Carl Frampton dismisses criticism of gym set-up

The packed VIP Gym is not an issue in the slightest for Carl Frampton [26(15)-1(0)].

‘The Jackal’ claims he is a new man since linking up with Jamie Moore at the facility in Astley last year but it has been suggested that Frampton is not getting enough attention ahead of his IBF featherweight title challenge of Josh Warrington [27(6)-0] this Saturday night.

Warrington’s trainer and father, Sean O’Hagan, had criticised Moore and his assistant Nigel Travers for heading to New York in the penultimate week of Frampton’s camp to corner English super middleweight Rocky Fielding in his fight with Mexican superstar  Canelo Alvarez.

Frampton was left on this side of the Atlantic with an “amateur coach” while Fielding was destroyed inside three rounds by two-weight champion Alvarez at Madison Square Garden.

Big fights overlapping is not an unusual thing for the gym just outside of Manchester such are the number of fighters training there.

Alongside Frampton and Fielding, there is also Martin Murray, who also fights this Saturday in Manchester, Jack Catterall, who defeated Ohara Davies back in October, Conrad Cummings, who won in Belfast two weeks ago, Tommy Coyle, who defeated Ryan Kielczewski in Boston back in October, and Steven Ward, who was due to box this weekend before being forced to pull out with injury.

Busy, no doubt, Frampton feels there is a good balance at the VIP

The Belfast 31-year-old outlined how “we’ve got a busy gym at the moment but nobody gets jealous or annoyed because having both Jamie and Nigel means there’s loads of time for the fighters.”

“One guy works with Jamie, one works with Nigel and others hit the bags. There are different time slots and it’s all very well planned out. We don’t fight over attention.”

“I want to keep this momentum I’ve never had in my career. I don’t think I’ve been this busy since 2012 or 2013. It’s incredible to be so active.”

Now training in the area, the Manchester Arena won’t be unfamiliar to Frampton – especally considering he defeated Scott Quigg in a super bantamweight unification at the venue back in 2016.

It’s the perfect place for the fight, however Frampton feels that the match-up could have warranted an even bigger, outdoor arena.

The former McGuigan’s Gym fighter described how “this is a big arena – the biggest in the country. The fight could’ve been a stadium fight but I don’t want to wait around for good weather.”

“I’ve fought in the Manchester Arena before when I beat Scott Quigg. That was a special atmosphere but this will be even louder.”