“I gave him a hug” – Frampton reveals meeting with Gutierrez following freak injury

Carl Frampton was left “gutted” after ‘showergate’ cost him the homecoming fight he had craved.

However, the former two weight World Champion isn’t just feeling sorry for himself after his fight with Andres Gutierrez had to be called off just 24 hours shy of the scheduled Belfast clash.

‘The Jackal’ revealed he hugged it out with the Mexican and sympathised with his plight too.

Frampton also has a degree of pity for the undercard fighters who were denied a bout on what promised to be another atmospheric Odyssey night, reserving particularly sympathy for his “unlucky” stablemate Conrad Cummings.

However, the Belfast feather is confident the Coalisland middleweight’s chance will come and has backed him to eventually challenge Billy Joe Saunders for the WBO world middleweight title previously held by Andy Lee.

While conspiracy theories circulated like ill-informed vultures, Frampton has revealed the genuine, human moment he shared with 24 year old Gutierrez following the fight’s cancellation.

“It seems that Andres tripped and smashed his head off a tap,” explained a disappointed Frampton in his weekly Sunday Life column.

“And then he fell back and knocked himself out and then he was taken to the Kingsbridge private hospital.”

“When Andres came back to the Europa Hotel hours after it had happened, he was still in a very bad state, I gave him a hug and we talked for a bit.”

“I feel really sorry for the guy because he’s a fighter like the rest of us trying to get a better life for himself and his kids.”

Cummings was due to defend his WBO European belt and bolster his #13 ranking with the organisation against Poland’s Robert Swierzbinski. and had targeted a bout with Saunders afterwards.

Frampton outlined how “I was also gutted for my mate Conrad Cummings who was supposed to defend his WBO European middleweight title on the bill.”

“He hasn’t had too many breaks in his career and this is another blow but I know if he stays strong he can get a World title shot at Billy Joe Saunders.”