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Frampton reveals ‘turning point’ and says he trusted McGuigan like a father

Carl Frampton trusted Barry McGuigan like a father and signed contract’s blind as a result The High Court in Belfast heard yesterday.

The second day of a multi-million pound legal action taken by Frampton against McGuigan saw Frampton take to the stand.

Frampton is suing his former manager and a company run by his family, Cyclone Promotions, for alleged failure to unpaid earnings alleged in a previous court hearing to be in excess of ÂŁ4 million.

Giving evidence, Frampton revealed he signed numerous documents and contracts presented to him by McGuigan and his family without reading them.

Asked why he signed a 2015 contract, which was previously compared to as a ‘slave contract’ by Frampton’s lawyers, he said he didn’t read, he replied: “Because I trusted them and they asked me to sign it.

“If my dad asked me to sign something I will sign it because I trust him, and that was the exact same view I had towards the McGuigans.”

The former two weight world champion also told the court he was never paid as a director of Cyclone Promotions despite the fact he was promised a 30 percent cut when leaving Matchroom to go it alone with the McGuigan run promotional outfit. He claims he was told the company didn’t make profits when he brought up the issue with Jake and Blane McGuigan.

When it was put to him that he should have sought answers from the man who was also his manager, Mr Frampton replied: “It was always difficult to speak to Barry about money issues.”

“A lot of times I got the impression he (Mr McGuigan) didn’t really know what was going on,” the boxer added.

Frampton also told the court he felt money was stolen from him by Barry McGuigan.

Lawyers for Barry McGuigan have said all the allegations are categorically denied and Frampton is being sued in separate legal action by Barry McGuigan for alleged breach of contract.

Counsel for McGuigan, Liam McCollum QC, challenged Frampton. He put it to the Belfast boxer that the man he was accusing of stealing money from him had only taken 20% commission on his earnings when he was legally entitled to take 25%.

“So the man you are accusing of stealing from you didn’t take money he was legitimately entitled to,” he said.

The lawyer queried Frampton’s case claiming he was accusing a man who took less that he was entitled to of stealing from him.

He also disputed claims by Mr Frampton that he had not been given accurate details of the financial arrangements for his fights.

Speaking earlier in proceedings Frampton revealed he had decided that his fight with AndrĂ©s GutiĂ©rrez – a bout ultimately called off when the Mexican slipped and injured himself in the shower – was to be he last with the McGuigans.

The HMRC arriving at his house looking for a six figure unpaid VAT bill, forced Frampton to resign form Cyclone Promotions as a Director and decide to part ways with McGuigan and co.

“She [Christine] was very angry on the phone. She was at home alone with our children and someone from the HMRC [HM Revenue & Customs] had come looking for £397,000 in unpaid VAT,” he said.

“At this stage, before the HMRC came to my house, I was still hopeful that we would resolve the issues,” he said.

“When that happened, that was the turning point for me, and I knew that I was going to have to fight Gutiérrez, and I wasn’t going to fight for the McGuigans again.”

Barry McGuigan’s legal team will continue to cross-examine Carl Frampton tomorrow.

Both men deny any wrongdoing.

Jonny Stapleton

Irish-boxing.com contributor for 15 years and editor for the past decade. Have been covering boxing for over 16 years and writing about sports for a living for over 20 years. Former Assistant Sports editor for the Gazette News Paper Group and former Tallaght Voice Sports Editor. Have had work published in publications around the world when working as a freelance journalist. Also co-founder of Junior Sports Media and Leinster Rugby PRO of the Year winner. email: editoririshboxing@gmail.com

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