Sport

Carl Frampton will dethrone Josh Warrington and reign supreme on blackeye Saturday

Carl Frampton and Josh Warrington go head-to-head during yesterday's weigh-in in Manchester
Carl Frampton and Josh Warrington go head-to-head during yesterday's weigh-in in Manchester Carl Frampton and Josh Warrington go head-to-head during yesterday's weigh-in in Manchester

WELCOME to blackeye Saturday and festive spirit will be in short supply when Carl Frampton and Josh Warrington go at it in the Manchester Arena tonight.

Make no mistake, whoever you like for this one, they’re not going to get their hand raised unless they’re prepared to go through the ringer in what will be a physical, intense and exciting contest and both men have said they intend to give whatever it takes to win tonight.

Frampton carries the confidence of a man who has been there, done that and beaten better men than Warrington.

All week he has been relaxed but he is a driven man, driven to prove his doubters wrong – and we’ve all heard it said, or said it ourselves, that he’s not the fighter he once was – and maybe his former handlers too as he strives to win his fourth world title belt.

His most famous victory came back in 2016 when he stood toe-to-toe with Leo Santa Cruz in New York and won the WBA featherweight title but his best win came a year before that.

It was in El Paso, Texas against Alejandro Gonzalez jnr in the second defence of his super-bantamweight title.

The night before the weigh-in, Frampton was in excess of six pounds overweight and the McGuigans had already written a press release explaining the reasons why he hadn’t made the 8st 10lb limit.

Thanks to a superhuman effort, he got the weight off and he climbed through the ropes on uncertain legs hoping he’d get a round or two to find his feet. But there’s no room for sympathy or sentiment in the ring and in the first round, Gonzalez put him down twice.

Frampton hauled himself up and hung in there. In the third he was on the brink again but he grabbed on and came through.

He regards that as his best win and it illustrates just how much the man has come through and what Warrington will need to produce to beat him tonight.

Frampton was on the verge in El Paso and it was his fighting heart that saw him hang in there, settle and box his way to a clear points win that sent him on to beating Scott Quigg and then his move up to featherweight.

Since his loss in the Santa Cruz rematch, Frampton’s career has dipped and his three fights since his split from the McGuigan’s have yielded three wins against opponents short of the highest level.

He has been working with Jamie Moore for the last 16 months and straight-talking Moore predicts a career best from Frampton tonight.

“This is by far the best camp he’s ever had and the best form I’ve seen him in,” he said.

“Honestly, I think it’s going to be a career best performance.”

Frampton and Warrington go into tonight’s rumble on the back of headlining stadium fights in the summer – Windsor Park in August for Frampton, Elland Road in May for Warrington.

The ‘Leeds Warrior’ has been a professional for nine years and his career graph shows a steady upward climb from British, to inter-continental to world level.

He has been discounted and doubted at every turn, written off as a have-a-go hero who lacked the ring smarts and power of a top class fighter.

He still is, but he has beaten every man put in front of him, working his way through minor titles and gradually climbing the rankings and gathering fans as he picked his way through the featherweight division.

He is unbeaten (27-0) and claims he has never been put down in sparring or a fight or even hurt. His desire is unquestionable and so is his is workrate. Behind a crisp jab, he is constantly on the move, looking for angles, and against Lee Selby he chose his moments to go on the front foot and attack and picked the Welshman off on the backfoot when he pushed to get back into the fight.

Warrington, the defending champion, is the underdog but he feels this is his time and denies that he sees Frampton is a fading star who is there for the taking.

“I don’t think that, I’d be a fool to think that,” he said (Frampton was having none of it).

“You can’t go into a fight thinking: ‘I’m alright, he’s done’. Every day I’ve woke up and I’ve been thinking: ‘Carl will be in there training hard, I need to push myself even harder’.

“My mentality is that this will be the best Carl Frampton turning up.

“I’m going in expecting a difficult fight with Carl Frampton and, when I get through it, I’ll move on to the bigger stage.”

Four years ago, a British title was the height of his ambition but he has kicked on, beaten everyone the match-makers could put in front of him and risen to this point.

“All I wanted to do was win a British title,” he said.

“If I got a house with a car in the drive I’d be happy but I’ve been able to go beyond that.”

Beating Selby in May took him took to the very top of the ladder but has he gone as far as he can now? Has his reach ultimately exceeded his grasp?

Warrington, who has gone the 12-round distance in five of his last seven fights, will have his moments of success in this fight but against an accurate counter-puncher like Frampton it will come at too high a price and that will eventually be his undoing.

He’ll have to take too punches to get his own off and then, when he retreats to get a breather and regroup, Frampton – as always smart and sharp - will jump on him and land the shots that will win him the rounds he needs.

Expect drama and fireworks from the first bell tonight and expect Frampton to win on points. He’ll be the world champion again when he tucks into his turkey.