Tag: carl frampton

Jamel Herring hints at retirement after disappointing outing

Jamel Herring suggested that he needs to “tighten up” before his expected fight against former champion Carl Frampton.

Editor’s note: This article was originally published on DAZN.com.

***

Jamel Herring wasn’t pleased with his performance against Jonathan Oquendo on Saturday in Las Vegas. Although he retained his junior lightweight title, he didn’t do it in the manner he planned as he won via disqualification after numerous intentional head-butts by Oquendo in an odd and uneven performance Saturday night.

And now Herring isn’t quite sure what the future will hold for him inside the squared circle.

The champion took to social media to express his disappointment with his performance and suggest he needs to “tighten up” before his expected fight against former champion Carl Frampton.

Herring may see his next defense pushed back because of a nasty gash he suffered against Oquendo. The cut, courtesy of a fifth-round head butt, caused the fight to be stopped when Herring proclaimed at the end of the eighth round that he couldn’t see.

Prior to that, his outing wasn’t the kind you’d write home about. He dropped Oquendo with a vicious uppercut in the third round but found himself in an unwarranted dogfight against a lesser-skilled opponent. Herring allowed Oquendo to suck him into his fight and made it much harder for himself than expected.

Later in the evening, Herring tweeted from the hospital seemingly unsure about continuing his boxing career after the underwhelming outing and showing what appeared to be a case of burnout  caused by the demands of the sport.

It’s alarming for the 34-year-old champion to display this level of uncertainty while he’s in the midst of hitting his stride as a professional. Perhaps he was caught up in the moment and the feeling will pass. He may feel differently should he put on a better performance against Frampton. For now, though, there are concerns about how much longer we’ll see Herring in a boxing ring.

Jamel Herring hints at retirement after disappointing outing

Jamel Herring suggested that he needs to “tighten up” before his expected fight against former champion Carl Frampton.

Editor’s note: This article was originally published on DAZN.com.

***

Jamel Herring wasn’t pleased with his performance against Jonathan Oquendo on Saturday in Las Vegas. Although he retained his junior lightweight title, he didn’t do it in the manner he planned as he won via disqualification after numerous intentional head-butts by Oquendo in an odd and uneven performance Saturday night.

And now Herring isn’t quite sure what the future will hold for him inside the squared circle.

The champion took to social media to express his disappointment with his performance and suggest he needs to “tighten up” before his expected fight against former champion Carl Frampton.

Herring may see his next defense pushed back because of a nasty gash he suffered against Oquendo. The cut, courtesy of a fifth-round head butt, caused the fight to be stopped when Herring proclaimed at the end of the eighth round that he couldn’t see.

Prior to that, his outing wasn’t the kind you’d write home about. He dropped Oquendo with a vicious uppercut in the third round but found himself in an unwarranted dogfight against a lesser-skilled opponent. Herring allowed Oquendo to suck him into his fight and made it much harder for himself than expected.

Later in the evening, Herring tweeted from the hospital seemingly unsure about continuing his boxing career after the underwhelming outing and showing what appeared to be a case of burnout  caused by the demands of the sport.

It’s alarming for the 34-year-old champion to display this level of uncertainty while he’s in the midst of hitting his stride as a professional. Perhaps he was caught up in the moment and the feeling will pass. He may feel differently should he put on a better performance against Frampton. For now, though, there are concerns about how much longer we’ll see Herring in a boxing ring.

Jamel Herring survives Jonathan Oquendo in ‘ugly’ fight

Jamel Herring defeated Jonathan Oquendo by disqualification Saturday in Las Vegas.

Jamel Herring’s journey to his title defense against Jonathan Oquendo on Saturday was filled with uncommon challenges. The fight was no different.

The junior lightweight champion, who had to overcome the coronavirus to step through the ropes, found himself fact to face with a human battering ram and he never really figured out how to cope with it in a fight everyone will want to forget.

Herring (22-2, 10 KOs) emerged victorious but only because of Oquendo’s head-first tactics, which ultimately led to his disqualification after Round 8.

“It just got ugly,” Herring said.

The fight was postponed after each of the two times Herring tested positive for COVID-19 but the virus couldn’t keep him down. He battled through the symptoms and, by fight time on Saturday in the MGM Grand “bubble” in Las Vegas, he said he felt 100 percent.

And he looked reasonably sharp beginning in the second round, when he adjusted somewhat to Oquendo’s bull rushes by timing him with punches, side-stepping him or holding when necessary.

Herring seemed to be taking control in the third round, when a left uppercut put Oquendo (31-7, 19 KOs) on his pants. The fourth was largely the same, with Herring getting the better of exchanges. Then, in the fifth, a clash of heads caused a deep cut over Herring’s right eye and changed everything.

Referee Tony Weeks ruled it an intentional foul, which would play a role in the conclusion of the fight.

From that point on, Herring struggled. Oquendo continued to push his way inside, to fight as roughly as he knew how, and a bloody-faced Herring was beyond frustrated. He had trouble seeing, he had no space to throw punches and the Puerto Rican challenger just never let up.

Finally, after Round 8, Herring’s trainer Brian McIntyre told Weeks that Herring’s vision was obstructed because of the damage above his eye. A doctor stepped in and asked Herring whether he could see. He replied, “no.”

And after a few minutes of discussion, Weeks had no choice but to stop the fight. Oquendo was disqualified because the fight ended as a result of his foul.

“We knew coming in he was going to be aggressive, with his head first,” Herring said. “He kept repeating it. Tony caught on. I didn’t want it to go on like that. … My team felt it was too much and they had to stop it. Whatever.”

Did Herring quit? After all, his eye wasn’t swollen shut. He merely had blood dripping into it, which boxers fight through all the time. Fans and pundits undoubtedly will debate Herring’s actions over the next several days.

The fact is he emerged with his title belt and he remains on track to face former two-division beltholder Carl Frampton, a fight Herring covets. Then he will be able to look forward instead of back at 20 horrible weeks of ups and downs and a horrible fight.

“I wasn’t too satisfied with my performance,” he said. “… I had never been in a situation where we had to stop a fight. It’s not always about getting a win; it’s how you look. It is what it is. [Promoter] Bob [Arum] told me to rest. It was a 20-week training camp. I still want Frampton next, in December or November.

“Physically, I was good. … I was never huffing and puffing. It just got too ugly. Over the second half of the fight, I just felt it was bad.”

Jamel Herring survives Jonathan Oquendo in ‘ugly’ fight

Jamel Herring defeated Jonathan Oquendo by disqualification Saturday in Las Vegas.

Jamel Herring’s journey to his title defense against Jonathan Oquendo on Saturday was filled with uncommon challenges. The fight was no different.

The junior lightweight champion, who had to overcome the coronavirus to step through the ropes, found himself fact to face with a human battering ram and he never really figured out how to cope with it in a fight everyone will want to forget.

Herring (22-2, 10 KOs) emerged victorious but only because of Oquendo’s head-first tactics, which ultimately led to his disqualification after Round 8.

“It just got ugly,” Herring said.

The fight was postponed after each of the two times Herring tested positive for COVID-19 but the virus couldn’t keep him down. He battled through the symptoms and, by fight time on Saturday in the MGM Grand “bubble” in Las Vegas, he said he felt 100 percent.

And he looked reasonably sharp beginning in the second round, when he adjusted somewhat to Oquendo’s bull rushes by timing him with punches, side-stepping him or holding when necessary.

Herring seemed to be taking control in the third round, when a left uppercut put Oquendo (31-7, 19 KOs) on his pants. The fourth was largely the same, with Herring getting the better of exchanges. Then, in the fifth, a clash of heads caused a deep cut over Herring’s right eye and changed everything.

Referee Tony Weeks ruled it an intentional foul, which would play a role in the conclusion of the fight.

From that point on, Herring struggled. Oquendo continued to push his way inside, to fight as roughly as he knew how, and a bloody-faced Herring was beyond frustrated. He had trouble seeing, he had no space to throw punches and the Puerto Rican challenger just never let up.

Finally, after Round 8, Herring’s trainer Brian McIntyre told Weeks that Herring’s vision was obstructed because of the damage above his eye. A doctor stepped in and asked Herring whether he could see. He replied, “no.”

And after a few minutes of discussion, Weeks had no choice but to stop the fight. Oquendo was disqualified because the fight ended as a result of his foul.

“We knew coming in he was going to be aggressive, with his head first,” Herring said. “He kept repeating it. Tony caught on. I didn’t want it to go on like that. … My team felt it was too much and they had to stop it. Whatever.”

Did Herring quit? After all, his eye wasn’t swollen shut. He merely had blood dripping into it, which boxers fight through all the time. Fans and pundits undoubtedly will debate Herring’s actions over the next several days.

The fact is he emerged with his title belt and he remains on track to face former two-division beltholder Carl Frampton, a fight Herring covets. Then he will be able to look forward instead of back at 20 horrible weeks of ups and downs and a horrible fight.

“I wasn’t too satisfied with my performance,” he said. “… I had never been in a situation where we had to stop a fight. It’s not always about getting a win; it’s how you look. It is what it is. [Promoter] Bob [Arum] told me to rest. It was a 20-week training camp. I still want Frampton next, in December or November.

“Physically, I was good. … I was never huffing and puffing. It just got too ugly. Over the second half of the fight, I just felt it was bad.”

Jamel Herring: ‘I feel like the old me again’

Jamel Herring said the second postponement of his title defense against Jonathan Oquendo allowed him to fully recover from COVID-19.

Jamel Herring had a tough fight just getting to the opening bell. And we can’t be certain that it’s over until we hear it ring.

Herring was originally scheduled to defend his junior lightweight title against Jonathan Oquendo on July 2 in the MGM Grand “bubble” in Las Vegas. However, Herring tested positive for COVID-19 and the fight was postponed.

Then, after it was rescheduled for July 14, Herring tested positive again, forcing another postponement.

Now, more than two months after the original date, Herring and Oquendo are set to meet on Saturday in the same venue barring yet another positive test.

“I just feel like everything happens for a reason,” Herring said. “It’s not like I was the only one suffering. It’s a global pandemic, so I can’t really complain too much. I’m just glad that I have a great team.

“… I’m just grateful. Despite all the setbacks, I’m still able to handle business.”

Jamel Herring (left) defends his 130-pound title against Jonathan Oquendo on Saturday night. Mikey Williams / Top Rank

Herring (21-2, 10 KOs) laid out his coronavirus journey to RingTV.com, which began in late June.

At first, he felt relatively minor fatigue and body aches, which he attributed to hard training. Then came fever and chills, which prompted him to visit a doctor. He tested positive for the virus.

Herring continued to train in preparation for the second date – even though he had minor symptoms, including difficulty breathing – and tested negative before he left for Las Vegas.

“By the time Top Rank rescheduled it for July 14 I was already getting back in the groove during my time in quarantine,” Herring told RingTV.com. “I still went out for morning runs to keep my weight down and keep my body active.

“I wasn’t down for the count from the virus. I had the minor symptoms. I could still taste and smell.”

Then, when he arrived at the MGM Grand, it happened again: another positive test.

“It was definitely a shock,” he said. “It was a roller coaster. I had a lot of mixed feelings in my head. Top Rank kept me calm. They said, ‘Look, we’re gonna reschedule the fight.’ So, I was calm and cool about things.

“They pushed it back this far to make sure it was completely out of my system, and here we are now.”

In other words, the second postponement was a blessing in disguise. Herring is back to being Herring.

“It was for the best,” he said. “I believe I will go into this fight a lot more sure of myself and without doubts. I feel like the old me again, like I never had the virus.”

The stakes are high for Herring, who has an agreement in place to meet former junior featherweight and featherweight titleholder Carl Frampton later this year if he gets past Oquendo (31-6, 19 KOs).

The 37-year-old Puerto Rican is no pushover. He has a solid skill set, has experience in big fights and is hungry to win his first world title late in his career. At the same time, he has come up short in his biggest fights. That includes setbacks against Juan Manuel Lopez, Wilfredo Vazquez Jr., Abner Mares and Jesus Cuellar in his only world title fight.

“I look at this fight like people are going to be more looking at how I look coming off this virus,” said Herring, 34. “Of course, I’m not taking him for granted … or overlooking anyone because to get to the bigger fights I have to get past him.

“For me, this fight is like to measure how I do with a guy like this because it’s no secret that Carl Frampton is definitely the guy that’s next. There’s no other fight out there for me but Carl Frampton right now, especially in 2020.

“My goal is to see how I look and feel coming off the long layoff because I haven’t fought since last November and go from there.”

[lawrence-related id=12810,11685,11649,11636,11625,11560,10800]

Jamel Herring: ‘I feel like the old me again’

Jamel Herring said the second postponement of his title defense against Jonathan Oquendo allowed him to fully recover from COVID-19.

Jamel Herring had a tough fight just getting to the opening bell. And we can’t be certain that it’s over until we hear it ring.

Herring was originally scheduled to defend his junior lightweight title against Jonathan Oquendo on July 2 in the MGM Grand “bubble” in Las Vegas. However, Herring tested positive for COVID-19 and the fight was postponed.

Then, after it was rescheduled for July 14, Herring tested positive again, forcing another postponement.

Now, more than two months after the original date, Herring and Oquendo are set to meet on Saturday in the same venue barring yet another positive test.

“I just feel like everything happens for a reason,” Herring said. “It’s not like I was the only one suffering. It’s a global pandemic, so I can’t really complain too much. I’m just glad that I have a great team.

“… I’m just grateful. Despite all the setbacks, I’m still able to handle business.”

Jamel Herring (left) defends his 130-pound title against Jonathan Oquendo on Saturday night. Mikey Williams / Top Rank

Herring (21-2, 10 KOs) laid out his coronavirus journey to RingTV.com, which began in late June.

At first, he felt relatively minor fatigue and body aches, which he attributed to hard training. Then came fever and chills, which prompted him to visit a doctor. He tested positive for the virus.

Herring continued to train in preparation for the second date – even though he had minor symptoms, including difficulty breathing – and tested negative before he left for Las Vegas.

“By the time Top Rank rescheduled it for July 14 I was already getting back in the groove during my time in quarantine,” Herring told RingTV.com. “I still went out for morning runs to keep my weight down and keep my body active.

“I wasn’t down for the count from the virus. I had the minor symptoms. I could still taste and smell.”

Then, when he arrived at the MGM Grand, it happened again: another positive test.

“It was definitely a shock,” he said. “It was a roller coaster. I had a lot of mixed feelings in my head. Top Rank kept me calm. They said, ‘Look, we’re gonna reschedule the fight.’ So, I was calm and cool about things.

“They pushed it back this far to make sure it was completely out of my system, and here we are now.”

In other words, the second postponement was a blessing in disguise. Herring is back to being Herring.

“It was for the best,” he said. “I believe I will go into this fight a lot more sure of myself and without doubts. I feel like the old me again, like I never had the virus.”

The stakes are high for Herring, who has an agreement in place to meet former junior featherweight and featherweight titleholder Carl Frampton later this year if he gets past Oquendo (31-6, 19 KOs).

The 37-year-old Puerto Rican is no pushover. He has a solid skill set, has experience in big fights and is hungry to win his first world title late in his career. At the same time, he has come up short in his biggest fights. That includes setbacks against Juan Manuel Lopez, Wilfredo Vazquez Jr., Abner Mares and Jesus Cuellar in his only world title fight.

“I look at this fight like people are going to be more looking at how I look coming off this virus,” said Herring, 34. “Of course, I’m not taking him for granted … or overlooking anyone because to get to the bigger fights I have to get past him.

“For me, this fight is like to measure how I do with a guy like this because it’s no secret that Carl Frampton is definitely the guy that’s next. There’s no other fight out there for me but Carl Frampton right now, especially in 2020.

“My goal is to see how I look and feel coming off the long layoff because I haven’t fought since last November and go from there.”

[lawrence-related id=12810,11685,11649,11636,11625,11560,10800]

Carl Frampton starts slowly, finishes Darren Traynor with body blows

Frampton stopped Darren Traynor with a body shot in the seventh round of a scheduled 10-round lightweight bout Saturday in London.

Carl Frampton did his part. Now it’s up to Jamel Herring.

Frampton stopped Darren Traynor with a body shot exactly one minute into the seventh round of a scheduled 10-round lightweight bout without spectators Saturday at York Hall in London.

If Herring successfully defends his junior lightweight title against Jonathan Oquendo on Sept. 5, he and Frampton, a former two-division titleholder, are expected to tangle sometime in November.

A victory over Herring would give Frampton a major title in a third weight division, bolstering the notion that he’s the most-accomplished Irish fighter of all time.

Traynor (16-4, 7 KOs) took the fight on one week’s notice when original opponent Vahram Vardanyan of Latvia couldn’t get a visa because of the coronavirus pandemic but looked like he belonged in the ring with Frampton, at least for the first half of the fight.

The Scot didn’t land many punches against his slick, athletic opponent but neither did Frampton, who seemed flat after more than eight months out of the ring.

However, that changed in an instant in Round 6. Frampton, who had picked up his intensity and started landed jabs with some consistency, put Traynor flat on his face with a left to the body toward the end of the round. He beat the count but suddenly seemed vulnerable.

Then came a strange conclusion to the fight. Frampton (28-2, 16 KOs) hurt Traynor with another left to the gut. He didn’t go down but grimaced and threw his fist in the air, as if to say, “I’m done.” And referee Michael Alexander obliged him, waiving off the fight.

Frampton wasn’t ecstatic about his performance but he was content to have gotten the job done.

“I’m happy to get the win,” he said. “I will say I was far from my best. People talked about rounds, about doing the rounds. I don’t think it’s going to harm me doing the rounds. If I had a chance to take him out in the first round, I wouldn’t done it. But I’m saying that the rounds were good. He’s a tough kid. …

“I had a decent game plan,” he went on. “I was trying to step back, not rush things. Once I started landing my jab – I hurt him a few times with the jab, as well – and then the body shots in the second half of the fight ….”

Traynor, a few inches taller than Frampton, has a similar frame to that of Herring. Traynor fights from an orthodox stance while Herring is a southpaw.

Still, Frampton said Traynor probably prepared him better for the coming challenge than the shorter Vardanyan would have. Frampton is 5-foot-5 (165 cms), Herring 5-10 (178 cms).

“He was a better opponent for Herring than my original opponent because I think [Vardanyan] was around my height, maybe a little bit shorter,” Frampton said. “Darren isn’t a southpaw but the dimensins are similar.

“I know I need to be a lot better for Herring. It’s good to get rounds done. And my hands are fine. No issues there. It’s onward and upward.”

In a preliminary, two-time Irish Olympian Mick Conlan (14-0, 8 KOs) overcame two point deductions for low blows to stop French veteran Sofiane Takoucht (35-5-1, 13 KOs) 1:54 into the 10th and final round of a featherweight bout.

The fight appeared to be headed toward a decision when Conlan caught Takoucht with a big left that hurt him and followed with a flurry that prompted the referee to stop the fight.

Conlan’s plan is to move down to the junior featherweight division, where he hopes to get his first chance to fight for a world title.

“I didn’t mean to throw the low blows, but I just love to hit them in the sweet spot and there’s a fine line,” Conlan told BT Sport. “It is hard to adjust mid-feet, and a lot of the shots must have swayed low. I am happy with the win, though.

“I don’t have a clue what happens next. I leave it to my team. But I will be ready. I did what I said I would do. I said I would break him down and take him out. It might have been the last round, but I did it.”

In other bouts, Troy Williamson (15-0-1, 11 KOs) defeated Harry Scarff (8-2, 1 KO) by a close unanimous decision in a 10-round junior middleweight bout; junior lightweight prospect Archie Sharp (19-0, 9 KOs) outpointed Jeff Ofori (10-3-1, 3 KOs) — 96-95 referee decision — in a 10-round lightweight bout; and Paddy Donovan (4-0, 3 KOs) stopped Des Newton (8-16, 2 KOs) 1:31 into a scheduled six-round welterweight bout.

Carl Frampton starts slowly, finishes Darren Traynor with body blows

Frampton stopped Darren Traynor with a body shot in the seventh round of a scheduled 10-round lightweight bout Saturday in London.

Carl Frampton did his part. Now it’s up to Jamel Herring.

Frampton stopped Darren Traynor with a body shot exactly one minute into the seventh round of a scheduled 10-round lightweight bout without spectators Saturday at York Hall in London.

If Herring successfully defends his junior lightweight title against Jonathan Oquendo on Sept. 5, he and Frampton, a former two-division titleholder, are expected to tangle sometime in November.

A victory over Herring would give Frampton a major title in a third weight division, bolstering the notion that he’s the most-accomplished Irish fighter of all time.

Traynor (16-4, 7 KOs) took the fight on one week’s notice when original opponent Vahram Vardanyan of Latvia couldn’t get a visa because of the coronavirus pandemic but looked like he belonged in the ring with Frampton, at least for the first half of the fight.

The Scot didn’t land many punches against his slick, athletic opponent but neither did Frampton, who seemed flat after more than eight months out of the ring.

However, that changed in an instant in Round 6. Frampton, who had picked up his intensity and started landed jabs with some consistency, put Traynor flat on his face with a left to the body toward the end of the round. He beat the count but suddenly seemed vulnerable.

Then came a strange conclusion to the fight. Frampton (28-2, 16 KOs) hurt Traynor with another left to the gut. He didn’t go down but grimaced and threw his fist in the air, as if to say, “I’m done.” And referee Michael Alexander obliged him, waiving off the fight.

Frampton wasn’t ecstatic about his performance but he was content to have gotten the job done.

“I’m happy to get the win,” he said. “I will say I was far from my best. People talked about rounds, about doing the rounds. I don’t think it’s going to harm me doing the rounds. If I had a chance to take him out in the first round, I wouldn’t done it. But I’m saying that the rounds were good. He’s a tough kid. …

“I had a decent game plan,” he went on. “I was trying to step back, not rush things. Once I started landing my jab – I hurt him a few times with the jab, as well – and then the body shots in the second half of the fight ….”

Traynor, a few inches taller than Frampton, has a similar frame to that of Herring. Traynor fights from an orthodox stance while Herring is a southpaw.

Still, Frampton said Traynor probably prepared him better for the coming challenge than the shorter Vardanyan would have. Frampton is 5-foot-5 (165 cms), Herring 5-10 (178 cms).

“He was a better opponent for Herring than my original opponent because I think [Vardanyan] was around my height, maybe a little bit shorter,” Frampton said. “Darren isn’t a southpaw but the dimensins are similar.

“I know I need to be a lot better for Herring. It’s good to get rounds done. And my hands are fine. No issues there. It’s onward and upward.”

In a preliminary, two-time Irish Olympian Mick Conlan (14-0, 8 KOs) overcame two point deductions for low blows to stop French veteran Sofiane Takoucht (35-5-1, 13 KOs) 1:54 into the 10th and final round of a featherweight bout.

The fight appeared to be headed toward a decision when Conlan caught Takoucht with a big left that hurt him and followed with a flurry that prompted the referee to stop the fight.

Conlan’s plan is to move down to the junior featherweight division, where he hopes to get his first chance to fight for a world title.

“I didn’t mean to throw the low blows, but I just love to hit them in the sweet spot and there’s a fine line,” Conlan told BT Sport. “It is hard to adjust mid-feet, and a lot of the shots must have swayed low. I am happy with the win, though.

“I don’t have a clue what happens next. I leave it to my team. But I will be ready. I did what I said I would do. I said I would break him down and take him out. It might have been the last round, but I did it.”

In other bouts, Troy Williamson (15-0-1, 11 KOs) defeated Harry Scarff (8-2, 1 KO) by a close unanimous decision in a 10-round junior middleweight bout; junior lightweight prospect Archie Sharp (19-0, 9 KOs) outpointed Jeff Ofori (10-3-1, 3 KOs) — 96-95 referee decision — in a 10-round lightweight bout; and Paddy Donovan (4-0, 3 KOs) stopped Des Newton (8-16, 2 KOs) 1:31 into a scheduled six-round welterweight bout.

Carl Frampton believes he and Jamel Herring will get title fight ‘sorted’

Carl Frampton still feels confident that he’ll get his title shot against Jamel Herring late this year.

Carl Frampton and Jamel Herring, in particular, have had a challenging 2020.

Frampton had been preparing to face Vahram Vardanyan on Saturday, but those plans changed last week when the Armenian boxer ran into visa issues and was denied entry into England.

Meanwhile, Herring, the a junior lightweight titleholder, had separate positive COVID-19 results that twice postponed his fight against Jonathan Oquendo. Herring is now set to face Oquendo on Sept. 5.

All this being said, Frampton, who will now face Darren Traynor on Saturday, still feels confident that he’ll get that title shot against Herring late this year.

“[Herring’s in] exactly the same boat as me in terms of mishaps and things gone wrong,” Frampton recently said on “Boxing with Chris Mannix”. “It hasn’t been a great year.

“I feel extremely sorry for (Herring), and I understand what it’s like, and I know Jamel, like myself, he trains away from home,” he continued. “He leaves his family and he goes and trains. He leaves his children and wife behind. I’m sure it would almost feel like a wasted time away from family. It’s got to be hard to deal with.”

He added: “I don’t know him personally, but the impression I have of him is that he’s mentally a very strong person, and I’m pretty sure he’ll be able to deal with it. I feel like I’m a mentally strong person. I think we’ll get it sorted.”

Frampton (27-2, 15 KOs) hasn’t fought since he shut out Tyler McCreary on Nov. 30. Herring (21-2, 10 KOs) successfully defended his title against Lamont Roach on Nov. 9.

Carl Frampton to face Darren Traynor on Saturday in London

Carl Frampton will face late replacement Darren Traynor in a 10-round lightweight bout Saturday at the BT Sport Studio in London.

Carl Frampton will face late replacement Darren Traynor in a 10-round lightweight bout Saturday at the BT Sport Studio in London, Top Rank announced.

The card will be televised on ESPN in the U.S.

Frampton was scheduled to fight Vahram Vardanyan, an Armenian who lives in Latvia, but he couldn’t get into the U.K. as a result of visa issues and pulled out of the fight last week.

MTK Global, Frampton’s management company, reportedly had been paying Traynor for several weeks in preparation for just such an emergency.

Traynor (16-3, 7 KOs) is a two-time Scottish titleholder but hasn’t faced an opponent of Frampton’s caliber.

Frampton (27-2, 15 KOs) is a former two-division world titleholder and 2018 Fighter of the Year. He hasn’t fought since he shut out Tyler McCreary last November.

“I’m delighted to get an opponent over the line,” Frampton stated in a news release. “I have to credit MTK Global for seeing there could have been issues with the original opponent getting into the country, and they have been paying Darren Traynor for a number of weeks to train.

“He’ll be in decent shape and will be up for it as well. There is no pressure on him, but it is up to me to look good. I want to be taking this guy out and then moving on to think about Jamel Herring.

“I can’t be complacent in the slightest. I know I’m the big favorite in the fight, but I want to win and want to look good, and I want to win by knockout. I feel like he’s a better opponent as he’s fought at a higher level than Vardanyan, and he’s coming in at lightweight.

“I haven’t made my debut at junior lightweight yet, and I’m already jumping in at lightweight, so that’s obviously a little bit in his favor. But I’m looking forward to not having to struggle at all in fight week and then putting on an explosive show.”

Said Frank Warren, Frampton’s co-promoter: “Carl is gunning for a third world title at a third different weight and cannot afford any mishaps on Saturday night. Darren Traynor is ready to step in and fully prepared to give Carl the competitive fight he needs before heading into a WBO world championship battle against Jamel Herring, hopefully, later this year.”