Sport

Josh Warrington trainer Sean O'Hagan predicts stoppage defeat for Carl Frampton and criticises Jamie Moore preparations

Sean O'Hagan (left) celebrates with son Josh Warrington after the Leeds featherweight beat Dennis Tubieron in 2015. Also pcitured are Vinnie Jones and promoter Eddie Hearn.
Sean O'Hagan (left) celebrates with son Josh Warrington after the Leeds featherweight beat Dennis Tubieron in 2015. Also pcitured are Vinnie Jones and promoter Eddie Hearn. Sean O'Hagan (left) celebrates with son Josh Warrington after the Leeds featherweight beat Dennis Tubieron in 2015. Also pcitured are Vinnie Jones and promoter Eddie Hearn.

THE Josh Warrington camp are expecting a knockout win when the Leeds fighter defends his IBF featherweight title against Carl Frampton on December 22.

Warrington has already predicted an early finish to the fight and his father and trainer Sean O’Hagan echoed his opinion. “I think we’ll stop him,” said O’Hagan, who was critical of Frampton’s recent form and of Jamie Moore’s decision to leave the Jackal’s camp on the eve of the Manchester fight to oversee Rocky Fielding’s WBA super-middleweight defence against Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez in New York on Saturday night.

It is understood that coach Moore and Nigel Travis will both be with Frampton stablemate Fielding from tomorrow until Sunday. O’Hagan says Frampton should be the focus of their attention and claimed that “an amateur coach” will take over the Belfast fighter’s preparations for the MEN Arena rumble.

“Jamie was in Boston a few weeks ago with Tommy Coyle and now he’s got the Rocky Fielding fight and he’s leaving Carl with an amateur coach over here,” said straight-talking Yorkshireman O’Hagan, whose grandfather Edward hailed from the Falls Road.

“Carl should be the focus of his attention. Rocky Fielding is going over there but, and there’s no two ways about it, he’s gonna get filled in.

“He’s going for a pay day so just send somebody with him because he’s not going to out-wit them boys over there. Jamie hasn’t got a prayer of getting him through that, in fact there’s a danger of him getting seriously hurt. I know he’s the bigger guy naturally and Rocky is a lovely guy but he’s going for a pay day.

“I’d be focussing my attention on Carl because if he beats us this is a real opportunity for Carl, it’ll fire him straight back in and there’s a lot of money at stake. Also, we want to be beating the very best Carl Frampton and we’re all prepared and very relaxed.

“We’ve done all the sparring, his technique’s good and we’re prepared for anything that comes.”

Frampton has accused Warrington of being “arrogant” after he had predicted a stoppage win. The 28-year-old went the distance in his first 15 fights but has finished six of his last 12 opponents early and came close to stopping then champion Lee Selby when he won his title in May.

O’Hagan says that is evidence of his son’s improvement.

“I think we’ll stop Frampton,” said O’Hagan.

“I think we’ll grind him down and stop him.

“Josh is not a concussive, one punch knockout man. All our stoppages have come in our last 12 fights and Selby was stopped in the sixth round – the referee called it off and then he waved them to box on again. That would have been seven knockouts in our last 12 fights which indicates that we’re getting better, we’re getting stronger and going about our business the right way.”

Since losing his world title in January last year, Frampton has recorded three wins including his first stoppage victory in three and-a-half years against Luke Jackson at Windsor Park in August. O’Hagan hasn’t been particularly impressed with any of his performances.

“Carl’s last three fights haven’t set the world on fire,” he said.

“There was that poor kid from Australia (Jackson) and the one before him (Nonito) Donaire – he’s a couple of years younger than me and I’m 53! He wasn’t the Nonito Donaire we knew.

“Then the guy before that, Horacio Garcia, who I thought gave Carl all the trouble in the world.

“We go out to box and win fights. If we get it on points I’m happy, if we get it by stoppage it’s an early night. I think it’s going to be a very, very good night for us and I do think we’ll stop him.”