Frampton to realise his dream

CARL Frampton will experience a life-long dream when he fights Australian Luke Jackson at Belfast’s Windsor Park stadium on Saturday, August 18.

Frampton, the former two weight world champion, insists fighting at the home of Northern Ireland football is ‘going to mean the world’ to him.

Defending his WBO interim featherweight title, it will be his first time fighting in the east Belfast stadium and he expects local fans to get right behind him.

‘I’ve been thinking about it for the last few years now. I feel like I’ve outgrown the SSE Arena, I have passionate fans and I can’t wait,’ he said.

‘I’m a big fan of the Northern Ireland football team, I go and support them, and the atmosphere created at Windsor Park is amazing, one of the best atmospheres in sport.

‘I’m looking forward to topping the bill there and putting in a good performance.’

It will be a 24,000 sell-out at Windsor with Frampton, who beat Nonito Donaire in his last fight at the SSE Arena in Belfast in April, taking on a fighter who has won all of his 16 fights since turning professional in 2013.

‘He [Jackson] sees that he’s the complete underdog and there’s no pressure on him — people are writing him off,’ Frampton added.

‘That can help fighters — when they have no expectation on their shoulders — they can go and perform out of their skin. But I’m the better fighter and I feel fit and sharp, I’m where I need to be at this point. I’m kind of holding it back a wee bit as I don’t want to peak too soon.

‘If he performs to his best and I perform to my best, I’m knocking him out, simple as that,’ said Frampton. I’m due a knockout — I haven’t knocked anyone out in quite a while.’

‘I believe I’m one of the best supported fighters on the planet and that’s down to the passionate Northern Ireland sports fans.

‘Obviously with the bill including the likes of Tyson Fury and Paddy Barnes and Steven Ward and Lewis Crocker there’s a lot of quality on the bill and we’ve all combined to help sell it out,’ added Frampton.

Meanwhile Fury has stressed his confidence that he will face — and beat — Deontay Wilder after next month’s clash with Francesco Pianeta.

Fury, who takes on Italian Pianeta in the second fight of his comeback, said on social media on Monday that he was in talks with WBC heavyweight champion Wilder, adding: ‘Negotiations are very strong for December, we’re almost done for this deal.’

He also suggested the Wilder contest would take place in either New York or Las Vegas.

‘I have just got to beat Pianeta first, and then I’ll fight Wilder next.’

Fury was then asked about being ready to defeat Wilder if he did face him in December, and the 29-year-old said: ‘I was born ready in 1988.’