THERE was no shortage of wannabe future opponents watching from ringside as Carl Frampton began a new phase of his career with a unanimous decision win over Horacio Garcia on Saturday night.
Josh Warrington and Scott Quigg were both at the SSE Arena and both would like a crack at ‘the Jackal’. Quigg wants to avenge his defeat in Manchester last year and says he’s “100 per cent confident” that he’d beat Frampton in a rematch. Of course he was also “100 per cent confident” of winning first time around.
Meanwhile, Warrington says he would be happy to make the trip to Windsor Park next summer for a world title ‘Battle of Britain’ with Frampton.
As mandatory challenger, the Leeds featherweight will meet the winner of next month’s IBF title rumble between Lee Selby (the defending champion) and Eduardo Ramirez.
“First off I’ve got a shot at the world title, I fight the winner of Lee Selby’s fight on December 9 and then we go from there,” said Warrington.
“I’ll have my world title fight, more than likely it’ll be against Lee Selby but after that I’d love to have a big fight with Frampton.
“There’s talk about me having my world title fight at Elland Road, after that I’d like to come here. I’ve got a big fanbase, Carl’s got a big fanbase and Leeds fans love traveling away and I’d love to fight over here. The Belfast fans always make a lot of noise so it would be great to come over.”
Warrington, who was also in Las Vegas in January to watch Frampton’s rematch with Leo Santa Cruz, is confident he’ll get past Selby and feels he has identified a chink in the Jackal’s armour.
“Selby is a box of tricks but he’s not getting any younger and he’s had a lot of inactivity,” he said.
“I just feel I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve and when I get him in the ring I’ll show that.”
He added: “Carl is a good all-round boxer and he’s adaptable but it’s been proven that if you keep him at range, keep him at distance you make things hard for him. But, that said, you can’t just rely on one gameplan, you have to be adaptable.”
Meanwhile, Quigg had his jaw broken by Frampton when he met the former Holy Family ABC star at the MEN Arena in Manchester last year. Since that loss he has recovered some ground with three wins on-the-trot and now he wants a rematch with man who took his title. He is the mandatory challenger for the winner of the unconfirmed rumble between Abner Mares and Leo Santa Cruz and says he feels like he is “back in the mix now”.
“I was gutted when I lost to Frampton, but you have to move on,” he said.
“At the end of the day, you can’t change it. The fight went the way it went and I learned from it and I’ve come back better.
“If I had the fight again I would use different tactics, I would start the fight the way I finished it and, if I had, I believe I would have won the fight. But it’s all ifs and buts. Hopefully I get the chance for a rematch and I can put the wrong right.
“He’s the only person to beat me so I’d obviously like a rematch. If I keep winning I’ll deserve one and if it happens it happens, if it doesn’t it’s not through me not wanting it.
“I know what I need to do and if I get the chance I’ll go out there and prove it.”
Since the defeat Quigg has swapped Joe Gallagher’s Manchester gym for the famous Wild Card in LA where he is enjoying working with renowned trainer Freddie Roach.
“It’s unbelievable, I feel like I’m learning, making the adjustments that I need to,” he said.
“The sparring is brilliant, the coaching I’m getting from Freddie and the knowledge he’s passing down… I feel like I’m back at school, learning every day and being educated.
“I was a messer at school, but I won’t be dropping out of this school.
“It’s a different country and to a certain extent it’s a different culture but I live the same life. I go to the gym, home, eat, sleep and back to the gym. I just live the life like I would back in the UK but I’m getting the knowledge and the coaching passed down to me.”
MATT Macklin knows how it feels to have your dreams shattered.
The Birmingham-born middleweight with strong Irish roots lost three world title challenges so he was able to understand how Jamie Conlan felt after his world title hopes were brought crashing down by Jerwin Ancajas at the SSE Arena on Saturday night.
Conlan was stopped in the sixth round by ferocious puncher Ancajas after being put down four times in the fight.
“It’s devastating for Jamie,” said Macklin.
“He’s someone who really deserves a world title, but the sport can be cruel and he came up against a top-class operator tonight.
“I know the feeling, I've been there and I really feel for him, but he’ll take a bit of time off and MTK will be behind him all the way.”
Meanwhile, Macklin agreed that Carl Frampton’s workmanlike comeback performance against Horacio Garcia will stand him in good stead for bigger fights next year.
“Carl looked fantastic for the first three rounds,” said Macklin.
“He definitely didn't look like a guy who's been out of the ring for nearly a year, but he probably traded a bit too much at times. It was still a good fight to get back into it though.
“I’d like to see him back out in March or April - get a good win and then he’ll be all set for a world title fight at Windsor Park in the summer.”
Earlier, Paddy Barnes and Dubliner Jono Carroll saw their stock rise considerably with stoppage wins over experienced opponents.
“Paddy and Jono had great wins and the rest of the lads on the undercard had a good night and a few impressive wins,” said Macklin.
“We’ll be back in Belfast in March or April and we’ll keep all the lads busy in the meantime.”
IBF European Lightweight champion Paul Hyland jnr will make is return to action at the Europa Hotel on Saturday, February 3 on an MHD Promotions, in association with A McLeans bookmakers, show.
After his ferocious title defence against Stephen Ormond on the undercard of Ryan Burnett’s WBA/IBF unification title fight at the SSE Arena in Belfast in October, undefeated ‘Hylo’ (17-0) hopes to stay busy as he chases a British title fight against Lewis Ritson.
Also on the bill, Newtownards featherweight prospect Stevie Quinn jnr will return to action and Belfast lightweight Joe Fitzpatrick hopes to kick on in 2018 after a stop-start year than saw him win both his fights.
Portsmouth’s undefeated prospect Lucas Ballingall travels across the Irish Sea hoping to impress after looking the part in sparring sessions with James Tennyson, Hyland jnr and Fitzpatrick.
“It’s good to get the boys out as often as possible and the Europa set-up makes it very exciting, accessible and affordable for all boxing fans,” said promoter Mart Dunlop.
“We are keeping the tickets prices the same as this year. It’s a top class card and expect to sell out again.”
Tickets: £35 (unreserved), £45 (reserved ringside), £75 (VIP ringside) including four-course meal. Call 07712473905 or mail mark@mhdpromotions.com
