Frank Warren reveals Josh Warrington v Carl Frampton fight DATE and VENUE

Frank Warren has today confirmed what we all had been pretty sure of.

Carl Frampton [26(15)-1(0)] will challenge for Josh Warrington‘s IBF featherweight title at the Manchester Arena on Saturday December 22nd on BT Sport pay-per-view.

Queensberry Boxing boss Warren, who promotes both fighters, announced the date and venue at a media lunch in London today.

The fight has looked likely ever since Warrington [27(6)-0] shocked and dethroned Welshman Lee Selby at Elland Road back in May.

Following Frampton’s own stadium victory – over Aussie Luke Jackson last month – Warrington joined ‘The Jackal’ in the ring and promoter Warren would excitedly declare “it is on!”

That declaration came almost four weeks ago and there has been plenty of rumour and talk since.

It was reported last weekend that December 22nd in Manchester – which has seemed the logical date in any case – would be the destination for the fight and that a deal was done.

While nothing was confirmed and no contract signed, with Frampton saying as much in his weekly column for the Sunday Life, it was believed that an agreement had been reached.

It should be noted that today’s announcement from Warren is not an official confirmation and this sort of certainty has led to problems in the past.

Last December Warren had said, at a press conference for another show, that Frampton would face Nonito Donaire on April 7th. However, a few weeks later the fight was actually confirmed for April 21st – and this change led to a clash with Amir Khan’s comeback fight in Liverpool which, Matchroom boss Eddie Hearn claimed, was booked on the assumption that Frampton-Donaire was taking place two weeks beforehand.

Warrington-Frampton, should it go ahead on December 22nd, looks likely to clash with a Matchroom pay-per-view card, with Hearn having revealed this week that he intends to put on the Dillian Whyte v Dereck Chisora heavyweight grudge rematch on the same date at the O2 Arena in London on Sky Box Office.

It had been wondered whether the presence of another pay-per-view card on the same night, which would look likely to harm the earning power of Warrington v Frampton, would lead to a change of date for the fight.

This, however, going by Warren’s words, does not look to be the case.

31-year-old Frampton is currently in the beginnings of camp in Belfast and will soon link up with coach Jamie Moore at the VIP Gym in Astley, Manchester.

A press conference for the fight is expected to take place next week.