Donaire-Mares showdown bogs down via Twitter

MANILA, Philippines - Nonito Donaire Jr. must have shaken his head in disbelief upon reading tweets that he has turned down an offer for him to fight Abner Mares.

For Donaire, there’s nothing to turn down in the first place.

“All it said was Donaire for $3 million. No site, no date, no rounds, no liability for GBP if they pull out. What kind of contract was that?!” Donaire yesterday said on his Twitter account.

The WBO super-bantamweight champion from the Philippines was referring to a supposed $3 million offer from Golden Boy Promotions for him to face Mares, the WBC super-bantam king.

News about the offer were all over the Internet and Twitter even before it got to Donaire through his manager, Cameron Dunkin, and promoters, Bob Arum and Todd duBeof of Top Rank.

But Donaire said his handlers didn’t give it much thought because of the manner the contract was prepared.

“I called Dunkin and he gave me an update. He said they didn’t bother (because) Todd told him the lawyers said it was a LETTER (with) no details,” Donaire twitted.

“Dunkin doesn’t waste my time with bullcrap “letters” (and) he only calls me for real offers,” said the 30-year-old Filipino who’s hoping to fight in April.

But Mares, in his own Twitter account, made it sound or appear like Donaire or Top Rank on his behalf turned down the offer.

“To my fans, unfortunately Nonito Donaire has (turned) down the fight against myself,” said the fighter from Guadalajara in Mexico. He is being promoted by Golden Boy.

“I just want to thank my promoter @GoldenBoyBoxing and my manager @Espinozaboxing for their attempts to try and make a fight that the fans really wanted to see. Team Mares will soon announce my next fight. Stay tuned,” he said.

Donaire, the 2012 Fighter of the Year of the Boxing Writers Association of America, said he can’t fight from May to July because his wife Rachel is giving birth to their first child in June.

Weeks ago, word got out that Donaire versus WBA super-bantamweight champion Guillermo Rigondeaux is already being finalized.

But just as soon word spread, Donaire said there’s really nothing in it.

Then came Golden Boy’s offer with Oscar dela Hoya saying the $3 million is for Donaire to split with his promoters and his manager the way they want to.

Reports said Arum had dangled a previous offer of $1 million to Mares for him to agree to face Donaire in a Top Rank presentation.

Golden Boy insisted the fight is worth more than that and raised the ante to $3 million.

And now the fight is dead.