CARL FRAMPTON will turn nasty the moment he looks across the ring and sees Luke Jackson in the opposite corner.
He gets the chance to silence Jackson (16-0) when he defends his interim WBO featherweight crown against the Australian challenger at Belfast’s Windsor Park on Saturday August 18.
Jackson has angered Frampton suggesting he’s over the hill as a boxer and claimed he looks overweight in training.
That means an exciting night for 20,000 fans and viewers watching on BT Sport, but bad news for Jackson.
Frampton (25-1) said: “He has annoyed me a little bit, but not enough to take my mind off the game and be overly aggressive.
“He has annoyed me enough to wanna flatten him and put him out cold, properly.
“I haven’t knocked anybody out in a long time, but Luke Jackson is a guy who is going to get knocked out.”
Jackson, 33, has also teased Frampton over his amateur career claiming his experience in the London 2012 Olympics and other major championships betters the Belfast man’s achievements in the unpaid code.
Frampton added: “He keeps talking about his amateur career. Who give a f**k what he did as an amateur? He isn’t Vasyl Lomachenko.
“Let’s not forget he is based in Australia. If Australia sent a ten man team to box an international against Ireland they would get beat 10-0, and that’s a fact.
“His amateur career wasn’t even that good when you look at it.
“The reason Australia can send almost a full team to the Olympics is because they box Fiji, Samoa and Tonga.
“It is a lot easier qualifying process compared to what Ireland and GB have to go through for the Olympics.
“This is professional boxing and it’s almost a different sport. He will see on the night.”
Also on the BT Sport televised bill Lineal heavyweight king Tyson Fury faces a step up when he tackles two-time world title challenger Francesco Pianeta.
In only his sixth professional fight, Frampton’s great friend Paddy Barnes challenges WBC flyweight champion Cristofer Rosales.
The bill also includes a light-heavyweight clash between Belfast’s Steven Ward and Dubliner Steve Collins Jr. Also in action is WBO European middleweight champion Luke Keeler, Conrad Cummings, KO king Lewis Crocker, Marco McCullough, Sean McComb and Steven Donnelly.
Luke Jackson: Carl Frampton is finished
LUKE JACKSON insists that Carl Frampton is on the slide.
The outspoken Australian challenges interim WBO featherweight champion Frampton at Belfast’s Windsor Park on Saturday August 18.
At stake for Frampton is a likely fight with IBF featherweight champion Josh Warrington but Jackson is out to prove that Frampton is no longer the force he was.
Jackson, 33, believes that Frampton (25-1) has dipped as a fighter in his three contests since defeating Leo Santa Cruz two years ago.
“Across the board he is phenomenal, but I don’t think he is as good as he once was,” explained Jackson.
“In the first fight against Leo Santa Cruz he boxed out of his skin and deserved to win, but he hasn’t looked the same since.
“Carl is a very good fighter who does everything good, but I don’t honestly think he does anything great.”
Jackson’s comments suggesting the Frampton is struggling will rile the Belfast man but he isn’t asking for forgiveness.
He added: “We are going to punch each other in the head. I don’t really care if what I say upsets him.
“I respect him as a fighter, I respect him as a man but I am coming to beat him, not coming over to be friends.
“I don’t know if he wants me to call him a Hall of Fame fighter or the greatest, but I don’t think he is.
“He is very beatable and I think I can beat him, simple as that.”
Also on the BT Sport televised bill Lineal heavyweight king Tyson Fury faces a step up when he tackles two-time world title challenger Francesco Pianeta.
In only his sixth professional fight, Frampton’s great friend Paddy Barnes challenges WBC flyweight champion Cristofer Rosales.
The bill also includes a light-heavyweight clash between Belfast’s Steven Ward and Dubliner Steve Collins Jr. Also in action is WBO European middleweight champion Luke Keeler, Conrad Cummings, KO king Lewis Crocker, Marco McCullough, Sean McComb and Steven Donnelly.
Limited remaining tickets are available from www.ticketmaster.ie. priced at £80, £100, £120, £150, £250, £400 (includes hospitality). Buying tickets over the phone – 0844 847 2455. To purchase Accessible Seating – 0333 321 9996
