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Carl Frampton fans in Belfast gear up for boxer's New York bout

Carl Frampton fan Morgan Stewart at her home in north Belfast. Picture by Hugh Russell
Carl Frampton fan Morgan Stewart at her home in north Belfast. Picture by Hugh Russell Carl Frampton fan Morgan Stewart at her home in north Belfast. Picture by Hugh Russell

CARL Frampton fans in his home city of Belfast are gearing up to support the championship boxer ahead of his big fight night in New York.

The 29-year-old IBF super-bantamweight title holder takes on Leo Santa Cruz across the Atlantic tonight for the WBA featherweight crown.

Among his biggest fans is 11-year-old Morgan Stewart, who has proudly displayed her Frampton flag outside her home in the Tiger's Bay area of north Belfast.

"I'm really excited because I think he's going to knock him out in round three," said the young boxing fan.

"I have decorated the house – I've put posters up and I have put my flag up."

Morgan has been a fan of Frampton for several years after meeting him while he was filming promotional material in a nearby street.

Her home is covered in Frampton fandom from pictures and posters to a pair of boxing gloves signed by 'the Jackal' himself.

"The wee girl has my kitchen plastered," joked her mother Jean Stewart.

The 31-year-old told how when her daughter's primary school held an event some months ago where pupils dressed up as superheroes, Morgan dressed as Frampton.

"She wanted to dress as Carl Frampton because he was her superhero – her Tiger's Bay superhero," she said.

Frampton's latest fight may be more than 3,000 miles away in the Big Apple, but Jean said the distance hasn't hampered the excitement in the area.

"Everybody is just hyped up and you can feel the buzz in the air. Everybody is arranging parties. You just feel it in the atmosphere," she said.