Frank Warren reveals preferred venue for Josh Warrington v Carl Frampton

It won’t happen in August but Carl Frampton and Josh Warrington could fight before 2018 is done and promoter Frank Warren already has a venue in mind.

A clash between the Belfast and Leeds fan favourites has become an inevitably since Warrington claimed the IBF featherweight World title with victory over Lee Selby earlier this month.

A massive August 18th stadium meeting in Belfast’s Windsor Park was instantly ruled out and it seemed as the pair’s promoter Warren was going to take into account the fact he has two of boxing’s biggest ticket sellers on his hands and attempt to build a bumper stadium show next summer.

However, not long after he talked up a possible trilogy, he has reiterated the two could fight as early as December and is eyeing up the 21,000-seater Manchester Arena.

Writing in his weekly column for the Daily Star, Warren outlined how “Frampton will be in action in August and we are working on an opponent now for that night. Then Leeds man Warrington will defend his newly-acquired IBF title in September, most likely in his home city.”

“That should mean that both men are ready for a clash before 2018 is out.”

The veteran promoter, who has claimed Frampton’s Windsor opponent would be confirmed this week, seems to be eyeing up a Christmas clash in the Manchester Arena – the same venue where Frampton defeated Scott Quigg in a massive pay-per-view clash back in February of 2016.

“Manchester Arena would probably the best venue for the world title fight as it would be neutral territory. But we know both sets of fans would travel in huge numbers to make it a fantastic atmosphere,” he added before waxing lyrical about both fighters fanbases.

“It’s not often you get two fighters with massive fan bases meeting but these guys are a credit not only to the sport, but also their home cities.”