Headline NewsNews

Pay it forward – Carl Frampton reveals plans to give back to ‘my people’

Carl Frampton has his sights set on ‘giving back’ now that he doesn’t have to consider how to best give trouble to a next opponent.

‘The Jackal’ officially called it day post his stoppage defeat to Jamel Herring in Dubai earlier this month and is considering his options moving forward and outside professional fighting.

At present, the former two-weight world champion is happy to take residence beside the dishwasher and be there for his wife Christine and young family.

However, while he wants to give time to those closest to him Frampton also wants to give back to those he feels helped make him.

The very recently retired fighter has always been vocal with regard to how the support he had played a massive part in his career and helped him be successful.

He represented Belfast with huge pride and the people of the city took him to their hearst and supported him accordingly. Now Frampton has a desire to give back in a pay it forward kind of way and is looking to helping those who helped him throughout his career.

In a wide-ranging interview with Chris Lloyd on Inside Fighting, Frampton said: “I’m very proud of the fan base and support I have had. I want to give back, me and Christine, to the people, particularly from Northern Ireland,” he said.

“We have seen a lot of violence and trouble on the street at the minute, especially in working-class loyalist areas.

“I don’t really know what shape or form it’s going to be. Some sort of a foundation probably.

“I want to do something to help my people and the people that I owe so much to.

Christine wants to be involved in that as well. She put her career on hold, she has done a degree in criminal justice. She likes to help people and she can be a real force in whatever we want to do together. I think we will have opportunities.”

In the more immediate future, the fighter who camped away from home in England for the majority of his career is going to make life about his family.

“Christine wanted me out (of boxing), probably before the Josh Warrington fight to be honest,” Frampton revealed.

“She’s happy that I’m retired. She’s already a bit concerned about how much I’m going to be around the house.

“I’m sometimes not the easiest person to live with. Her standards are very high in terms of cleanliness.

“I’ve been hanging around the dishwasher flat out, emptying it, putting stuff in, doing a bit of cooking. Trying my best, you know.”

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

x