Carl Frampton promises to repay the ‘Best Fans in the World’ at Windsor Park

You can call it a dream fight date but Carl Frampton [25(14)-1(0)] admits he never envisioned being ‘big’ enough to headline at Windsor Park.

‘The Jackal’ fights at the home of his beloved Northern Ireland football team on Saturday August 18th and the BT Sport-broadcast night is said to be close to selling out.

It is believed that 18,000 tickets were snapped up in the first week of sale and around 25,000 are expected to cram into the Belfast stadium in less than three weeks time.

These reported numbers are made all the more impressive by the lack of a recognised title on the line and the absence of a well-known opponent.

Frampton defends his WBO interim belt versus unheralded Aussie Luke Jackson [16(7)-0] and has vowed to repay his fans for their support.

Without a knockout in three and a half years, the Tigers Bay star is keen to make his big night an early one.

Frampton said that “I would have never imagined that I would be a big enough ticket seller to be able to fill an arena like Windsor Park or a football stadium.”

“I want to go out and put on a show and repay my loyal fans for supporting me for so long.”

“I think my fans are the best in the world though and they will prove that next month at Windsor Park.”

Frampton, who has had a few back-and-forths with Jackson over social media recently, is confident that will beat the Tasmanian and knows what is on the line for both.

The 31-year-old outlined how “if he [Jackson] beats me, it changes his life forever and he becomes a big name in world boxing so it’s up to me not to allow that to happen.”

“I believe I’m a level above him, if I go into the fight 100 per cent, I will beat him even if I go into the fight at 90 per cent I think I will beat him.’

It’s a big night for Frampton personally but, in the overall scheme of his career and his achievements, it is not a ‘major’ fight.

The two-weight world champion is keen on reclaiming a featherweight title and has his eye on both promotional stadium and IBF champ Josh Warrington and old rival and WBA titlist Leo Santa Cruz.

Frampton outlined how “the plan is to beat Jackson convincingly and set up a fight with Josh Warrington later this year. Josh is coming off the back of a great win at Elland Road against Lee Selby and has a huge support from Leeds.

“A fight between me and Josh will certainly be a fantastic matchup and a great atmosphere.”

“Obviously not looking past my fight against Jackson but the end goal is to recapture what is rightfully mine and take my belt back from Santa Cruz in the trilogy between us. That is the ultimate goal.”