A busy weekend of boxing is set to go, with Carl Frampton facing off against veteran Nonito Donaire in a Northern Ireland Featherweight 12-rounder. Let’s check out what both fighters bring to the table.
Frampton vs Donaire
Carl Frampton
Frampton (24-1, 14 KO) is one of the most exciting fighters to watch on today’s boxing scene. The 31-year-old is compact, explosive, and his polished craft allows him to fire off tasty, eye-catching combinations. He ticks the all-action and cerebral boxes, and has come a long way, too. But things have got bumpier for Frampton in more recent times since he left the Junior Featherweight circuit.
At Feather, Frampton hit the ground running by winning a fiercely competitive rumble versus Leo Santa Cruz (MD 12) in July 2016. But the following January, Frampton struggled to find openings and shut down the rangier, craftier Santa Cruz, losing the rematch (UD 12). That’s alright, though; Santa Cruz had adapted and was simply better. Then, most recently, Frampton bested hardnosed slugger Horacio Garcia (UD 12) in September, but was immediately under scrutiny for not producing a knockout. In fairness, Garcia was a beast with no off-switch on his chin that night.
The big question now with Frampton – who seems more like a natural 122-pounder – is just how far he can go at Featherweight. Is he big enough? Strong enough? And how much damage can he do on the world scene?
Nonito Donaire
A few years back, I would have given Donaire (38-4, 24 KO) a similar summary to Frampton, minus Donaire being the leaner guy and more of a sharpshooter. Donaire, now 35, was explosive with a praised toolset – enough to place him in the Pound for Pound Rankings – and was highly enjoyable to watch. A game-over left hook also earned the three-weight champion (112, 118, 122 lbs) a formidable reputation for some time.
I’m not saying Donaire doesn’t possess any of the above anymore. He does; it’s all there, just in varying degrees, a bit more diluted. Donaire’s getting older, and seems like he’s somewhat getting out of his depth – ability and size wise – at Junior Feather and Feather these days. There’s also an argument that two defeats in particular may have really taken a toll on Donaire: a punishing boxing lesson versus Guillermo Rigondeaux (UD 12) in 2013, and a brutal beating at the hands of Nicholas Walters (TKO 6) in 2015.
Since Walters, Donaire has been keeping busy, putting in a mixed bag of outings, beating a handful of capable guys, going life-and-death with a supposedly inferior Cesar Juarez (UD 12) to win a 122-pound title, and losing said title in a close, hard-fought loss to standout Jessie Magdaleno. To bring us up to speed, Donaire continued his Featherweight campaign last September, outpointing Ruben Garcia Hernandez (UD 10).
Prediction
At first glance, picking a victor seems fairly straightforward. It’s right there on paper and in my gut: Frampton. He’s younger, fresher and in his prime. Plus, while neither Frampton or Donaire has looked sensational in their respective Featherweight fights, Frampton has looked a bit better (although, given Donaire’s had more fights at the weight, it’s debatable, I guess).
Crossroad battles like this one are never quite that simple, however. Donaire is older, but isn’t quite over the hill, and has a storied career and greater experience going for him. If the body and mental fortitude is still there, maybe he’s in with a decent chance. This is a big opportunity for Donaire, and an upset – no matter what shape it comes in – would throw him right back into the mix.
As for the significance of this Featherweight scrap, it’s not particularly relevant in my opinion, mainly because Donaire is stretching himself too far at 126, and because perhaps Frampton is too, though not quite so far. Prediction: Frampton by clear Unanimous Decision, with Donaire having a few strong moments early on, but fading down the stretch.
What’s your take on Frampton vs Donaire, folks? Is this a pure showcase fight for Frampton? Or does veteran Donaire still have enough miles left on the clock to spring an upset?
