Carl Frampton says confirmation of his world title shot against WBO super featherweight Jamel Herring on 27 February “was a long time coming”.
It was revealed on Tuesday that the long-awaited contest would take place in London, with Frampton aiming to become a three-weight world champion.
“It feels good to finally get it over the line,” said the Belfast boxer.
“This fight has been talked about for such a long time. Once you get an official date it changes everything.”
The fight between Frampton and the American had initially been pencilled in for Belfast in June 2020 before the Covid-19 pandemic intervened.
Last August, Frampton stopped Darren Traynor in the seventh round in an interim fight, while Herring beat Jonathan Oquendo in Las Vegas in September by disqualification.
“You always have it in the back of your head that you are going to miss the opportunity but it’s done and credit to the WBO, MTK Global, Frank Warren and Top Rank for making it happen,” added Frampton.
“It’s been frustrating but now it is confirmed I intend to make sure I do whatever I can to win the fight.
“I was lucky I was able to fight last year and make a few quid but some people aren’t in that position and they haven’t been earning. I feel lucky and privileged I had the opportunity to do that.
“I’ve got a bigger opportunity now to become a three-weight world champion and that’s all I am focused on.”
‘Zero love lost when we step in the ring’
The 33-year-old has been sparring since before Christmas and his efforts are now centred on “peaking at the right time” for the Herring bout.
“I’m fully focused on that date and on my opponent, ready to ramp things up,” he said. “That is important.
“Herring seems to be a nice guy but there will be zero love lost when we step into the ring.
“I’m in a good place – my fitness is good and I just need to get a little bit sharper. That comes with more rounds.
“I’m already close to where I need to be to be ready to fight.”
‘Preparing for a fight with no fans’
Although the Boxing Board of Control has sanctioned Frampton’s fight with Herring, the continuing restrictions imposed to combat the threat of the coronavirus mean it is likely it will be staged behind closed doors.
“We were originally talking about Windsor Park for this fight in the summer of last year but obviously with what’s happened that wasn’t to be,” Frampton said.
“There was talk of it still happening in Belfast with some amount of fans but it’s London now and I very much doubt there will be any fans.
“They may try to put it somewhere where there could be a handful of fans, I don’t know, but I’ll be preparing for a fight with no fans and if there are any it will be a bonus.
“I’ve achieved things I never dreamed I would achieve when I turned professional, so to have the chance to become the only man from the island of Ireland – and one of only a handful of British fighters to become a three-weight world champion – would put one foot at least in the Hall of Fame.”
