Carl Frampton ‘Hugely Impressed’ With Hearn’s Defence of Boxing

It’s not often you’ll hear Carl Frampton praise Eddie Hearn but so impressed was the former world champion with the promoter over a week ago that he did just that.

‘The Jackal’ was an interested spectator as the Matchroom boss defended the sport of boxing in a Good Morning Britain debate with Peter McCabe, the Chief Executive of brain injury charity Headway.

Hearn clashed with the campaigner and passionately stood for a sport he claims changes lives for the better.

The promoter’s handling of the situation and ability to defend the sport ‘hugely impressed’ the former two-weight world champion.

“I was hugely impressed by how Eddie Hearn handled himself on Good Morning Britain last week when he was debating the merits of boxing with Peter McCabe, the Chief Executive of brain injury charity Headway,” Frampton explained in his popular Sunday Life Column.

“I thought McCabe came across as pretty ignorant regarding the sport and it made me laugh when he asked how many neuroscientist’s sons are boxers.

“That is quite obnoxious as amateur boxing clubs for the most part are in areas of deprivation, working-class areas where kids don’t have much to do.

“We all know that boxing isn’t the safest sport in the world, but neither is football, rugby, American football, ice hockey or any of the martial arts. Do we just go around playing non-contact sports from now on?

“When Eddie was speaking, it was clear that guy had never been inside an amateur boxing club or had seen the good work they do.”

Frampton has become a big promoter of ‘Damage’ Tris Dixon’s book on drain trauma in boxing of late – and isn’t ignorant to the fact some things have to change within the sport. However, argues the positives outweigh the negatives when it comes to the impact of boxing.

“I have posted on my social media about a book I’ve read on brain injuries. It is a huge issue and things need to be addressed on the matter, but there are issues in other sports that are being fixed. My argument is that boxing hasn’t started to address it yet and it needs to.

“Boxing does a lot more good than bad, especially at amateur level, as it gives kids a bit of direction, discipline and respect.

“I hope people see me as not a bad lad and I have to say that I got most of my morals and went a long way to becoming the person I am through boxing and my old coach and mentor Billy McKee.

“There are so many coaches throughout the country like my late, great coach Billy who are not only boxing coaches but mentors and almost like counsellors without a bit of paper as there are so many people from different walks of life they have to deal with, and I thought Eddie made that point very powerfully.”