ADVERTISEMENT

Donaire eyes fights with Frampton, Quigg, Santa Cruz

If he can tackle the undefeated Jessie Magdaleno, Nonito Donaire is keen to face the likes of Carl Frampton, Leo Santa Cruz and Scott Quigg.

___5572199___https:______static.pulse.com.gh___webservice___escenic___binary___5572199___2016___10___6___12___nonitodonaire-cropped_1mpn677xyx36c1i9lo41csnb9i_2

WBO super-bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire would relish taking on Carl Frampton or Leo Santa Cruz - although he has no objections to watching a rematch of their fight-of-the-year candidate first.

Unbeaten Northern Irish star Frampton stepped up from the 122lbs division to hand all-action Mexican Santa Cruz his first career loss over 12 thrilling rounds in Brooklyn in July to collect the WBA featherweight crown.

Four-weight world champion Donaire, who held Frampton's current title before a sixth-round stoppage loss to Nicholas Walters in 2014, is back in the weight class below and will make the second defence of his WBO strap versus the undefeated Jessie Magdaleno next month in Las Vegas – on the same card as fellow Filipino Manny Pacquiao, who will end his short-lived retirement against WBO welterweight ruler Jessie Vargas.

Despite being a 33-year-old veteran of 40 professional contests, Donaire has his sights on further major prizes in 2017, providing he can negotiate an opponent in Magdaleno who boasts an impressive 74 per cent knockout ratio but is untested at the elite level.

ADVERTISEMENT

"The future is open for me, I love challenges," Donaire told Omnisport.

"I'll fight anyone at 126 lbs and, at the same time, I'll fight anybody at 122 lbs.

"I always fight anyone who challenges me. I'm just excited to be thinking about facing the champions in my weight class and above."

Such challenges would potentially bring Frampton and Santa Cruz into view for Donaire, who was captivated by their pulsating clash.

"It was an incredible fight," he said. "Both guys came out there with all their hearts and that's what we love to see - fighters just giving it all they've got.

ADVERTISEMENT

"We would like to see it again, and I would like to see myself with them."

An apparent thawing of relations between influential manager Al Haymon, who is linked to Frampton and Santa Cruz, and Donaire's promoter Bob Arum could smooth what was once a rocky road to such fights becoming a reality.

Another possible future foe is Scott Quigg, who suffered his maiden defeat to Frampton in their WBA and IBF super-bantamweight unification grudge match in February.

Quigg is slated to make his return from a broken jaw on the undercard of Anthony Joshua's next heavyweight title fight in Manchester at the end of November and Donaire is intrigued by the prospect of travelling to make his mark on the UK's thriving fight scene.

"I would love to fight in the UK," he added. "I've never been there but I would love to fight out there.

ADVERTISEMENT

"I would like to challenge Frampton as well as Scott Quigg."

JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!

Unblock notifications in browser settings.
ADVERTISEMENT

Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:

Email: eyewitness@pulse.com.gh

ADVERTISEMENT