Carl Frampton outlines “final chapter” following big money Top Rank deal

Carl Frampton [26(15)-2(0)] has seen his bank balance get a boost and he now aims to bolster his collection of belts.

As had been mooted, the Belfast featherweight’s co-promotional deal with Top Rank was confirmed over the weekend and Frampton is now set for an ‘American adventure’.

While fights with WBC champ Gary Russell Jr and two-time opponent and WBA titlist Leo Santa Cruz now become near-impossible, Frampton moves closer to a challenger of WBO champion and new stablemate Oscar Valdez.

Having elected to keep going following his upset loss to IBF titleholder Josh Warrington in December, Frampton is determined to win a fourth world title belt and believes a challenge of Valdez – which had previously been in the early stages of negotion – is a “real possibility”.

‘The Jackal’ has said that he doesn’t want a long rebuild to world title level – citing the four-camp, three-fight journey he took after losing to Santa Cruz in early 2017 – and the 32-year-old retains this mantra.

Outlining his plans, Frampton said “my goal at this stage of my career is still to become world champion and I feel with MTK Global and Bob Arum’s Top Rank in my corner, I’ll reach that goal.”

“[The deal] gives me a big opportunity to get back. I believe I can win a world title. There’s more of a chance of that happening now than there was six weeks ago.”

“Potentially, I’ll face a good fighter and then potentially Oscar Valdez after that. That’s an option and if I’m asked to fight Valdez straight away, I’d be happy to do that too.”

While no financial figures have been discussed, Frampton has likened the “amazing” deal to one that would be given to a fighter coming off a big world title win.

“I think it’s insane coming off a loss,” noted Frampton. “At one point a few months ago, I was genuinely thinking about retiring.”

“It’s been in discussion for a number of weeks and we’ve done well to keep it quiet. There was a little bit of talk about it online but I’ve kept it very quiet.