Warrington: I will get the credit I deserve after beating Frampton
WHEN Josh Warrington defeated Lee Selby to become world champion at Elland Road in May there was no doubting how special a moment it was for the Leeds hero but in the days following he has had a sense that something has been missing.
As he prepares to defend his IBF World featherweight title against Carl Frampton, Warrington believes that December 22 at the Manchester Arena will be the moment he grabs his due respect.
Frampton has been announced as the favourite with the odds makers and at yesterday’s press conference in Belfast the Jackal embraced his status with typical ease.
“The bookies got it wrong when Josh beat Selby but I’ve never seen a skint bookie so I think they’ve got it right — I believe I’ll be giving my fans a nice Christmas present,” said Frampton.
Both fighters have given a nod to each other’s abilities and now Warrington says he will be craving a performance to remember.
“After I beat Carl I believe I’ll get the credit I deserve. I don’t think I got the credit I was due for beating Lee Selby even though most people thought he was going to beat me,” said Warrington. “I have been keeping an eye on Carl the last couple of years firstly as a fan and then when he moved up to featherweight as a potential opponent.
“Carl says he is in the best shape of his life, I believe I’m in my peak years so to take his scalp after beating Selby, that would add up to a great year.”
On more than one occasion, Warrington emphasised the tim-
ing was right for him to face Frampton, clearly feeling the Belfast man is not quite the boxer he once was, two years on from that loss to Leo Santa Cruz.
“I never say that he is done. I’m preparing for the very, very best Carl. I worked very hard to win this title and I don’t intend to give it up any time soon.
Carl is a former Ring Fighter of the Year so I respect him and I’m so excited,” added Warrington. “We don’t need to turn over tables and talk nonsense, I have respect for all my opponents
apart from Lee because that got persona.
“Timing is important in boxing. I had other options for my first defence and I could have had what would have been considered an ‘easy’ defence but when I thought about it I felt the time is right for me to face Carl.
“I want to go on and unify the world titles and I believe I’m young enough to do that. I have watched Carl and I see things I can exploit to beat him. We will come up with three or four game plans and I will adapt. When the
first bell goes respect goes out of the window and we will punch each other’s head in.”
Frampton dismisses any suggestion that his fire has been diminished by having achieved so much already in his career.
The Jackal will enter the ring seeking to become a two-time featherweight champion having been unbeaten at super-bantamweight.
Frampton said: “People think my hunger is gone because I’ve had big nights in Vegas and New York but the hunger is there
more than ever. I want to prove the doubters wrong, I want to stick two fingers up to those who wrote me off and said I was finished after the Santa Cruz fight.
“This fight has all the ingredients to be really exciting for the fans and we don’t need any trash talk or to hate each other.
“It’s not about hating the other guy, it’s just about the sport, it’s that natural desire to be better than the other guy.
“I have mates that if I was sparring I’d knock out and feel good about it.”