Josh Warrington manager tells Carl Frampton – ‘We are the A-side’

Josh Warrington will not face Carl Frampton [25(14)-1(0)] next but the English featherweight’s manager, Steve Wood, wants to make something clear.

‘The Leeds Warrior’ won the IBF title, dethroning Lee Selby, earlier this month and Wood feels that his man is the ‘A side’ of any potential bout with Frampton – who fights at Windsor Park against a to-be-confirmed foe on August 18th.

Frank Warren, promoter of both fighters, is keen to match the pair this Winter and is hopefully anticipating a big domestic trilogy.

Warren wants a big arena night on neutral territory, perhaps the Manchester Arena or London’s O2 Arena, but nothing is set in stone yet – indeed, no talks have taken place.

Wood, who also guides the career of Terry Flanagan, would prefer a stadium fight and believes it should be on home turf for the new world champion.

Speaking on the Boxing Asylum Podcast, Wood outlined how “I’ve just been listening to an interview from Frank Warren and he’s talking about doing it early next year. We’ve not spoken since last Saturday, obviously. I think he [Warren] had it pencilled in that, if Selby won, that Selby would be going to Ireland.

“I don’t see Josh as the B-side in this fight. Elland Road is twice the size of Windsor Park. ”

“If we were to wait until next Summer, I think Elland Road would be the perfect place, There are lots of Irish there and the Irish travel, he brought 10,000 over when he fought Quigg in the MEN Arena.”

“For me, we should wait and it should be a big Summer fight next year.”

“But if Frank wants to do it in a neutral venue and, if it stacked up for Josh and for Carl, then, yeah, let’s do it. I think it will happen, it’s just a question of when.”

Warrington [27(6)-0] looks set to defend his newly-acquired belt in September at the First Direct Arena in Leeds – which would line up well for a Frampton fight afterwards but Wood, it seems, will push for another defence first before facing ‘The Jackal’.

While Frampton, despite not currently holding a title, is no doubt a bigger name in world boxing, Wood does make valid points regarding venue and the fact that Warrington is the champion.

However, with Warren promoting both well-supported fighters, his idea of a neutral arena fight is perhaps the best and fairest option.

Listen to this week’s edition of the Boxing Asylum in full below: