MANILA, Philippines — Malaki ang makukuha ni Carl Frampton para ipakilalang muli ang sarili sakaling talunin niya si dating world four-division champion Nonito ‘The Filipino Flash’ Donaire Jr.
“I’m at the stage of my career where I need to be fighting names and Nonito Donaire certainly is a name,” sabi ng 31-anyos na si Frampton, dating featherweight ruler ng IBF at WBA, sa 35-anyos na si Donaire.
Pag-aagawan nina Donaire (38-4-0, 24 KOs) at Frampton (24-1-0, 14 KOs) ang WBO interim featherweight title sa Abril 21 sa SSE Arena sa Belfast, Ireland.
Ang mananalo sa pagitan nina Donaire at Frampton ang maaaring maghamon kay WBO featherweight king Oscar Valdez.
Hindi binabalewala ni Frampton ang kakayahan ni Donaire, nanggaling sa unanimous decision victory laban kay Ruben Garcia Hernandez para sa WBC silver featherweight title noong Setyembre.
“I believe that him at his best against me at my best I will win the fight,” ani Frampton. “I’m a bigger man, he has done incredible things in his career but he started as a flyweight and I haven’t been a flyweight since I was 18.”
Kinilala si Donaire bilang 2012 Fighter of the Year at naghari sa flyweight, bantamweight, super bantamweight at featherweight divisions.
Matapos maisuko ang dating hawak na WBO super bantamweight belt kay Mexican Jessie Magdaleno ay umakyat si Donaire sa featherweight division.