This weekend two of the world’s premium 122 lb fighters go separately into battle after negotiations between their respective camps recently broke down.
Bury’s Scott Quigg will defend his WBA (reg) super bantamweight crown against dangerous Spaniard Kiko Martinez in Manchester, while IBF champ and new Al Haymon signing Carl Frampton heads out to the US for his American debut on CBS against Mexico’s Alejandro Gonzalez Jr.
The all-British clash is arguably the biggest domestic dust-up there is, short of Kell Brook v Amir Khan, and following recent comments from Team Frampton that conveyed their dissatisfaction at the financial minutiae in particular, Quigg’s promoter Eddie Hearn is seemingly prepared to improve his offer to the Irishman’s team, should both emerge winners this weekend.
Barry McGuigan, Frampton’s manager, said recently in ‘The Belfast Telegraph’
“I respect Quigg, he’s a decent fighter but he has the regular title – the real WBA champion is Guillermo Rigondeaux. We don’t want the regular title so it would be a voluntary defence of the title for Carl if the fight ever gets turned round.”
“We were prepared to go to 60-40 % in Carl’s favour but they wouldn’t play ball. Quigg doesn’t merit 50 % of the purse. Carl has taken risks, he has banged out arenas and has been a headline act – all the things that Scott Quigg hasn’t done.”
And McGuigan’s words have not escaped the attentions of Matchroom Boxing chief Hearn, who, recognising the magnitude of the contest, says he is now seemingly prepared to concede slightly by making an improved offer to Team Frampton. He is unsure it will do any good, however.
“They (Team Frampton) say that Quigg brings no value to the table, yet all they have done in the week leading up to Frampton’s American debut is talk about Scott Quigg!” he said.
“All being well on Saturday, we will go back to them and try and make the fight with an improved offer. I won’t hold my breath though.”
Sadly for the British fans, it’s not looking likely the two champions will be getting it on anytime soon, with Hearn also confirming what Quigg’s trainer Joe Gallagher said earlier this week – that Nonito Donaire is the man in the firing line should they beat Kiko Martinez on Saturday;
“For us, I think Donaire is the more likely fight. We are already in positive discussions with Bob Arum over that and it can be made very quickly for November.”
“Yet all of this is immaterial unless Scott gets the job done tomorrow. The focus is 100% on Martinez. It’s the toughest fight of Scott’s career.”
Quigg v Martinez is live on Sky Sports. Frampton v Gonzalez Jr is live on CBS in America and on ITV in the UK.
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