World Champion Tevin Farmer claims he ‘picked’ Jono Carroll
IBF super featherweight champion Tevin Farmer claims he ‘picked’ Jono Carroll to make his third world title defence against to see if the Irish fighter if can walk the walk as well as he talks the talk.
‘King Kong’ missed out on the chance to secure official mandatory status for ‘The American Idol’s’ red belt when he drew in a final eliminator with experienced French fighter Guillaume Frenois in Sheffield late last year.
The result meant that, with a mandatory due, the higher-ranked puncher Frenois was within his rights to shout about being next in line for the American champ.
However, a deal was agreed between the parties and 26-year-old southpaw Carroll got the nod most likely because of a superior profile, Matchroom contract, and the fact that an Irish card would play out well for a Philadelphia bill topper two days shy of St Patrick’s Day – with Frenois to get his shot later in the year.
That isn’t quite the case according to the champion who claims he hand picked the Carroll [16(3)-0-1].
Farmer [28(6)-4(2)-1] suggests he was intrigued by Carroll’s ‘crazy talk’ and wants to see where the Dublin-born Spain-based fighter gets the confidence to predict the home favourite’s demise.
“He got the fight because he was talking crazy,” Framer told ThaBoxingVoice.
“He was talking crazy so I picked him. When you talk like that I want to see what your really working with and what you have. I am giving him the opportunity to make some money and become champion of the world. We will see if he can capitalize on that. He talked to much I want to see if he can back all that up.”
Farmer also claimed he was surprised that the former Prizefighter winner’s last performance didn’t stem the flow of Twitter call outs and suggests, like Carroll, that the former European champion was overlooked.
“If you’re not that good you can’t look past anyone. I think he should have kept his mouth closed and focused on his last fight. A lot of people thought he lost the fight, he got a draw and he still is still calling me out? ” Farmer posed increduolously.
