Top Table Breakdown:Frampton and Avalos both predict a knockout in feisty press conference

By Pat Hamilton at the Europa Hotel

THE Europa Hotel in Belfast, Northern Ireland was the location for the press conference officially announcing the IBF Super Bantamweight world title fight between champion Carl Frampton and challenger Chris Avalos on 28th February at the Odyssey Arena in Belfast.

The fight has been dubbed ‘The World is Not Enough’ and present were promoters Blaine and Barry McGuigan, trainer Shane McGuigan, Carl Frampton, Chris Avalos and Alvalos’ manager, Mike Criscio.

Barry McGuigan opened proceedings by announcing that Cyclone Promotions has teamed up with CWM FX, claiming it would take Cyclone Promotions to the “next level” although he chose not to elaborate further.

He thanked Carl Moretti of Top Rank for making the fight so easy to make and said that Frampton was ready to take the “next step” in his career and that 2015 would be “huge” for the ‘Jackal’.

Frampton (19-0, 13 KO’s) 27, who says he is “still as hungry as ever” after lifting the IBF title, said that it would be a “tough” fight in what would be the beginning of a “huge year” for the Tigers Bay native, claiming that he would win via KO. It was a prediction that his trainer Shane McGuigan agreed with, stating that Frampton would stop him between rounds 6 and 8.

Both champion and challenger proved to be both in forthright mood, with Avalos joining Frampton in predicting that he would emerge not only victorious, but via knockout.

Avalos (25-2, 19 KO’s) ,25, of Lancaster, California, USA, is ranked No.1 by both the WBO and IBF and he was confident at the press conference, although admitting it was his first, he predicted that he would knock Frampton out in 5 rounds, repeating again and again that “he knows it, I know it”.

He said that he had been watching video of Frampton extensively and was “studying his mistakes” and had “noticed moves” that he believes he can exploit to defeat the Belfast man.

It was at this point that things began to heat up between the two and they began to trade verbal jabs with Frampton taunting Avalos by saying that “he doesn’t deserve it more than me” and that “Rigo (Cuban Guillermo Rigondeaux) would box the ears off him and I will knock him out”, a statement that brought cheers from the assembled crowd of members of the public. Avalos responded by calling Frampton “weak”.

There seemed to be some distinct friction between the two that could make for an exciting, explosive match up, a line of thought confirmed by Avalos’ manager Mike Criscio when he said “this fight is going to be fought in the centre of the ring, with both guys throwing 100 punches per round.”

Promoter Barry McGuigan said there would be a press conference in January to announce a broadcaster for the fight.

In support of the main event, Cyclone Promotions said they hoped to have Jamie Conlon in a world title eliminator, Marc McCullough returning after a hand injury and prospects Conrad Cummings and Anthony Cacace both boxing on the card.