By Steve Wellings
After spending the last four years serving his boxing apprenticeship Carl Frampton is finally within touching distance of fulfilling Barry McGuigan’s prophecy and strapping a world title around his slender waistline. McGuigan reckons that he might have an easier time coaxing a world champion to Belfast next year if Jeffrey Mathebula upsets the odds on December 21 and snatches the IBF belt from Kiko Martinez. McGuigan also acknowledged remarks made recently by Martinez to the extent that he is eager to get back to Belfast and supposedly end Frampton’s career. Kiko’s latest musings follow along the same lines as what he predicted before their first fight in February of this year. Frampton dispatched the Alicante native in nine rounds on that occasion and Martinez would have to find something special to turn the tide in a rematch.
“We will be ringside on December 21 waiting for the winner of that fight to step out of the ring and we will be making a substantial offer to come and fight in Belfast,” affirmed McGuigan.
“I want it [the next fight] to be for the world title but it would be arrogant of me to suggest that it definitely will be for the world title. I think Mathebula will want a lot of money but we have the right people behind us to get him here. We don’t care if Martinez wins, maybe it’s better, because he’s strong and difficult and comes forward and it will make for a better fight. It’s harder to look exciting with a guy who backs off all the time.”
One guy who made the mistake of backing off from Martinez was Colombia’s Jonathan Romero who resembled an ill-prepared novice when he faced the Spaniard on August 17 in Atlantic City. Romero seemed surprised by Kiko’s style and too quickly allowed the diminutive power puncher to close down the angles and punish him with trademark hooks. Frampton will not be making similar oversights should he end up in a rematch with ‘La Sensacion’ in a bout that will take place early next year if Cyclone Promotions get their wish and bring a world champion to Northern Ireland. Carl recently reiterated his desire to build on his fast-growing Belfast base but has also remarked that he is willing to travel if required. Mentor McGuigan knows the nature of the game from his own ring experiences.
“We wanted all the fights in Belfast during my career but I had to travel for the world title against Pedroza,” reasoned Barry. “I don’t know that Martinez wants to come back here but I sincerely hope that he does because we will be making the offer. I know this business and he [Frampton] will be a superstar. You are talking about the Mayweathers and the Andre Wards but he is a more exciting fighter than all of these because he goes and gets them. I’m telling you that he’s going to be a Box Office fighter.”
To hit these levels ‘The Jackal’ will no doubt have to try his hand in America at some point in the future. His excited manager, who held the WBA featherweight championship during his own heyday, believes that Frampton’s fan-friendly style will be exactly what the ardent fight fans of Las Vegas and New York are interested in.
“We’ve stuck it out with the IBF to win the IBF title and then we are looking at Leo Santa Cruz and America. We want to go to Madison Square Garden and bring this kid to Vegas because I think that’s where he can be a superstar. They’re going to love him out there,” concluded McGuigan.