Carl Frampton eyeing 2017 weight change

Carl Frampton [23(14)-0] plans to cement his legacy as Ireland’s greatest ever fighter in 2017 by winning world honours at an unprecedented third weight class.

‘The Jackal’ intends to move up to super featherweight (130lbs) before the year is out and wants to add to the 122 and 126lbs titles he has already claimed.

Frampton has long spoke of his desire to become a three-weight world champion, however it was always assumed that a move up to super feather was some way in the distance – potentially even his final fight. This may not be the case, with Frampton seemingly planning just two more fights at his new weight of 126lbs before moving north again.

The Belfast man, who turns 30 in February, outlined in his column for the Sunday Life that he wants to defend his WBA featherweight belt against Leo Santa Cruz this month, unify with IBF champ Lee Selby at Windsor Park during the summer, then make his way up to super featherweight before Christmas.

The Tiger’s Bay fighter described how “assuming I can overcome Santa Cruz and Selby, then it would be an incredible way to finish the year by moving up to fight for a third world title at super featherweight. If 2017 pans out like this then it would be the dream 12 months.”

The current super featherweight champions are
WBC: Francisco Vargas
WBA: Jezreel Corrales
IBF: Jose Pedraza
WBO: Vasyl Lomachenko

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Joe O’Neill and Gavan Casey look ahead to 2017 in episode 1 of The Irish Boxing Show