Carl Frampton will focus on a swan fight with Shakur Stevenson if he defeats Jamel Herring | Boxing news

Carl Frampton will battle against WBO preseason champion Jamel Herring on February 27; the 33-year-old is then looking forward to fighting to return home against Shakur Stevenson in Belfast before retiring; “That’s a big fight. That could be a sign”

Carl Frampton revealed that a professional swansong display against Shakur Stevenson in Belfast is a further incentive to make history this month.

Frampton will turn 34 six days before his next step into the ring on February 27, when he will attempt to become the first Irish fighter to win world titles in three divisions while forward Jamel Herring, WBO pre-featherweight champion.

While urging his American rival to pay no attention to his separation, Frampton has previously thought about retiring and admitted that a win over Stevenson would be high-profile in the his hometown as the best way to bow out of boxing.

“I have good authority for Shakur Stevenson to come to Belfast to fight me if I beat Jamel,” Frampton said. “That’s a big fight. That could be a signature – think the case of Shakur Stevenson in Belfast.

“The opportunity for me to box in Belfast again in front of a large crowd is very appealing to me. Shakur and I could be at Windsor Park after Jamel Herring. But I don’t look too far. forward, it’s one fight at a time, I have to defeat Jamel Herring first. “

Stevenson, who won an Olympic silver medal that won a world title in just his 13th professional fight, has left his WBO featherweight crown to move up to 130lbs and is in pole position to fight the Herring-Frampton winner.

A five-inch-tall herring and a seven-inch advantage will outweigh Frampton, who is known to face one of the strongest tests of his professional career against the London southbound.

Speaking to promote his Inside fight podcast Frampton said: “This may be the toughest fight of my career. It’s going to be a tough night but I’m excited about the opportunity to be a three – pound world champion.

“It’s just the simple fact that people are writing me off and thinking I’m too small to win this fight, that inspires me.

“I can imagine what the pictures will look like, me and him, at the weight. It’s just going to look weird and like we shouldn’t be fighting each other, but that’s it makes me happy to hit someone like that.

The couple were due to fight in June last year in the Northern Ireland capital but that was shattered by the pandemic of coronavirus, forcing Frampton and Herring to catch tune blows. in August and September respectively.

While Frampton (28-2, 16KOs) were unaware of his exit then blocked Scotland’s Darren Traynor within seven rounds, Herring retained (22-2, 10KOs) his title when Jonathan Oquendo was disallowed for headers again.

It was a fight that was rescheduled several times after herring tested positive for coronavirus twice, and the South speculated immediately after defeating Oquendo that it might be his fight against Frampton was his last.

Frampton, who was a pre – bantamweight and featherweight world champion, said: “It was very negative, what he was saying after that fight and I don’t think he should have said it to them. , it may be difficult to tell them.

“I believe he’s fully focused on this fight now, but here’s what he said. It’s a matter of him sharing too much on social media, he was sharing messages that his wife said, she wants him to retire and all.

“My wife wants me to retire but I don’t post messages about him all over social media. He was a little negative after all and has changed his mood lately.”

However, Frampton does not take any mental edge from the comments, given the 35-year-old man’s history as a deputy Marine who served in the Iraq war.

Frampton said: “He has to be a strong man mentally, he has come through a lot in his life so far, so I don’t dig with how strong he is in my mind, I think be strong.

“But I think what he said will be regretted.”