Carl Frampton versus Jamel Herring TV update
ESPN+ have secured the American TV rights to Carl Frampton’s eagerly anticipated challenge to WBO super featherweight world champion Jamel Herring.
‘Semper Fi’ puts his title on the line against the Belfast favourite on the rearranged date of April 3 at Caesars Bluewaters Dubai.
The bout won’t, as initially hoped, appear on the network ESPN, rather will be streamed via their app ESPN+.
It suggests the fight won’t be viewed by as many eyeballs and thus won’t have the wider American reach.
In more positive news Tyrone McKenna has been confirmed as co-feature meaning his clash with undefeated Kazakh star Zhankosh Turarov will be part of the two-fight broadcast.
It’s yet to be confirmed who will broadcast the fight in the UK and Ireland. Frank Warren’s association to BT Sports, who were to broadcast the world title fight when it was set for London and February 27, would suggest they are the front runners.
However, it hasn’t been uncommon for IFL TV to air fights alongside ESPN+.
“This is a fight that’s been in the works for a very long time, and I expect both Jamel and Carl to be at their best,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “It’s an even matchup, and I am pleased that fans in the United States can watch it live on ESPN+.”
Herring has made two defenses of the title he won from Masayuki Ito in May 2019, most recently defeating Puerto Rican challenger Jonathan Oquendo via disqualification last September at the MGM Grand Las Vegas Bubble.
He was originally scheduled to face Frampton last summer in Belfast, but COVID-19 intervened. Frampton , who won world titles at super bantamweight and featherweight, hopes to make history by becoming Ireland’s first three-division world champion.
He has won two straight bouts since losing a unanimous decision to Josh Warrington in December 2018 for the IBF featherweight world title. In his lone ring appearance of 2020, Frampton knocked out late replacement foe Darren Traynor in the seventh round.
