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Frampton confirms 2019 world title shot has been assured

Carl Frampton is confident he will be celebrating Christmas as a world champion.

‘The Jackal’ expected to unwrap the IBF featherweight crown last Christmas morning, but didn’t get his wish as he was defeated by Josh Warrington as late as December 21.

Indeed, the defeat nearly pushed one of Ireland’s greatest ever fighters into retirement.

However, come December 2019 the Belfast favourite is confident he will once again be reigning supreme as a world champion.

“Last Christmas didn’t exactly turn out the way I wanted after losing to Josh Warrington but this year I intend to have a World title belt sitting under the tree,” he said in his Sunday Life column.

New fight boss Bob Arum revealed whilst in Belfast last week to launch Mick Conlan’s Feile fight with Vladimir Nikitin that the Jamie Moore trained fighter would return in August.

Frampton has taken the fight news even further and revealed if he navigates his comeback he will be  on course to challenge for the WBO world title before the year is out.

“I’m lined up to fight on August 10 or 24 in Boston and from speaking to my team a shot at the WBO World featherweight title looks on before the end of the year.”

Frampton Moore

Fellow Top Rank fighter Oscar Valdez is the reigning champion and a fighter Frampton has been linked to for sometime now.

If Valdez successfully defends his strap as expected against Jason Sanchez on June 8 a bout with Frampton would be easy to make. In fact it’s all but been assured by Bob Arum.

However, there is talk the Mexican may move up in weight, but the former two weight world champion reveals that won’t deny him his shot.

“Oscar Valdez is set to defend his WBO title on June 8 against Jason Sanchez and I am right in line to face the winner according to my promoter Bob Arum. However, it has been strongly rumoured that Valdez is going to move up to super-featherweight after this one and if he does then I could easily fight for the vacant WBO belt,” he adds before revealing he will top the bill on an East Coast August return.

“From the dismay of losing that big fight with IBF World featherweight champion Warrington, I now find myself in the position of topping the bill again in the States against a good opponent and then fighting for a World title.”

dpg

 

Jonny Stapleton

Irish-boxing.com contributor for 15 years and editor for the past decade. Have been covering boxing for over 16 years and writing about sports for a living for over 20 years. Former Assistant Sports editor for the Gazette News Paper Group and former Tallaght Voice Sports Editor. Have had work published in publications around the world when working as a freelance journalist. Also co-founder of Junior Sports Media and Leinster Rugby PRO of the Year winner. email: editoririshboxing@gmail.com

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