Carl Frampton frustrated by career progression of Ryan Burnett
Carl Frampton [23(14)-1(0)] has expressed his concern regarding the career progression of fellow Belfast puncher Ryan Burnett.
Burnett [15(9)-0] currently holds the British title, but Frampton is not satisfied with the speed that the bantamweight is being brought along at.
Frampton and Burnett would train alongside each other at Holy Family GG, with ‘The Jackal’ playing a sort of boxing bigger brother role to the Youth Olympic gold medalist.
Burnett turned pro relatively early, right after his 21st birthday, and Frampton feels that Burnett should, by now, be given bigger tests.
The Adam Booth-trained fighter was in action at the end of last month, easily outpointing Mexican journeyman Joseafat Reyes over eight rounds.
In his weekly column for the Sunday Life, Frampton wrote that “Belfast’s Ryan Burnett is a very talented boxer and I just can’t get my head around why he hasn’t had a major step up in class by now because he’s approaching his 25th birthday and has been a pro for four years.”
“The best opponent he has faced so far is Ryan Farrag in a British title fight. With all due respect to Farrag, he’s a long way from World class.”
Frampton also noted his frustration with the lack of a long-promised Belfast homecoming for Burnett from Matchroom boss Eddie Hearn. The two-weight world champion described how “the people around him keep talking about World title opportunities and coming to Belfast and it still hasn’t happened.”
“I’d like to see him in a good fight before he has a World title shot. His promoter Eddie Hearn has mentioned a possible European title fight and that would make sense but for goodness sake let’s see him in a test that his talent deserves – and soon.”
“Maybe they have something being lined up for him but why should he end up fighting on an undercard in Hull in an eight rounder against a journeyman rather than having a [British] title defence is hard to understand,” he added, evoking memories of the controversial attempt by Hearn to place Frampton, who had just won the European title, on an undercard to Luke Campbell in Hull, contributing to the Ulsterman’s exit from Matchroom.
