The WBO interim world featherweight title is now up for grabs for the winner of Carl Frampton v Nonito Donaire fight
The WBO interim world featherweight title is on the line when Carl Frampton takes on Nonito Donaire at the SSE Arena in Belfast on April 21.
Two-weight world champion Frampton (24-1-KO14) will enjoy home support when he clashes with four-weight world champion Donaire (38-4-KO24) – and the pair have been handed an extra incentive.
The winner of the bout will become mandatory challenger to current WBO world featherweight champion Oscar Valdez, who made the fourth defence of his title with a points victory over Scott Quigg on March 10.
Frampton said:"I'm completely focused on Donaire first and foremost but the fact it's for the WBO interim title and the winner gets a shot at Valdez gives it something extra.
"I've always been a fan of Donaire. It's an exciting fight and I'm prepared for a hard night. I've got some quality American sparring in and I'm going to come into this one in the shape of my life.
"I respect and admire Valdez, too. I like how he fights but I believe I'd have the beating of him. I was encouraged because Quigg had success against him.
"Quigg missed the weight badly and I knew in my head that's how he was going to approach the fight. He wanted to soak up as much as possible and try to walk through it. It was wrong, disrespectful and cheating in a way.
"Unless Quigg wins a world title, I'm not interested in him. I need to worry about Donaire and then when I've got the job done I'm chasing the likes of Valdez and the winner of Lee Selby v Josh Warrington.
"I give credit to Frank Warren and MTK Global for getting this over the line. It's going to be a special night in Belfast."
Both Frampton and Donaire have already won world titles in the 126lb division; Frampton winning the WBA 'Super' crown from Leo Santa Cruz in July 2016 and Donaire holding the same belt the previous year.
'The Jackal' Frampton, who unified super-bantamweight world titles by beating Quigg in February 2016, will be returning to the venue at which he outpointed Horacio Garcia back in November.
MTK Global’s undefeated ‘Magnificent Seven’ to appear on Frampton-Donaire undercard
Follow Carl Frampton on Twitter @RealCFrampton and Instagram @theframpton