Not Valdez Next – Carl Frampton lays out career road map

August the 18th remains somewhat a mystery in terms of opponent but Carl Frampton [25(14)-1(0)] is crystal clear on what he wants post his Windsor Park fight.

An opponent has yet to be confirmed for a fight at ‘The Jackal’s’ dream venue – although Joseph Diaz has been linked today – but it has become clear the Belfast fighter won’t be challenging for a world title.

Regardless, the two-weight world champ is confident he will challenge for one of the four straps before the year is out before attempting to unify titles for the second time in his career in 2019 – indeed he has a specific champion eyed up.

While WBO champ Óscar Valdez has stated he intends to fight Frampton this Winter, the 31-year-old himself has laid out a road map that sees him challenge Leeds ticket seller Josh Warrington for his IBF world title before the year is out.

Once that fight is done and presuming the Tiger’s Bay fighter comes out on top Frampton will then chase down two of three big American based champions.

Despite being WBO interim world title holder and next in line for champ Valdez, Frampton also wants what would be a massive rematch with WBA champion Leo Santa Cruz or a clash with former Patrick Hyland Jr foe Gary Russell Jr, who holds the WBC green belt.

“I think that fight will happen at some point but to be honest I would have loved it to be my next fight in August, but you cannot really blame Josh for not wanting to take the fight – because he has just won a title and he will want a break,”  Frampton explained to the Belfast Newsletter when discussing newly crowned IBF king Warrington before looking further into the future.

“I think it will happen but it will be more near the end of the year. “I win that fight and then I go into a massive unification fight against Santa Cruz, Valdez, or Russell Jnr.”