CARL CATCHES LATE TRAYN
CARL FRAMPTON’S new opponent for his tune-up fight on Saturday ahead of his tilt at becoming Ireland’s first three-weight world champion is Scotland’s Darren Traynor.
The 33-year-old has stepped in at late notice to replace Frampton’s original foe Vahram Vardanyan as the Armenian had to pull out because of visa issues.
Frampton, also 33, will face Traynor over 10 rounds at the BT Sport Studios in East London in only his second outing since
December 2018 before facing WBO super-featherweight champ Jamel Herring.
His original June date with Herring in his native Belfast was cancelled because of the coronavirus and he will make Irish history if he dethrones the American.
The Jackal, who was previously world champion at super-bantamweight and featherweight, intends to send out a statement to Herring by impressing against Traynor and said: “It’s up to me to look good. I want to be taking this guy out and then moving on to think about Jamel Herring.
“I can’t be complacent in the slightest.
“I know I’m the big favourite in the fight and I want to win and I want to look good, I want to win by a knockout.”
Frampton’s American promoter and Top Rank chief Bob Arum claims he hopes to rearrange the Herring fight for later this year when fans are allowed back at shows.
“His goal is to become
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Ireland’s first three-weight world champion and after he’s victorious on Saturday we will do everything we can to give him that opportunity,” said Arum.