be a huge fight Worldwide. Obviously he has an injury that he needs to recover from but there’s a lot of options for me now and it’s always good to have options in this game. Having an Interim belt on the line brings something a little more special to the whole event.”

With a month to go, Frampton believes he may have to produce a career-best performance to overcome 42-fight veteran Donaire and is confident that a sell-out SSE Arena crowd will drive him over the line.

“With so much riding on this fight I need to make sure that I’m going to put in the performance of my career, which it might take to win this fight,” added Frampton.

“I love fighting at home, there’s something about fighting in Belfast that brings out the best in me. I love the whole fight week in Belfast and I love the atmosphere in the SSE Arena. I’ll need to be better than I was in my last fight. With the way things are going in training so far it’s going to be a big performance.”

“I’m delighted that the WBO Interim Featherweight World Title will now be up for grabs on April 21,” said Promoter Frank Warren. “This is a guaranteed barn burner between two elite Featherweights and having an Interim belt on the line gives the fight an extra bit of spice.”

A massive evening of boxing features WBO Bantamweight Champion of the World Zolani Tete (26-3-0, 21 KO’S) making the second defence of his title against Omar Andres Narvaez (48-2-2, 25 KO’s) after his Word recording-breaking KO win at the SSE Arena in November.

Three tasty all-Irish fights also feature on an action-packed undercard as Dubliner Jono Carroll (15-0, 2 KO’s) clashes with Belfast’s Marco McCullough (18-4, 11 KO’s) for the IBF European Super-Featherweight title, Tyrone McKenna (15-0-1, 6 KO’s) meets Light-Welterweight rival Anthony Upton (17-1, 6 KOs’), while WBO European Champion Conrad Cummings (12-1-1) and Irish champion Luke Keeler (13-2, 5 KO’s) will do battle at Middleweight.

Undefeated prospects Lewis Crocker, David Oliver Joyce, Steven Ward, Tyrone McCullagh, Sam Maxwell, Troy Williamson, Ryan Hatton and Alex Dickinson complete an unmissable card.

A very limited number of tickets for Frampton v Donaire are available to purchase from the SSE Arena Belfast Box Office, www.ssearenabelfast.com and 0044(0)28 9073 9074. Prices range from £40 (tier) to £400 (inner-ring hospitality).

Zolani Tete will make the second defence of his WBO Bantamweight World Championship against Omar Andres Narvaez on the blockbuster Frampton v Donaire bill at Belfast’s SSE Arena on Saturday 21st April.

Tete (26-3, 21 KO’s) had been due to defend his title against Narvaez in London this month but was forced to postpone the bout after suffering a calf injury in training but will now return to the scene of his record-breaking knockout win over Siboniso Gonya.

The thunderous punching South African won a legion of new fans back in November when he stopped countryman Gonya in just eleven seconds, setting a new World record for the fastest ever knockout recorded in a World Title fight.

‘Last Born’ floored Gonya with a brutal right hook just six seconds into the first defence of his 118lbs strap, firing a warning to WBA ‘Super’ Bantamweight Champion and Belfast native Ryan Burnett in the process.

Narvaez (47-2-2, 25 KO’s) is 5-0 since a knockout loss to Naoya Inoue and recently forced the previously unbeaten Nikolai Potapov to quite in seven. He has held the WBO Flyweight and Super-Flyweight World Titles and will be aiming to become a three-weight World Champion on April 21st.

“Let’s see who the real Bantamweight king is,” said Tete. “I want to unify the division and Ryan Burnett is standing in my way. Let’s not rob the public of a brilliant fight, they want to see the best fight the best.

“Until that fight is made I will do everything that is asked of me by my team. Narvaez is a mandatory defence and I’ll be aiming to dispatch him in style to make another statement. I can’t wait to put in another explosive performance for all of my new fans in Belfast, see you in April!”

“Tete is an exceptional talent and I’m delighted that he will be showcasing his skills in Belfast once again,” said Promoter Frank Warren. “We’re bringing him back to Belfast because we want to make the Ryan Burnett unification fight.

“If Tete keeps on dominating shows in Burnett’s hometown perhaps it will lure him out of hiding. Let’s give the fans the fight that they want to see. We want to make that fight in Belfast and I’m sure it would pack out the SSE Arena.”

Also added to the Frampton v Donaire card is Tamworth Light-Heavyweight prospect Ryan Hatton who will be aiming to improve his unbeaten record to 3-0 when he fights over four rounds.

Three tasty all-Irish fights feature on an action-packed undercard as Dubliner Jono Carroll (15-0, 2 KO’s) clashes with Belfast’s Marco McCullough (18-4, 11 KO’s) for the IBF European Super-Featherweight title, Tyrone McKenna (15-0-1, 6 KO’s) meets Light-Welterweight rival Philip Sutcliffe Jr (14-2, 9 KOs’), while WBO European Champion Conrad Cummings (12-1-1) and Irish champion Luke Keeler (13-2, 5 KO’s) will do battle at Middleweight.

Undefeated prospects Lewis Crocker, David Oliver Joyce, Steven Ward, Tyrone McCullagh, Sam Maxwell, Troy Williamson and Alex Dickinson complete an unmissable card.

*A limited number of tickets for Frampton v Donaire are available to purchase from the SSE Arena Belfast Box Office, www.ssearenabelfast.com and 0044(0)28 9073 9074. Prices range from £40 (tier) to £400 (inner-ring hospitality).

Seven undefeated prospects have been added to an already-stacked undercard for Carl Frampton’s April 21 headline bout against Nonito Donaire in Belfast.

Frampton and Donaire will clash in a much-anticipated Featherweight battle on a Frank Warren-promoted bill at the SSE Arena, live in UK and Ireland on BT Sport and BoxNation.

Frank Warren and MTK Global last week revealed that the support bill will also feature three tasty all-Ireland battles – and another batch of up-and-coming talent has been now added to the card!

Four Irishmen – including two Belfast natives – and three English fighters are among the fighters unveiled today, with Lewis Crocker, David Oliver Joyce, Tyrone McCullagh and Steven Ward making up the home contingent while Troy Williamson, Sam Maxwell and Alex Dickinson will also feature on a bill brimming with up-and-coming stars.

Lewis Crocker, David Oliver Joyce, Steven Ward and Alex Dickinson all featured on last November’s ‘Frampton Reborn’ card with the trio set to return to the SSE Arena on April 21.

Hard-hitting hometown Welterweight Lewis Crocker (4-0, 4KOs) will be looking to maintain his knockout streak following his first-round stoppage win over Hungarian Gyula Rozsas two months ago, fellow Belfast native Steven Ward (6-0, 2KOs) is coming off the back of a six-round points win over Przemyslaw Binienda of Poland, while Rio Olympian David Oliver Joyce (5-0, 4KOs) delivered one of his most impressive pro performances so far last November when the Mullingar man halted Barcelona-based Nicaraguan Reynaldo Cajina.

Derry Super-Bantamweight Tyrone McCullagh (9-0, 5KOs) is the fourth Irish fighter to be added to the card and he will be aiming to follow up an impressive win over previously-undefeated German Tom Tran in Belfast last month.

Former Team GB amateur star Sam Maxwell (5-0, 4KOs) is one of three English fighters set to cross the Irish Sea and the Commonwealth Games medallist could be looking to record his seventh victory on April 21 as he was this week added to MTK Global’s March 16 ‘Mersey Beat-Down’ bill in Liverpool following his third-round stoppage victory in Germany last November.

Heavyweight Alex Dickinson (3-0, 2KOs) is also scheduled to box in Liverpool in March before fighting in Belfast where he recorded his last win on the ‘Frampton Reborn’ card, while Darlington Middleweight Troy Williamson (5-0, 3KOs) makes up the undefeated prospects added to the bill.

The April 21 fight night will also feature three tasty all-Irish fights as Dubliner Jono Carroll (15-0, 2KOs) clashes with Belfast’s Marco McCullough (18-4, 11KOs) for the IBF European Super-Featherweight title, Tyrone McKenna (15-0-1, 6KOs) meets Light-Welterweight rival Philip Sutcliffe Jr (14-2, 9KOs), while WBO European Champion Conrad Cummings (12-1-1) and Irish champion Luke Keeler (13-2, 5KO) will do battle at Middleweight.

*A limited number of tickets for Frampton v Donaire are available to purchase from the SSE Arena Belfast Box Office, www.ssearenabelfast.com and 0044(0)28 9073 9074. Prices range from £40 (tier) to £400 (inner-ring hospitality).

Carl Frampton believes he may have to produce a career-best performance to overcome Nonito Donaire in their April 21 blockbuster bout in Belfast.

Two-weight World Champion Frampton (24-1, 14KOs) came face to face with four-weight Champion Donaire (38-4, 24KOs) at a press conference at the Europa Hotel today (Wednesday) ahead of their SSE Arena Featherweight showdown, which will be screened live on BT Sport and BoxNation.

With Frampton aiming to book a World Title stadium date at Windsor Park this summer, ‘The Jackal’ has insisted that he considers his Frank Warren-promoted clash against ‘Filipino Flash’ to be a high-risk/high-reward opportunity.

“I need to make sure that I’m going to put in the performance of my career, which it might take to win this fight,” said Frampton.

“I just take it one fight at a time. I don’t know what’s going to happen in the future, but I’m going to do everything I can in training camp and in my preparation for this fight to make sure that I’m ready,” added the Belfast native, who is eyeing a future date against the winner of the upcoming Lee Selby-Josh Warrington IBF World Title fight or whoever emerges from a bout between his old rival Scott Quigg and WBO World Champion Oscar Valdez.

“There’s a lot on the line,” admitted Frampton “But these are all things that are in the future and there’s only one fight that I’m focused on at the minute.

“Nonito Donaire is a future Hall of Famer, a fantastic fighter… I need fights like this to get up for and I need big names.

“Nonito’s an amazing talent, a four-weight World Champion. He can punch and he doesn’t just knock people over, he’s put guys to sleep before. But that gives me wee bit of a fear factor and I think that’s when I’m going to be at my best.”

The April 21 bout will be a significant occasion for Irish boxing as two elite fighters go toe to toe.

Both men were previously recognised as Fighter of the Year by the Ring magazine, ESPN and the Boxing Writers’ Association of America, with Frampton awarded that honour for 2016 while Donaire picked up the same gongs in 2012.

Forty-two-fight veteran Donaire, now 35, remains determined to reclaim World honours and he echoed his opponent’s comments when insisting that Frampton will bring out the best in him.

“We need an opponent we can truly respect and at the same time you have that voice behind you that says, ‘this guy is tough, this guy is good and anything can happen’,” said Donaire.

“It allows the warrior within us to come out and that’s something that we’ll show on April 21st that we do have it.

“One thing’s for sure, and I can see it from looking into Carl’s eyes, we’re both warriors and we’re willing to give it everything we’ve got for this fight. At the moment age is only a number for me because I’m very inspired to be here.”

While Frampton struggled at times during his most recent 10-round points win over Mexican Horacio Garcia last November – in a bout that marked the end of a 10-month lay-off following a number of changes to his team – the Irishman believes that victory will stand to him ahead of his April outing.

“Considering the year I’ve had, looking back on it, it wasn’t a bad performance,” said MTK Global-backed Frampton.

“I think that last fight is going to be a blessing in disguise for me,” added the Belfast man, who explained that Donaire was his No 1 choice as an opponent, despite the fact that the Filipino poses a real threat to his summer fight plans.

“Credit to the teams for working together – Richard Schafer [Ringstar Sports], MTK and Frank Warren – and for bringing a name like Nonito to Belfast,” said Frampton. “My objective is to win a world title, I’m hoping to fight for a World Title in the summer and what better opponent to get you ready for that other than Nonito Donaire?

“What would be the point in fighting a knock-over job? I don’t think that would be good for me or for boxing, so it’s just great to be involved on these big occasions.”

Limited tickets for Frampton vs. Donaire are available to purchase from the SSE Arena Belfast Box Office, www.ssearenabelfast.com and 028 9073 9074.

Tickets range from £40 (Tier) to £400 (Inner Ring Hospitality)

Three thrilling All-Ireland domestic dust-ups have been confirmed for the undercard of Carl Frampton’s much-anticipated April 21 showdown against Nonito Donaire in Belfast.

Two-weight World Champion Frampton will clash with four-weight Champion Donaire at the SSE Arena in one of the most eagerly-awaited bouts to ever take place on Irish soil, live on BT Sport and BoxNation.

The main-event participants will meet head-to-head at Belfast’s Europa Hotel this afternoon (Wednesday) ahead of April’s massive fight date.

And promoter Frank Warren and MTK Global have moved to install an undercard to match the occasion on what is set to be an action-packed bill.

Three all-Irish battles have been confirmed so far for the April 21 fight night…

-Jono Carroll (15-0, 2KOs) will travel to meet Belfast’s Marco McCullough (18-4, 11KOs) in a 12-round Super-Featherweight showdown for the IBF European title

-Tyrone McKenna (15-0-1, 6KOs) and Light-Welterweight rival Philip Sutcliffe Jr (14-2, 9KOs) will clash in another long-awaited Belfast v Dublin battle

-And WBO European Champion Conrad Cummings (12-1-1) and Irish champion Luke Keeler (13-2, 5KO) go toe to toe in what promises to be an all-action Middleweight affair

Both Meath-based Finglas native Carroll and McCullough will be looking to build on their respective third-round stoppage victories on the ‘Frampton Reborn’ fight bill in Belfast last November.

“I’m buzzing for the fight,” said Carroll. “I had a great win in Belfast last time out and this is another brilliant opportunity. Marco is a lovely lad, but I’m out to get another big win and take another step up the ladder on a massive bill.”

McCullough believes this will be a crossroads bout in his career as he looks to rebuild towards title contention.

“It’ll be a good domestic fight, I’m excited about it,” said McCullough. “A win would put me straight back into the mix for titles. Jono has really improved over the last year or so and both of us have a bit of power, so it’ll be a cracking fight. It’s nearly like a Belfast v Dublin undercard, so I’d say it’ll be a great atmosphere.”

The Light-Welterweight meeting of McKenna and Sutcliffe has been in the making for some time, with the rivals having been continually linked since clashing as amateurs back in 2012.

They will now finally meet in the pro ranks on April 21 in a bout that is sure to have Irish and UK fight fans on the edge of their seats.

“It’s a fight that every fan in Ireland wants to see,” said McKenna. “It’s one I’ve wanted for a long time and I fully believe I’m going to win. Phil Sutcliffe is saying I’m avoiding him, but now it’s finally happening and I’m delighted. It’s the two top Light-Welters in the country and it’s very exciting.”

After some heated words in recent times, Sutcliffe is keen to silence his rival.

“Tyrone’s got what he’s been shouting about, so we’ll see if he keeps his mouth going,” said Sutcliffe. “If he wants to talk then let him talk. I do my talking in the ring. I’m friends with everyone, especially lads on my team, but this is business and I’ll go in there and get the job done.”

The Middleweight clash of Cummings and Keeler seems sure to be a barnburner and while the fighters paid respect towards each other, both have predicted an early finish.

“It’s great that we’ll finally get it on,” said Cummings. “This is a tasty fight and I think the public will get their teeth into. Luke’s a brilliant boxer and a fellow Irishman – he’s always in good fights and so am I, so it will be entertaining however long it lasts. I’m really up for it.”

Echoing those sentiments, Keeler said: “It’s a cracking fight. A lot of people have been talking about it and there should be great interest. I’m feeling great and training has been going really well, so I can’t wait to get in there.”

Further undercard announcements will be made in the coming weeks.

Limited tickets for Frampton vs. Donaire are available to purchase from the SSE Arena Belfast Box Office, www.ssearenabelfast.com and 028 9073 9074.

Tickets range from £40 (Tier) to £400 (Inner Ring Hospitality)