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Promoter warns that Ryan Burnett has made a “huge mistake” with Nonito Donaire pick


Ryan Burnett [19(9)-0] could pay the price for making a ‘huge mistake’ in Scotland come November 3rd warns Richard Schaefer.

As top seed in the second season of the exciting and belt-heavy World Boxing Super Series, the Belfast bantam had his choice of opponents at the Draft Gala in Moscow during the summer.

The WBA champion plumped for four-weight champion and future Hall of Famer Nonito Donaire and will face off against the Filipino favourite in an intriguing quarter-final clash at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow.

With Mikhail Aloyan and Juan Carlos Payano also options for the fighter with first pick, Donaire’s promoter believes Burnett’s choice is a catastrophic error.

The Ringstar boss believes Burnett’s choice has roots in watching former gym mate and fellow Belfast fighter Carl Frampton defeat Donaire in April but warns the 35-year-old is a different prospect at bantamweight.

Donaire [38(24)-5(1)] drops down two weight divisions to compete in the tournament and Schaefer believes he carries serious power at 118lbs.

Burnett is a big favourite for the bout, even more so than Frampton was, but the Swiss fight boss believes we are in for a big shock.

“I looked at the draw and I think Ryan Burnett made a huge mistake,” the promoter told Fightful.com

“Burnett was seeded No. 1 and he could have picked anybody from the field and he picked Nonito Donaire.”

“He might have picked Nonito Donaire based on the last fight against Frampton, which was a hell of a fight, but Donaire couldn’t hurt Frampton who is two weight classes above him.”

“I think Burnett made a huge mistake. I’m telling you this now, Nonito Donaire at 118 pounds, will knock out people.”

“When you look at the face-off they had at the draft gala for the tournament, you know what I see? I see how much bigger Donaire is. Now Donaire is going to fight smaller guy.”

Burnett has himself also suggested he faces a tougher task than ‘The Jackal’ for the same reasons Schaefer outlined.

READ: Burnett believes Donaire will be tougher than in Frampton fight

It’s quite possible the Youth Olympic gold medallist plumped for ‘The Filipino Flash’ with a big promotion in Belfast in mind having seen Donaire become a favourite of the fight city during the Frampton fight week.

However, with the SSE Odyssey Arena booked up at all desired dates, the fight will take place in Scotland and is part of a double header with the light welterweight quarter between Cyclone star Josh Taylor and American Ryan Martin.

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