WHEN Carl Frampton challenges Jamel Herring for the WBO super-featherweight title on Saturday (April 3) he will be going up against the limits of whatโs physically possible him. Herring towers over him and is a southpaw to make himself that much more awkward.
โPeople see a picture of me and Herring up against each other, it just looks unrealistic that Iโm going to fight him. But Iโm really up for it, just the fact of the wee man beating the big man, itโs something thatโs got me so motivated to win. That and that itโs the chance to become a three-weight world champion and go down in history,โ Frampton told Boxing News. โItโsย a real, momentous occasion for me. Itโs going to be very difficult but I intend to do whatever it takes to win.โ
โIโll do whatever it takes to win this fight, and thatโs the same with any fight. If I hurt my hand halfway through a fight, any fight, Iโm not thinking about my hand, Iโm thinking about winning,โ he continued. โItโll be the same anyway. If itโs a 12 round fight and I havenโt completely emptied the tank, Iโll be disappointed with myself.โ
The man from Belfast was not overly impressed with Herringโs last performance, when he came away from Jonathan Oquendo with a disqualification win, for use of the head, and a cut over his eye. โOquendo was 37 years old and he was at one time a very good fighter but not anymore. Although Herring was winning the fight, Oquendo was giving him problems,โ Frampton said. โItโs something I donโt like to see when fighters complain to the referee. It wasnโt a brilliant performance but then saying that my performance against Darren Traynor wasnโt brilliant either. Both of us need to up our games, I feel like we both will, thereโs so much on the line here.โ
But Frampton appears to be relaxed, relishing the David and Goliath aspect of their showdown. โNo real pressure on me either in this fight, which is good. Itโs a chance to create history but I donโt think thereโs that much pressure,โ he said. โA lot of people donโt have me winning this fight.โ
Channel 5 will broadcast their title fight on free to air TV in the UK on Saturday. โI just feel like itโs going to be one of them ones where I shock a lot of people,โ Carl added. โBoxing fans know me and they know Jamel Herring but sports fans and just the average Joe maybe donโt know us. I think there are going to be people flabbergasted that Iโve won this fight when they see images of us.โ
As calm as he can be, Frampton is seasoned enough to switch on when itโs time to fight. โIt just comes naturally to me because Iโve been boxing for such a long time. You have to put the hard head on and be razor sharp and focused when youโre in the ring. But I like to relax when Iโm outside of the ring and be around my family. I become a different man,โ he said. โIโm a more relaxed person when Iโm away from boxing and I donโt know why but I think thatโs just my character. I know how to fight and I know what I need to happen for each fight and around fights to get me in the mood to win titles. I enjoy it, I enjoy being at home, I enjoy being around the kids and my wife. I donโt constantly have boxing on my TVโฆ Iโm a fan of boxing but I understand my family life is more important than anything else in my life and that includes boxing. But it took me a while to realise that and I think I feel like a better person for it now.โ
If he is victorious there will be richly appealing options, a defence against Shakur Stevenson is mandatory for the winner but a unification with Oscar Valdez would be thrilling and even a rematch with Josh Warrington would be major event in Britain or Northern Ireland. โIโm not thinking about anything else. I think the winner has to fight Shakur,โ Frampton noted. โIf I win the fight, Iโll be happy to fight him but Iโm fully focused on Jamel Herring.
โI will think about all options that come my way but Iโm fully focused on Herring.โ
It all comes down to their fight on Saturday and this final chance for Frampton to make history.