Frampton vs Warrington

[Fenster]

I picked Selby to beat Warrington easy too but - even ignoring the fact he's coming back at lightweight - he could never crack an egg (barring one freaky sparko of Stephen Smith) and Frampton has always been up a level, imo.

Warrington was going life and death with old Kiko two fights ago. Maybe he's one of those fighters I always underrate because i've seen all his early career (I never picked Froch to win a fight until right at the end) but Frampton will punch holes in him, even if a little past it.

[Master]

Warrington v Frampton: PPV clash with Whyte v Chisora means fans lose out

IBF world featherweight champion Josh Warrington says "fans are the real loser" over a pay-per-view clash when he meets Carl Frampton on 22 December.

On the same night as Warrington, 28, defends his title at Manchester Arena, Dillian Whyte meets Dereck Chisora in a heavyweight bout at London's O2 Arena.

Fans will need to pay for two pay-per-view events if they wish to see both.

"There will be fans who have to make a choice. It's unfair really. No boxing fan is a winner," said Warrington.

"I think boxing fans are the real loser in this one."

Northern Ireland's Frampton, 31, will bid to recapture a world title and told BBC Sport: "It's not a good thing for boxing to have two pay-per-view fights on and fans will have to fork out for both, one or none.

"It's close to Christmas too. It's not good for boxing at all."



Warrington-Frampton will be shown on BT Sport Box Office and promoted by Frank Warren. Whyte-Chisora - contesting a rematch after their thrilling 2016 bout - will be on Sky Box Office and promoted by Eddie Hearn's Matchroom Sport.

Warren confirmed his world-title bout in September, while Hearn announced his main event on 1 November.

Hearn says the clash is "not ideal" but has stated a lack of suitable venues led to him opting for the date three days before Christmas. He feels each fight serves a different market, with Warrington-Frampton more appealing to hardcore boxing fans, while Whyte-Chisora will satisfy a broader market.

Warrington insists more should have been done to avoid a clash but believes his own contest will be a "fight of the year candidate" and sits on a "bigger bill".

"We have seen those other two fight before," he told BBC Sport. "We are fighting for a higher prize, a higher stake. This is two lads in their prime, whereas Whyte and Chisora have seen better days. They've both had losses.

"They have probably past their prime where as us two are both in our prime, dazzling. It's a world title, let's be right about it. And we both have passionate fans who follow us everywhere we go."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/boxing/46207627

[Manos de Piedra]

Tommy Fury, Tyson Fury's younger brother, is making his pro debut on the undercard.

[Master]

Liam Williams: Welsh boxer to challenge Mark Heffron at middleweight



Welsh boxer Liam Williams will move to middleweight to try and win the British title against unbeaten Mark Heffron.

The pair will fight on the undercard of the Carl Frampton v Josh Warrington bill in Manchester on 22 December.

Both fighters have seen their scheduled opponents pull out, with Jason Welborn vacating his British title and JJ Metcalf out of a light middleweight fight with Williams due to injury.

Williams previously fought and beat Heffron's brother Ronnie in 2014.

"It is going to be some fight for me now on December 22 and it is one I am looking forward to as well," Mark Heffron said.

"It is definitely a bigger fight than I had lined up before and it is one that will move me onto massive titles afterwards. Credit to Williams for stepping up when nobody else wanted to and he is also coming up from light middleweight. Give him his due for that."

"One hundred per cent it is a bigger fight than I had lined up before - it is a cracking fight," Williams added.

"It gives me the chance to prove myself at the weight above as well and I should say that I am not being forced to move up because I can make light middle and will still make it."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/boxing/46215680

[Master]

Josh Warrington wants big Las Vegas fights after Carl Frampton showdown

Josh Warrington is eyeing unification bouts in Las Vegas but first intends to prove he belongs at the elite level by defeating Lee Selby and Carl Frampton in the same year.

Warrington surprised the vast majority when he bullied and harried betting favourite Selby en route to a split decision victory in his home city of Leeds in May.

The 28-year-old is once again the underdog ahead of the first defence of his IBF featherweight title against Northern Ireland’s Frampton in a blockbuster domestic showdown at the Manchester Arena on December 22.



Beating Selby and Frampton within months of each other would be an emphatic statement from Warrington, who told Press Association Sport: “I’m a world champion, I believe I’m the best, I want to prove I’m the best.

“I’m one fight away really from putting myself as a world name in boxing. Beating Carl puts me up there.

“I want to prove I didn’t just do it as a one-off fluke or it wasn’t just handed to me, I beat Lee Selby and now I’m doing Carl Frampton.

“It doesn’t happen like that normally and I want to be different. Normal fighters do have a big fight, like win a world title and then a steady defence, to get that notch under their belt, but naff that!”

Leeds fan Warrington achieved a lifelong ambition when he fought at Elland Road against Selby, but he is eager to branch out to the United States in an effort to add further world titles to his collection.

The prospect of taking his vast number of followers to Las Vegas for a showdown with either WBC titlist Gary Russell Jr, WBA beltholder Leo Santa Cruz or WBO champion Oscar Valdez is proving alluring.

It is Valdez, like Warrington a relentless pressure fighter, who seems to appeal most to the Yorkshireman.

He added: “If I had the choice to go back to Elland Road or Stateside, I’d probably choose Stateside because Elland Road was its own little chapter.



“Since beating Selby people have spoken about ‘are we going to Vegas’ or ‘are you going to take us to Vegas?’

“I want to – after big Carl – go on and fight Oscar Valdez. I believe when you get to this stage, you want the big fights when you’ve got momentum and confidence going with you.

“I’ve got in my head I want to go and unify the division. Those things motivate me and it’s what I’m in the sport for.

“This IBF belt is lovely but it needs a partner, it needs a companion on the mantelpiece.”

Warrington was speaking ahead of the release of a feature-length documentary chronicling his ups and downs over the past couple of years, culminating in his win over Selby.

Victory over the Welshman has catapulted Warrington to fame and an increased media profile, which has not gone unnoticed by his wife Natasha.

Warrington added: “The missus said to me five or six weeks after the fight had passed ‘when is this going to calm down?’ I said ‘Tash, as long as I have this belt it’s not going to, it’s just going to get busier’.”

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/jos...093727590.html

[Master]

Billy Joe Saunders begins comeback with fight against Zoltan Sera on Warrington vs Frampton undercard

Billy Joe Saunders will make his boxing return later this month, when he takes on the Hungarian journeyman Zoltan Sera on the Josh Warrington vs Carl Frampton undercard in Manchester.

Saunders has not fought since December 2017, when he stylishly outpointed David Lemieux in Canada to defend his WBO middleweight title.

He then twice withdrew from title fights with domestic rival Martin Murray, before a planned title defence against Demetrius Andrade was scrapped when Saunders tested positive for the banned substance oxilofrine in August. The 29-year-old relinquished his WBO before he could be stripped and was banned from fighting for the sanctioning body for six months.

The British Boxing Board of Control however took no action as the failed Voluntary Anti-Doping Test was out of competition. Saunders has maintained his innocence, blaming the failed test on a decongestant nasal spray.

He will return on the December 22 card at the Manchester Arena, in a tune-up fight against 33-year-old Sera, who has a professional record of 32-17-1.

The Hungarian has fought in the United Kingdom three times in a nomadic career – against Joe Selkirk, Liam Smith and Adam Etches – losing on each occasion.

Earlier in the week promoter Frank Warren had indicated that Saunders was close to a comeback was close although expressed doubt his man would ever get a chance to fight lineal middleweight king Canelo Alvarez.

Canelo won the WBA (Super), WBC and lineal titles when he controversially defeated Gennady Golovkin in a close rematch in September, but Warren believes the Mexican is ducking Saunders. Canelo fights Rocky Fielding in New York on Saturday night.

“I don’t think Canelo would ever fight him. I didn’t think (Canelo) wanted to fight him when (Saunders) was champion,” Warren told Fight Hub TV.

“They talked about it. We never got it over the line. I think especially when he beat Lemieux that night, I remember looking down the line at [Golden Boy executive] Eric Gomez, and I thought to myself, ‘You’ve just absolutely done yourself out of that Canelo fight, they won’t fight you after that performance.’

“It is styles. It is all about styles. You know what you’ve got with Golovkin. He’s a great fighter, Golovkin, no doubt about that, and he did do well, but Bill is a very difficult guy to beat. If he’s up for it and he’s 100 percent — he’s a bit like Tyson (Fury), he’s a very difficult guy to beat. I mean, you saw it. He took Lemieux to school.”



Billy Joe Saunders has not fought in 2018 (Rex)

The addition of Saunders to an already strong Warrington vs Frampton card comes as a significant boost to Warren, who is going head-to-head with his long-term rival Eddie Hearn on December 22. Heavyweights Dillian Whyte and Dereck Chisora will fight at The O2 at Matchroom’s final event of 2018.

Popular Irishman Michael Conlan and Paddy Barnes will both feature in Manchester, while Tommy Fury – the younger brother of lineal heavyweight champion, Tyson – is due to make his professional debut.

The promising Nathan Gorman will continue his rise up the heavyweight division with a fight against Alex Leapai, while Liam Williams challenges Mark Heffron for the British Middleweight title in the co-main event.

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/bil...123700157.html

[Ron Swanson]

Zoltan Sera FFS? What on earth is the point to that?

[Freedom]

Josh Warrington has had the best year of any British boxer.

[Alpha]

Haven't really said much on the fight. It was excellent and the respect by both guys before, during and after the bout was exceptional. Warrington came through as I thought he would. Frampton has slipped a little and that engine on Josh is crazy, especially for a lighter puncher. What great year Warrington has had. A clash with Valdez would be insane.

[Master]

It was an excellent fight and Warrington managed the fight better and by the time Frampton adjusted he was so far behind. Frampton has still a lot to give in the game and should still carry on.

Warrington and his dad have surprised the whole world of boxing with their talent and guile.

[Beanz]

It was a spectacular fight. Warrington's workrate was off the charts but Frampton kept his hand in for all 12 rounds and is ALWAYS dangerous. British FOTY contender without a doubt.