Donaire-Walters added to Golovkin-Rubio card

ESPN.com is reporting that terms are in place for Nonito Donaire and Nicholas Walters to open up the HBO broadcast of GGG-Rubio from the StubHub Center in Carson, Ca. The fight is not official official, but the parties are in agreement.

Donaire was the toast of boxing just two years ago, but he's seen his stock fall. After a sound defeat at the hands of Guillermo Rigondeaux—which is no real shame—he returned last May in Macau against Simpiwe Vetyeka in a fight that left a bad taste in the mouth of many. Donaire suffered an ugly cut as a result of a headbutt but seemed OK and was coming on strong, dropping Vetyeka at the end of the fourth round. Though it appeared he was taking command, Donaire seemed rather willing to accept a technical decision as a result of the cut.

An impressive win against Nicholas Walters would be a step in the right direction for the Filipino star who is still hanging around at the back end of many P4P lists. Walters fought on the same Macau card viciously knocking out Vic Darchinyan in the fifth. Walters and Donaire both hold versions of the WBA featherweight title, making the upcoming bout a unification of sorts.

For "The Axe Man" Walters, who is 28 and hails from Jamaica, this is an excellent opportunity to get in front of American eyeballs on a card which should do good numbers thanks to headliner Gennady Golovkin. A good showing against Donaire will surely inject him into the elite conversation at featherweight.