Hearn: Frampton turned down Jamie Arthur fight in favour of a test

By Jonny Stapleton

EDDIE Hearn would rather Carl Frampton fight live and willing opponents than fighters who have been brought back from the boxing dead and should be retired.

The Matchroom boss hit back at claims Frampton’s ‘hottest super bantamweight prospect’ nemesis, Scott Quigg has stolen a march on the Belfast fighter by beating the well know Jason Booth and signing to fight another familiar name in Jamie Arthur.

Indeed Hearn revealed  Team Frampton turned down the chance to fight Arthur, who Quigg defends his British title against on February 4, believing the former Commonwealth belt owner had nothing to offer the reigning champ.

‘Belfast Boy’ Frampton defends his title against Scott Kriss Hughes in the York hall in just over a week and is clear favourite to win.

However, the heir to the Matchroom throne would prefer the Jackal to have to work to see off a lively fighter rather than add a fighter who is big in name but not in performance.

“We got offered the chance to fight Jamie Arthur and we turned it down. All due respect to Arthur he was a champion, but he is not in Carl’s league anymore. He retired something like 64 times and came back. Do we want to be fighting guys past their best? Absolutely not,” Hearn told Mirror Sport.

“We know Kris Hughes will come to fight and he will try his nuts off. He will be up for this and he wants to take the belt from Carl Frampton. Quigg takes on a fighter who Jason Booth beat.Quigg just destroyed Jason Booth. So were is the value in that? It should be obvious what will happen on February 4.”

Booth and Frampton are both vying for the right to call themselves the hottest domestic prospect, an argument that could be settled if the pair where to trade leather.

The Bury fighter has recently indicated he wants to let a potential match up build into a more lucrative and anticipated contest.

However, fear not finance is the catalyst behind the Hatton promoted super bantamweights decision to delay the inevitable according to Hearn.

“We want a fight with Quigg. Carl would take that fight tomorrow, but they don’t want it. They keep saying let it grow into a big fight. It is a big fight already.”

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