Headline News

World Title fight added to Frampton-Donaire Undercard


The massive Carl Frampton v Nonito Donaire bill in April has been bolstered by the confirmation of a world title fight on the show.

There won’t be a belt on the line for the two former multi-weight champions and Fighters of the Year, however world honours will be contested on the BT Sport Queensberry bill at the SSE Odyssey Arena in Belfast on Saturday April 21st.

South African Zolani Tete [26(21)-3(1)] will defend his WBO bantamweight title on the card against veteran Argentine Omar Andres Narvaez [48(25)-2(1)-2].

The mercurially talented African scored a record-breaking eleven-second KO against countryman Siboniso Gonya on the previous Frampton bill in October, the quickest stoppage in world title history. ‘Last Born’ Tete had been due to box on Warren’s cancelled ‘Untouchables’ bill but was forced to pull out with injury.

The decision to put him on a card in Belfast once again seems to be an obvious ploy to keep Tete’s name in the headlines and associated with Ryan Burnett. The Antrim Road 25-year-old yesterday confirmed that he would be dropping his IBF bantamweight title and will defend his remaining WBA belt against Venezuelan Yonfrez Parejo at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on Saturday March 31st as part of the Sky Box Office Anthony Joshua v Joshua Parker card.

42-year-old southpaw Narvaez has competed in a staggering 31 world title bouts but has not fought at this level since being blasted out in two rounds by Japenese phenom Naoya Inoue in December 2014.

The title fight joins a packed undercard which also features all-Irish fights between Conrad Cummings and Luke Keeler, Tyrone McKenna and Phil Sutcliffe Jr, Jono Carroll and Marco McCullough, as well as appearances for Davey Oliver Joyce, Tyrone McCullagh, Lewis Crocker, Steven Ward, and English fighters Troy Williamson, Alex Dickinson, and Sam Maxwell.

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Joe O'Neill

Reporting on Irish boxing the past five years. Work has appeared on irish-boxing.com, Boxing News, the42.ie, and local and national media. Provide live ringside updates, occasional interviews, and special features on the future of Irish boxing. email: joneill6@tcd.ie

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