IN a surprise move Carl Frampton, the IBF super-bantamweight world champion, has signed with influential adviser Al Haymon. The American manager, who has a close relationship with Floyd Mayweather, is one of boxing’s powerbrokers.
“My team and I have teamed up with the most powerful man in boxing, Al Haymon,” stated Frampton on his social media account.
Carl’s manager, Barry McGuigan also tweeted, “Delighted to have teamed up with the biggest name in boxing globally. Watch this space.”
Frampton, charismatic outside the ropes and as well as an impressive performer in the ring, is a huge draw in Northern Ireland. The first defence of his world title was broadcast on terrestrial channel ITV in the UK. His manager McGuigan has spoken before of his desire to build Frampton’s profile in America too. Al Haymon has launched the new venture Premier Boxing Champions or PBC which has acquired time to screen their boxing events on a variety of free-to-air channels in the USA, including NBC and Spike.
Haymon also represents a large stable of big name fighters. This link-up could therefore put Frampton on course for the likes of Abner Mares or WBC super-bantamweight champion Leo Santa Cruz.
Nor does the move necessarily crush hopes of seeing Frampton against British rival Scott Quigg. In recent weeks a batch of Quigg’s Matchroom promotions stablemates, Ricky Burns, Jamie McDonnell and James DeGale, have all fought on Haymon’s PBC. So you never know, Al Haymon might eventually be the man to help that much-discussed British boxing super-fight get off the ground.
