Frampton ‘back to old self’ and up for Jackson

Carl Frampton is preparing for this month’s Windsor Park fight against Luke Jackson feeling “reinvigorated”, and insists his last performance was better than all but one in his career so far.

Having outpointed Filipino Nonito Donaire at Belfast’s SSE Arena in April, earning the WBO interim featherweight title, Frampton will be back in his native city taking on Australia’s Jackson on 18 August. It will be the third contest for Frampton since he started working with his trainer Jamie Moore.

Frampton appointed Moore and linked up with promoter Frank Warren last year after splitting with trainer Shane Mcguigan and manager Barry Mcguigan.

The 31-year-old (25-1, 14 KOS), whose sole professional defeat came in his final fight before those changes, a rematch against Mexico’s Leo Santa Cruz, said: “I feel like I am reinvigorated, like I am back to my old self. A few years ago I was kind of falling out of love with boxing, a bit fed up with it, and counting down the days to retirement.

“But I’ve got it back. I’ve got it between my teeth now and I’m loving it. I wake up in the morning and I want to go to the gym, I look forward to it. I haven’t felt like that in four or five years. I still have a lot to give.

“And Jamie – of course he has (helped that happen). He is technically and tactically very good. He studies the opponent and comes up with a gameplan that’s worked out every time so far. He is a fantastic coach.”

Frampton, who has won world titles in two weight divisions, added: “The Santa Cruz one fight [when he won the WBA featherweight title in 2016] was probably my best performance, but after that I think Donaire was probably the second best performance.

“It was disciplined. He was a puncher. I felt much stronger than him, but he could punch. I needed to be cautious from start to finish, and I think my discipline was key. If you want to rank my performances, I think that’s number two.”