Former WBA (Super) featherweight world champion Carl Frampton will return to the ring in April to face four-weight world champion Nonito Donaire at the SSE Arena in Belfast.
After an extended lay-off, a split from both Cyclone Promotions and trainer Shane McGuigan, and a cancelled fight with Andrés Gutiérrez, Frampton earned his first victory in over 15 months when he defeated Horacio García in November.
The fight was his first bout under new promoter Frank Warren, and the Donaire fight will be the first time he has fought in Belfast for back-to-back fights since his successive wins over Kiko Martinez and Chris Avalos in 2014 and 2015.
Frampton has hailed Donaire as the 'biggest name' in boxing to come to Belfast and that if he loses to the Filipino-American he may never contend for a world title again.
“It’s a brilliant fight – a four-weight World Champion against a two-weight World Champion,” said Frampton. “Has a bigger ‘away’ fighter ever come to fight in Belfast before? I don’t think there’s been a bigger name than Nonito Donaire and he’s coming to fight a local guy in his hometown.
“But I think both of us are in the same situation – a slip-up here and one of us might never fight for a World Title again. There’s a lot on the line for both guys.”
The Jackal added that he has been keeping tabs on Donaire for the last few months and that he will hopefully use the upcoming fight to springboard himself into a world title fight.
“He’s been at the top of four divisions, but he was in the same weight division as me for quite a while and he’s someone I’ve always kept an eye on,” said Belfast native Frampton. “He’s someone I admire as well and I think he’s a great fighter, but I think this is the perfect fight to get me ready for a World Title fight in the summer.”
