CARL FRAMPTON FEELS imbued by the recent radical overhaul of his boxing career, and is excited to return to the ring in his home city for the first time in almost three years this weekend.
‘The Jackal’, who recently teamed up with Frank Warren and BT Sport as well as a new trainer in Jamie Moore and new advisers in Matthew Macklin’s MTK, faces former sparring partner Horacio Garcia in Belfast’s SSE Arena on Saturday.
Garcia [33-3-1, 24KOs] has never been stopped, and will be cheered on by his compatriot Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez at ringside, but Frampton is eyeing an emphatic victory as he takes the first steps back toward the pinnacle of his craft.
“I can’t wait to get going,” said the former two-weight world champion. “It’s two-and-a-half years since I last fought in Belfast and I’ve a good record here – a 100 per cent stoppage rate in the Odyssey so I’m hoping to continue that.
“I feel good. It’s the best I’ve ever felt so close to a fight if I’m being honest. I’m relaxed but excited as well. People are noticing a wee spring in my step so I’m happy and looking forward to the fight.”
Canelo is going to be ringside and it’s an honour to have him here with him making the trip the whole way to Belfast. Obviously he’ll be here supporting Horacio Garcia, but he’ll be leaving disappointed when I get the win. But it’s great to have him here.
In the co-main event, Frampton’s friend and fellow Belfast man Jamie Conlan challenges Pinoy ‘Pretty Boy’ Jerwin Ancajas for his IBF World super-flyweight title in a maiden tilt at world honours for the Falls Road brawler.
Conlan, 31, is undefeated in his 19 professional contests, but faces by a considerable margin the toughest test of his career versus the Manny Pacquiao-promoted Filipino in front of what promises to be a raucous home crowd.
“It’s exciting because I’m eager to see how I do and how I perform,” Conlan said.
“I’ve had a great training camp and everything is done. I’ve never looked as good in camp.
I’d be the first to tell you that the majority of the time you’d usually have as many bad days as good days, but for this one it’s all be fantastic and I’ve had a completely different attitude.
“I feel in a great place mentally as well as physically, so I’m excited – very excited,” added Conlan, who insisted that he had no emotion when coming head to head with his southpaw foe at Thursday’s final pre-fight press conference.
“It’s always just a blank face to me. I like to get a look at the opponent to compare height and that type of thing, but it’s all done and I’ve been visualising fighting him for the past eight weeks. I’m fully prepared.”
Conlan and Frampton’s close pal Paddy Barnes, a three-time Irish Olympian, features on a stacked undercard where he’ll fight Nicaraguan Eliecer Quezada [21-6-3, 8KOs] for the WBO intercontinental title in what will be just his own fifth fight as a professional.
Victory will catapult Barnes up the world rankings, but he’s taking nothing for granted having learned of his game opponent – twice a conqueror of Yader Cardoza, who took Jamie Conlan to the brink in his last outing – at short notice ahead of Saturday.
“I’ve had a look at him [Quezada] and he’s very, very good,” said the former European amateur champion. “My original opponent fell through, so that’s changed everything. I was training for a small come-forward fighter and now I’m fighting a taller opponent, so that’s changed a lot.”
But in the amateurs you’re fighting different styles every day at major tournaments so I’m used to it. I haven’t thought too much about it, I don’t really mind, I’m just looking forward to the fight. I can’t wait, I’m very excited and I’m flying fit, so it should be a good night.
Barnes is back in action just a few weeks after recording his fourth pro win in Edinburgh when he claimed a six-round points victory over Peruvian Juan Hinostroza.
“That helped me shake off the ring rust coming into this fight,” explained Barnes. “That’ll stand to me. It’s still a bit of a struggle to get the weight down, but I’ve been on a strict diet and I feel sharp and strong and fit.”
Undefeated prospect Jono Carroll also features on the card despite his much-anticipated rematch with fellow Dub Declan Geraghty falling through due to an injury to the latter.
The 25-year-old will take on Mexico’s Humberto de Santiago for the IBF intercontinental title and a place in the top 15 of the organisation’s world rankings.
Frampton Reborn will be broadcast live on BT Sport and BoxNation.
The42 has just published its first book, Behind The Lines, a collection of some of the year’s best sports stories. Pick up your copy in Eason’s, or order it here today (€10):
Very impressed by him over the two games against Salzburg. The price is ridiculously low too…
Great thing about Liverpool’s champions league group is that we’ve played two teams (Genk and Salzburg) with good young coaches who play very similar styles of football to us. Minamino and Genk’s Berge were the two opposition players who impressed most for me, and the Calibre of journalist (Reddy, Pearce etc) talking about this move does suggest it’s well in place.
Michael Edwards does it again, most likely…
This would be a very screwed signing from Liverpool if it comes through. Very tidy player and for that price in todays market. Almost no risk…
@Ottomaaan: Screwed indeed
Young,quick,scores goals…a nuisance when he doesn’t have the ball.
Go get him.
No Sancho, so
@Alexi: why, because of the massive 7m it’s going to cost to buy Minamino?
Don’t think the two moves have anything to do with each other.
@Alexi: Cant see klopp signing sancho
@Peter Govan: he definitely doesn’t sound lately like he has the right type of character for klopp or Liverpool
@Alexi: If LFC want Sancho they will get him. With an abundance of WC players it’s very hard to fit someone else in. Perhaps leaving some space for mBappe (summer more likely).
@Alexi: Do liverpool need him? Should be looking at proven players, you could buy 3/4 good squad players for the £100 million sancho would cost.
Centre back and left back needs backup.
@Paddy Kavanagh: I think they absolutely need him. Liverpool’s front 3 have been dogged now for 3seasons and there form or fitness will go if they can’t be rotated. Also if u want to continue staying at the top sometimes u need to buy big, I do agree they need lb and CB cover too though.
@6CL: Mbappe is going nowhere near Anfield unless PSG are going out of business or he’s taking a absolutely massive paycut, and I say that as an LFC Fan. Yeah he’s talented, his age profile is right, but his personality suits a move to Madrid where he can live a Galactico lifestyle and actually win important trophies.
@ℝ:
@6CL: let’s see
@6CL: don’t mean that LFC won’t win important trophies, we will. Just that compared to being Ligue 1 champions year after year virtually uncontested, La Liga and Copa Del Rey are more important…
A number of fringe Liverpool players must be watching this with interest. Is he a cheap deal or in to replace them. Harry Wilson, Shaqiri, and Lallana could all move behind him in the pecking order if he makes an impact.
@Dan: I still think there’s a place for Shaqiri at anfield (might be biased because for some reason I just adore him?!). Think Lallana will be gone in the summer, as will Harry Wilson. Wilson is a decent player but a club like Bournemouth is his level.
@Dan: Lallana will move on….Milner might too. Liverpool are going to be doing a bit of a minor overhaul this summer anyway, just getting this guy in early
@James Doyle: If Leeds come up Milner will leave.
@Peter Dunne: especially with milners current deal up at the end of the year. Be sorry to see him go, he’s been a great servant since coming in
James Pearce reckons hes ours on Jan 1st.
Beat UTD Milan & Moenchengladbach to his signature.Just over 7m.
Good business.
Edward’s strikes again.
He was superb in both games and wouldn’t cost a penny as the club would sell a million shirts in Japan once he signed.