Reproduced with permission from irish-boxing.com

CARL FRAMPTON WILL most likely return to the ring on the under-card of David Haye’s Matchroom debut in Manchester on 29 June, promoter Eddie Hearn revealed.

The European Champion had been hoping to use Belfast as the sole base from which to launch his 2013 world title attack. Frampton planned a summer world title eliminator in his home town before challenging for one of the 122lbs straps in Belfast come September, an idea Hearn was not too adverse to last February.

However, it seems the Matchroom boss has elected to use Barry McGuigan’s undefeated protege as support to former world heavyweight champion David Haye’s fight with Manuel Charr in the Manchester Arena.

Team Frampton are disappointed the 25-year-old, who won the European title [beating Kiko Martinez] in front of a sold out Odyssey arena crowd last time out, won’t be fighting at home, but will be delighted that Hearn shares their world title ambitions.

Hearn believes IBF champion Jonathan Romero, who stated his desire to fight Frampton after claiming the title, is both a desirable and marketable fight. He said:

Carl is ranked number three with the IBF and a title fight against Romero is what we want. Initially we were looking at a date in May, but Romero has torn his bicep so he’s not going to be back out until September. Right now the mandatory challenger is Jeffery Mathebula, who won an eliminator in March against Takalani Ndlovu, so we will likely get Carl back out on the David Haye card at the end of June and go from there.”

Hearn, who again this week highlighted the Belfast fight fans and the Irish boxing press as among the best in the world, also sang from the same hymn sheet as former World champion McGuigan when it came to the Irish managed Cuban sensation Guillermo Rigondeaux.

The promoter, who provides Sky Sports boxing out-put, believes Frampton should wait before facing the two time Olympic Gold medalist come two-belt world champion.

“There are big opportunities out there for Carl,” he said, “and winnable world title fights but we won’t be going near Guillermo Rigondeaux because he’s on another level at the moment. Carl knows that but he will be looking to reach that level in the next three to five fights.”

Meanwhile, a shoulder injury for Dublin featherweight boxer Patrick Hyland has led to his withdrawal from a planned bout in New Work on 18 May. ‘The Punisher’, who is based in the US as he chases a WBA title shot, is ‘under doctor’s orders to stop training for two weeks and undergo treatment’, according to his promoters at Team Snooki.

Uncaged: 5 must-see MMA documentaries

Georgie Thompson talks A League of Their Own, BOD and returning to our screens