“Total Respect but No Fear” – Carl Frampton explains Josh Warrington fight mantra

Carl Frampton‘s world title challenge this Saturday night is a lot different to his last Box Office appearance at the Manchester Arena.

The build up to ‘The Jackal’s’ challenge of IBF featherweight champion Josh Warrington could be described as ‘niggly’ but his 2016 IBF-WBA super bantamweight unification versus Scott Quigg would have registered ‘grudge match’ on the pay-per-view Beef-o-Meter.

That press conference in 2016 was especially heated, with Frampton threathening to hit Eddie Hearn during a fracticious face-off with Quigg.

It was all a bit different this afternoon and a steely Frampton [26(15)-1(0)] revealed he has a mantra which he is bringing into the BT Sport Box Office and ESPN+ clash.

The 31-year-old explained how “I got a text message from a good friend of mine a couple of days ago and he said ‘total respect but no fear’ and that’s what I’m going into this fight like – total respect for Josh but no I’ve absolutely no fear.”

The Belfast boxer breezily described how “I’m feeling good, I’m excited but relaxed.”

“I’m looking forward to a good fight, a tough fight, which I’ve prepared for in the gym. My nature is to be laidback and I’ll be laidback probably right up until the ringwalk. At this point, I’m in a good place.”

Of course, there has been some back and forths, with both fighters accusing each other of arrogance while Warrington [27(6)-0] has stated his belief that Frampton is past his best and may have trouble with the 126lbs weight.

The Irishman, though, was in no mood to get involved in a slagging match today

“It’s a fight at the end of the day, there’s always going to be a bit of tension,” he diplomatically reasoned.

“I think there’s respect between me and Josh, I know there’s respect between us.”

Frampton is extremely going into the fight and believes that he will be taking home the red IBF belt on Saturday night.

The Tiger’s Bay boxer feels that he is a level above Warrington, a fighter he rates as being “very good.”

Frampton, though, is confident he is the best nine-stoner in the world and outlined how “I believe that this is going to be tough fight but I believe I beat any featherweight in the world on my day and Josh Warrington is a featherweight and I believe I beat them all.”

“I’m completely focused on him but I believe, on my day, that I’m the best featherweight on the planet. I’m willing to put it all on the line – anything it takes to win.”

Naturally, the press conference saw questions of future fights and unifications but Frampton was not keen on looking too far ahead

“One fight at a time, I need to beat Josh Warrington,” he pledged

“That’s all pie in the sky at this point in time. I’m focused on this man and I’ll give him the respect he deserves.”

“I need to win this fight then there is big fights, that’s the carrot dangling.”

“A world title is enough, I want to be a world champion again, but I want to unify in my second division again. I’m hoping to fight, after Warrington, one of the other champions in the division.”