CARL Frampton looks certain to return as a super-featherweight after the bizarre hotel accident in Philadelphia scuppered his featherweight comeback against Emmanuel Dominguez on Saturday night.
Luckless two-weight world champion Frampton was forced to pull out of the fight after an ornamental column was accidentally knocked over in the lobby of his hotel and smashed into his left hand, breaking the fifth metacarple.
The Irish News understands that despite the injury ‘The Jackal’ was keen to fight and that his first thoughts were for his fans who were travelling to Philadelphia to support him. However, after being examined by a doctor he had to accept that he was in no position to fight and had to pull out of the Licouras Center bout.
The injury will take between four and six weeks to heal and it is understood that ‘the Jackal’ will be offered the option to refocus his energy on becoming a three-weight world champion by moving up to 130lbs, with a possible return to action in October, possibly back in Philadelphia.
“I’m devastated, absolutely devastated,” Frampton said yesterday.
“The fight… Obviously I wanted the fight. I just feel like I’ve been away from my kids and summer holidays, they’ve been off school and I’ve been away so it just feels like an absolute waste of time, an absolute waste.
“It’s money down the drain, probably the guts of £30k in a training camp. I’ve been out here in Philly for three and-a-bit weeks now and I’ve got nothing to show for it.
He added: “In four to six weeks it should be fine but I haven’t got four to six weeks have I? The fight’s on Saturday night. (In this training camp) This is the most disciplined I have ever been in sparring, in listening to instructions, in bag work and everything. I’ve just been disciplined and then I go and get my hand smashed.
“It (the ornament) should be nailed to the floor and it isn’t. You couldn’t make it up.”
