Jamie McDonnell in talks for Paul Butler title defence

Jamie McDonnell's camp are in discussions for him to defend his WBA title against Paul Butler, promoter Eddie Hearn has revealed.
Jamie McDonnell. Picture: Lawrence LustigJamie McDonnell. Picture: Lawrence Lustig
Jamie McDonnell. Picture: Lawrence Lustig

But the WBA have ordered a rematch between McDonnell and Liborio Solis, who he earned a narrow and controversial win over in November.

Hearn is confident the Hatfield fighter will face either Solis or former IBF champion Butler in his next fight.

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“We’re in discussions for him to fight Paul Butler,” Hearn told The Star.

“It’s a good little fight.

“It’s been ordered for the rematch with Solis as well which we’re dealing with.

“It’ll be Solis or Butler next I think, end of May, early June.”

Butler beat Stuart Hall in 2014 to win the IBF bantamweight title which was controversially stripped from McDonnell in late 2013.

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He relinquished the title to pursue world glory at super flyweight but returned to bantamweight after defeat in challenging Zolani Tete for the IBF title at 115lbs in 2015.

The defeat to Tete is the only loss on the 28-year-old’s record. He would be McDonnell’s first British opponent since Stuart Hall in 2011.

McDonnell earned a unanimous decision in a voluntary defence against Venezuelan Solis in Monte Carlo last year, in a fight which many people thought he had lost.

Such was the outrage over decision, the WBA moved to make Solis the mandatory challenger for McDonnell’s ‘regular’ title.

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An ordered unification fight with the WBA’s ‘super’ champion is still pending for McDonnell but this situation has been complicated after Ricky Hatton-trained Zhanat Zhakiyanov beat Rau’shee Warren for the title last month.