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No Final Eliminator – Tevin Farmer calls for Jono Carroll World Title fight NEXT


Tevin Farmer [27(6)-4(2)-1] defeated Belfast’s James Tennyson on Saturday night in Boston and the IBF super featherweight champion is keen to make successive defences against Irish opposition.

Dubliner Jono Carroll [16(3)-0] is due to face Frenchman Guillaume Frenois in a final eliminator this December but Farmer has offered him an opportunity to skip the queue.

It had been assumed that Farmer, who is due to make a mandatory defence next, would take on the Frenois-Carroll winner in the new year. However, the Philly southpaw is keen to keep busy and take on Carroll before the end of 2018.

‘The American Idol’ took to social media tonight to outline his plans.

While Farmer’s plan is an attractive one for Carroll and Irish fight fans, the Lou DiBella and Eddie Hearn-promoted fighter is not in full control of the situation.

For Carroll to go straight into a Farmer fight he would require Frenois [46(12)-1(0)], who is ranked one spot ahead of him in the IBF ladder, to step aside – perhaps in return for money and/or a guaranteed voluntary shot at the winner.

‘King Kong’s’ clash with the former French, EU, and European champion is due to take place on a Matchroom bill in December – with Liverpool on the 8th, New York on the 15th, and London on the 22nd being the three possibilities.

28-year-old American Farmer is keen on the December 15th date at Madison Square Garden which is the first DAZN ‘blockbuster’ show and is headlined by Rocky Fielding v Canelo Alvarez and looks set to also feature IBF-WBA lightweight champ Katie Taylor.

Carroll had shared plenty of online back-and-forths with the new champion following his title win over Billy Dib back in August.

The Finglas-born, Dunshaughlin-raised, Marbella-based boxer looked to be in the frame for a voluntary shot before Poleglass puncher Tennyson was chosen in something of a surprising move. Carroll subsequently linked back up with Matchroom and secured the Frenois title eliminator.

The 26-year-old, as expected, responded with relish to Farmer and the pair have been exchanging pointed messages.

The outspoken Farmer was in fine form at the weekend, halting the brave challenge of Tennyson [22(18)-3(3)] with body shots in the fifth round of their title clash at the TD Garden in Boston.

Afterwards he would call for a unification, which would supersede his mandatory duties, versus WBA champ Gervonta Davis but this bout does not look like one which will happen next and, going by tonight, Farmer seems to have turned his attentions to Carroll.

The Irishman is on a hot streak following successive relentless stoppage wins over Humberto De Santiago and Deco Geraghty, live on BT Sport, which saw him earn and consolidate a high ranking with the IBF.

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Joe O'Neill

Reporting on Irish boxing the past five years. Work has appeared on irish-boxing.com, Boxing News, the42.ie, and local and national media. Provide live ringside updates, occasional interviews, and special features on the future of Irish boxing. email: joneill6@tcd.ie

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