McGuigan Waits on Matchroom

Barry McGuigan says he does not hold much hope of a long-awaited fight between Scott Quigg and Carl Frampton because of his doubts over whether Matchroom will commit to it.

Promoter Eddie Hearn told Sky Sports on Thursday that "60 per cent of the hurdles" had been cleared in an attempt to make it happen.

He also said there was a desire from both camps to arrange the world unification bout after a previous failure to agree terms.

On Tuesday, Hearn met with McGuigan's sons Jake and Blaine, who handle IBF super-bantamweight champion Frampton, and he was encouraged by their discussions.

While McGuigan admits the fight is a possibility, he has suggested the 28-year-old has other options to consider too.

If an agreement can be struck, it is expected WBA champion Quigg and Frampton would meet early next year.

McGuigan told Second Captains Live: "They've been speaking to Eddie Hearn, amongst others, and Al Haymon about Carl's next fight.

"There's a possibility of the Quigg fight. Maybe it will happen, this is the third time that we have sat down with them.

"Maybe it will happen this time."

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View from the Top - Barry McGuigan

"It is not the size of the dog in the fight that counts, but the size of the fight in the dog.”

Barry McGuigan 

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Frampton Comes Alive

Carl Frampton has retained his European Super Bantamweight title by knocking out Jeremy Parodi of France in the sixth round at the Odyssey Arena.

The contest was billed as an IBF world championship eliminator and promoter Barry McGuigan will now be looking to get his fighter a major title contest.

Frampton, 26, was in control from the start, outclassing an opponent beaten just once in 37 previous contests.

Northern Ireland's Frampton has won all of his 17 professional fights.

A composed Frampton was on the front foot from the off, his left jab getting through early on and a couple of combinations troubling his opponent in the opening round.

The home favourite remained on top in rounds two and three, pushing his opponent back at every opportunity.

A solid left hand in the fourth sent Parodi staggering back and, with Frampton targeting a cut above the Frenchman's left eye, a couple of big right hands had him shaken.

A fierce left to the body thrown by Frampton at two minutes 59 seconds of the sixth was too powerful for the Frenchman and he fell to his knees to be counted out.

This was Frampton's first fight since claiming the European crown by beating Kiko Martinez in the ninth round in Belfast in February.

Frustratingly for Frampton, though, Spaniard Martinez won the IBF super-bantamweight title in his next fight and the Belfast man's camp are expected to seek a rematch.

In July, Frampton had to pull out of a contest at Wembley because of an ear injury .

On Saturday's undercard, Ricky Hatton protégé Ryan Burnett, 21, also from Belfast, stopped Reynaldo Cajina of Nicaragua in the second round of their bantamweight contest.

Jamie Conlan was a first-round winner over Argentinean Walter Rojas while Marc McCullough won the vacant Irish featherweight title by beating the experienced Limerick fighter Willie Casey.

Dungiven's Eamonn O'Kane became the new IBF Inter-continental middleweight champion with a points victory over Welsh man Kerry Hope.

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Frampton With Title Shot - McGuigan

Barry McGuigan is impatient for a world title shot for protégé Carl Frampton but feels it is "in touching distance".

The man Frampton stopped in February, Kiko Martinez, won a global belt last month when he beat Jonathan Romero, the IBF super bantamweight champion.

"That shows how crazy boxing can be," said McGuigan, Frampton's manager.

"We are frustrated by it, but also buoyed by the fact that if Martinez can win the world title, we are convinced Frampton will do the same."

Before that, European champion Frampton must see off Frenchman Jeremy Parodi in what has been billed as an IBF world title eliminator at his home city Belfast's Odyssey Arena on 19 October.

"We believe we are in touching distance of a world title shot, but nothing happens unless we get past Parodi," added McGuigan.

"Carl has got to win that fight and look impressive in doing so."

The undercard of the Frampton bill will see Belfast super-flyweight Jamie Conlan take on Hassan Azaouagh in a European title contest.

Irish middleweight champion Eamonn O'Kane from Dungiven also takes on former European champion Kerry Hope from Wales with a Celtic belt at stake.

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Flintoff Hits Out at Boxing Critics

Former England cricket hero Andrew Flintoff has hit back at claims his switch to boxing is a publicity stunt.

Flintoff will make his professional boxing debut over four rounds against novice American Richard Dawson in Manchester on November 30.

His training camp has been filmed for a three-part Sky1HD series to be screened on November 22 and criticism of the project has been strong within boxing.

Promoters Frank Maloney and Frank Warren say Flintoff's sporting switch is a "joke" but both Flintoff and his trainer Barry McGuigan say the project is good for boxing.

"You couldn't go through this for a TV stunt," Flintoff said. "If I was looking for a publicity stunt I'd have picked something easier. There's other things I could have done.

"We want to show the sport in the best possible light because ultimately I'm a boxing fan as well."

McGuigan said: "You'll see the sort of pain and anguish that you go through to get ready for fights. How can that be negative for the sport? It promotes the sport. (The criticism) is a complete and utter load of nonsense."

Flintoff admits the transition from cricket all-rounder to boxer has been a serious challenge.

"One of the things I had to overcome is that I'm not the most confrontational bloke," he said.

"When I played cricket every now and then I would be, but it didn't bring out the best in me. There has to be a ruthless streak in the ring, so there's been a change mentally to achieve that.

"In cricket the mental aspect was tough but this has taken that to a whole new level. You're up and down all the time, you get nervous before a sparring session, you're on a high when you're in there and then an hour later you're flat.

"The diet's had its' moments....eating steak at 530am isn't the easiest. Giving up booze has been all right though. It's been a lifestyle change."

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Frampton Comes Alive

Carl Frampton successfully defended his Commonwealth super bantamweight title with a sixth-round stoppage of experienced Canadian Steve Molitor at the Odyssey Arena in Belfast.

In front of a home crowd Frampton never looked in trouble as he dominated his opponent, putting him down three times on his way to a 15th successive professional win.

Frampton was always able to stay ahead on points, never giving Molitor time and eventually his better work-rate wore his opponent down.

A flurry of punches in the sixth round forced the Canadian to his knees and it was clear he did not want to continue.

Molitor made it back to his feet but, with two minutes 21 seconds of the round gone, the referee called the contest off.

Frampton put his victory down to his preparation.

He said on Sky Sports 1: 'I think it's just all down to hard work. I really pushed myself hard in training.

'I know I can hit hard - I've just got to land the shots. I didn't think he liked the pace that much - that's why I pushed so hard. I made him miss quite a lot (of punches).

'I was just on him the whole time - that was it really.'

Frampton praised the crowd and promised them he planned to have more fights on home soil.

'I want as many fights here in Belfast as possible,' he said. 'The crowd was amazing. I'm not far from a world title. I will fight anyone.'

Frampton's manager Barry McGuigan, the former world featherweight champion, pointed to the quality of Molitor.

'Steve Molitor is not a world champion two times over for no reason," he said.

'He (Frampton) just ground him down and eventually he nailed him. This guy is a fabulous young fighter. We intend to map it out and work towards a world title fight.'

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Frampton to Come Alive with Molitor

Getty Images

Carl Frampton insists he will fire himself into world title contention by beating Steve Molitor in Belfast on Saturday night, live on Sky Sports.

Frampton - who is managed by Barry McGuigan - faces undoubtedly the biggest test of his fledgling career when he steps in with Molitor who is a two-time IBF champion.

The Canadian, 32, claims he too has motivation aplenty heading into the fight given that defeat to the emerging Irishman would realistically spell the end of his world-level career.

But Frampton, nicknamed 'The Jackal', is adamant his desire will prove the stronger and believes an impressive victory will catapult him into the consciousness of the world's best super-bantamweights.

Big fights

"There definitely is a risk, but I'm at the stage in my career where I want to have big fights," Frampton told Sky Sports News HD.

"I want to be propelled to world level and Steve Molitor certainly is world level - he's rated number nine by Ring magazine.

"So if I win this fight everyone's going to know about me, all the world champions are going to have to stand up and take notice."

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