Unification and an all-Irish World Title fight – Carl Frampton’s career goals

Carl Frampton [26(15)-1(0)] has just a few fights left.

31 years of age, ‘The Jackal’ is at the stage of his career where he is seeking legacy fights and big pay-outs as he looks to exit boxing at the top with his faculties in tact and his family’s future secured.

Frampton will aim to pick up his fourth world title belt this December 22nd when he challenges IBF featherweight champ Josh Warrington at the Manchester Arena and, should he win, the Belfast boxer has some fights in mind.

One of these looks quite easy to make. WBO champion Óscar Valdez and his team have been outspoken regarding a unification in the late spring/early summer of 2019.

Both in terms of promoters, broadcasters, and general willingness, Valdez versus either Frampton or Warrington is a logical and easy fight to make.

Frampton is more than happy to take on the Mexican – although he does lament that another Mexican isn’t as willing.

The Tiger’s Bay favourite outlined how “obviously I take one fight at a time but it’s great news Valdez is calling for the winner of my fight with Warrington.”

“It’s nice to see him saying that,” he added before rounding on WBA champion Leo Santa Cruz who infamously reneged on his promise of taking on Frampton in a Belfast trilogy fight last year.

“Why isn’t Leo Santa Cruz saying the same thing?” Frampton asked.

“Valdez is making big statements here. Why’s Santa Cruz not making the same big statements? He should be doing it too.”

“After I beat Warrington, I hope to fight one of the other champions whether that’s Valdez, Santa Cruz or Gary Russell Jr.”

Every fight counts know for Frampton who, alongside Ryan Burnett, is aiming to stake his claim as Ireladn’s greatest ever.

The Jamie Moore-trained man described how “while it’s important to get the right fights and not look too far ahead, it’s also important to have a plan and longer term goals, because I could be done with my career at the end of next year as unified champion.”

“There are so many big names out there; so many big fights. That’s all I want for the rest of my career now. First thing’s first, though – I have to beat Warrington.”

“My ideal plan would be to beat Warrington, unify against Valdez and/or Santa Cruz and then potentially move up a division to have a crack at the big names at super-featherweight.”

The mooted move to 130lbs is an interesting one.

Frampton has long spoken of his desire to be a three-weight champion and this was an avenue explored last year.

If and when he does move up, Frampton is confident he can hang with the champions while also noting that there could potentially even be an all-Irish world title fight should Dubliner Jono Carroll claim the IBF belt.

Carroll fights Frenchman Guillaume Frenois in a final eliminator in Sheffield in Sheffield on December 8th with the winner taking on IBF champ Tevin Farmer.

Frampton would fight anyone, and noted how “I like the Tevin Farmer fight. He’s very good and very slick.”

“Then you have [WBA champ] Alberto Machado, who is huge at 130lb but I believe would gas after halfway.”

“You also have the possibility of Jono Carroll being a world champion by then, too.”

The other champions at super featherweight are Miguel Berchelt [WBC] and Masayuki Ito [WBO] while Gervonta Davis also holds a WBA crown but, in something of a unique situation, is viewed on equal footing with ‘regular’ champ Machado.