By Tim McCloskey
Carl “The Jackal” Frampton is on the hunt for another world title. Frampton, the former two-division world champion from Tiger’s Bay, Belfast, will make his first stateside appearance in more than two years in a 10-round featherweight bout against the hard-hitting Emmanuel Dominguez of Aguascalientes, Mexico on Saturday, Aug.10 at Temple University’s Liacouras Center.
“Dominguez is a tall, young, hungry featherweight, so I’ll need to be on my game,” Frampton said. “The promise of an Oscar Valdez fight is dangling in front of me, so I want to go out and show the world that I’ve still got what it takes to be a world champion. Winning is always the most important thing, but I want to do it in style. It’s great to be boxing stateside again. And Philly, in particular… I won’t disappoint.”
With a decisive win, a title fight with current WBO champ is Valdez should be easy to schedule, as both Frampton and Valdez are under contract with the same promoter, Top Rank.
The Jackal is no stranger to the fighting city of Philadelphia, having trained and fought here as a youth.
“I look forward to fighting in Philly again. It’s a city that is just draped in boxing history,” Frampton told Chris Lloyd of Joe TV.
“I’ve been there before, as an amateur. I boxed at Harrowgate Boxing Club. Gerry Storey from Holy Family in Belfast used to bring a team over. It was great, always good craic. We’d be there, fight, then just mess about for a week as a 16-year-old. John Joe Joyce, my friend beat Danny Garcia. Someone else fought Gabe Rosado and beat him. John Joe beat Danny Garcia well that show.”
“I spar with a kid called Stephen Fulton, he’s IBO champ now. He’s a good fighter, a slick Philly fighter that will give me good work while I’m in Philadelphia.”
Frampton (26-2, 15 KOs), a 10-year pro who compiled more than 100 victories during a standout amateur career, is on the road back to another world title opportunity following his competitive decision loss to IBF featherweight champion Josh Warrington last December. Frampton won the IBF junior featherweight world title in 2014 and unified titles against WBA champion Scott Quigg via a split decision in February 2016. He upset Leo Santa Cruz to win the WBA super world featherweight title in July 2016 but lost the immediate rematch six months later.
Frampton won three in a row, including an interim world title, before running into Warrington in front of a sold-out Manchester Arena crowd in one of the year’s best fights. With his sights set on Valdez, he must first defeat Dominguez (26-8-2, 18 KOs), a 25-year-old native of Aguascalientes, Mexico, who has won four of his last five, all by knockout.
“Carl Frampton is already looking ahead to an Oscar Valdez fight, which gives me added motivation,” Dominguez said. “I am not a stepping stone. I am coming to Philadelphia prepared to ruin Carl’s plans.”
The card is promoted by Top Rank, in association with Peltz Boxing, and will also feature the pro debut of two-time Olympic gold medalist Robeisy Ramirez, along with an undercard featuring former world champ Jason Sosa of Camden, NJ and heavyweight prospect Sonny “The Bronco” Conto of South Philadelphia.
Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at the Liacouras Center Box Office and www.liacourascenter.com, or by calling Peltz Boxing at 215-765-0922.