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Jamel Herring suggests Carl Frampton may not be next

It’s definitely going to happen, but possibly not next suggests Jamel Herring [21(10)-2(1)].

The WBO super featherweight champion of the world has been strongly linked to Carl Frampton [27(15)-2(0)] since August of last year.

The Top Rank duo had agreed verbally to trade leather and the champion was willing to come to Belfast.

A May fight at the SSE was initially muted before Windsor and June 13 looked certainties to host what would be an historic fight.

The current pandemic and lockdown put paid to any summer fight plans, but the pair have still been positive when discussing the proposed world title fight.

In fact it’s possibly the one of the most discussed clash during this period of no sport.

Both have suggested it will go ahead once boxing resumes. Madison Square Garden has been mentioned as a possible venue and there has been behind closed doors suggestions.

However, it seems Herring is leaning toward having a warm up clash in first.

“I’m thinking I’m going to have to take a tune-up bout, or something in-between,”he told Steve Kim ESPN.

Top Rank and Bob Arum have discussed behind closed doors cards in America. It’s clear flying in fighters from abroad for those cards may be hard, so it could be Herring is eyeing up a clash in a studio before putting his title on the line against the Belfast fighter.

Still the 130lbs champion makes it clear, that he will fight ‘The Jackal’, “sooner rather than later. That’s definitely the fight I want. That’s definitely the fight people want to see.”

Speaking in his Sunday Life column Frampton said it would be a shame if such a fight was forced in behind closed doors.

“There has been some talk that big fights could happen behind closed doors but I would really, really hope that it doesn’t come to that in the case of my clash with Herring. It would be such a shame if fans could not be there to create what would be an amazing atmosphere and I know that Bob Arum’s Top Rank company, who promote my fights, feel the same way.”

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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