BRAVE FRAMPTON BEATS HANDICAP
CARL FRAMPTON fought through the pain of two injured hands to keep alive his dream of becoming a three-weight world champion.
The Belfast fighter comfortably outpointed American Tyler McCreary in Las Vegas (above) at the weekend.
And in doing so set up a showdown with WBO super-featherweight champion Jamel Herring next year. But Frampton, 32, may have to wait for his hands to heal. The Northern Irishman fractured his left hand in a bizarre accident in August when a concrete ornament fell on him and had problems with it again in the build-up and early rounds against McCreary.
He also damaged his right hand in his first fight since losing to IBF featherweight champion Josh Warrington last year.
“I hurt my left again in the first or second round and I hurt my right hand in the eighth,” said Frampton. “I feel with two good hands I’d have got the stoppage.”
Smith knows what it takes to win in Saudi, after defeating George Groves in Jeddah last year (circle, above), to win the World Boxing Super Series final and the WBA Super supermiddleweight title.
He believes fighting in Diriyah could suit 30-year-old Joshua better, as he attempts to win back his world heavyweight titles, because he has had to deal with a much smaller time difference.
The UK is only three hours behind Diriyah, while Ruiz’s body clock has been turned upside down since he arrived last week because his home in California is 11 hours behind.
“Ruiz has got a massive time difference to overcome,” said the super-middleweight king. “I think it’s almost the biggest difference you can have between two places.
“That should benefit Joshua more and Ruiz has had more adjusting to do since he arrived out there in terms of acclimatising.
“I did find it completely different, but Joshua must forget about everything that is different and his whole mindset has got to be based on him thinking, ‘I’ve got to get my belts back’.
“If he wants the Fury fight, the Wilder fight, he needs those belts back. That has to be his motivation to be world champion again.”
Smith feels Ruiz will be dangerous in the rematch because he will be full of confidence, having smashed Joshua’s aura of invincibility in seven rounds in Madison Square Garden in June.
But he is tipping Joshua and feels he can reclaim his WBA Super, IBF and WBO crowns, if he produces a disciplined display like he did in beating Joseph Parker.
“I can see it going both ways,” Smith said. “I can see Joshua going in and getting rid of him and everyone saying that’s what should have happened in the first fight.
“Too much was made after the first fight of Joshua underperforming rather than Ruiz fighting a good fight. He boxed really well.
“There’s no reason why he can’t do that or be even better. Last time, he probably believed he could win; this time, he knows he can and that’s dangerous.
“I can see both outcomes. I can see Joshua fighting like he did against Parker, where it’s a bit boring, but he keeps it safe and wins.
“I’m going with Joshua getting his belts back.”