This Saturday, Carl Frampton makes his first appearance in the ring since losing his WBA featherweight world title to Leo Santa Cruz, in Las Vegas.
Frampton will be making an emotional return to Belfast to take on the Mexican fighter Andres Gutierrez at the SSE Arena.
For Frampton it is a chance, with the fight being labelled a WBC world featherweight title eliminator, to get back amongst the world title scene.
However, Gutierrez will be a tough opponent.
He?ll arrive on these shores with a record that shows he?s lost just one of his thirty-five bouts winning twenty-four by knockout.
Frampton acknowledges that a loss at this stage of his career could signal the end of the road, with the Irishman remarking to the media,
‘What happens if I lose this fight? There is no future.?
However, 30-year-old Frampton is sure he can beat the 24-year-old Gutierrez, remarking,
‘I lost a close fight with an under-par performance to a three-weight world champion.
‘If I’m performing, I still believe I’m the best featherweight in the world and I believe I can beat guys like Leo Santa Cruz.
‘But I don’t want to overlook this guy Gutierrez. He is a very good fighter. He’s had as many knockout wins as I’ve had fights.’
Before adding about making a return to Belfast,
‘The noise, the atmosphere in the arena inspires me and the Chris Avalos fight, February 2015, the last time I fought in Belfast, I think that was my best performance even though some people say that was my first fight against Santa Cruz.
‘If I’m performing, and with the way the last couple of weeks in sparring have gone, if I can carry that into the ring on Saturday night then I think I will get rid of this guy.’
At the public work-outs both fighters looked to be in tremendous shape, it promises to be one hell of a night in Belfast, as for a winner, I?m looking at Frampton getting his career back on track, how about you?
Frampton Looking to Get His Career Back on Track
