Jamel Herring vs Carl Frampton: Northern Irishman to make history on Saturday night?

Carl Frampton bids to become Northern Ireland’s first ever three-weight world champion as he takes on the WBO junior-lightweight world champion Jamel Herring on Saturday in Dubai.

Last chance saloon for Frampton?

Former IBF super-bantamweight and WBA (Super) featherweight champion Carl Frampton suffered only his second career defeat against Josh Warrington in December 2018 in what was a Fight of the Year contender.

Seeking to retain an iteration of the featherweight world championship that night, Frampton was almost down and out in the first round after a flurry of punches from Warrington early, but fought gallantly to take the bout to points and leave the decision in the hands of the judges.

He lost that fight by unanimous decision, further bolstering Warrington’s credentials as the top featherweight in the world at the time, but Frampton continued to express his desire to fight for another world title before his career was over.

Fast forward two years and after two victories against Tyler McCreary and Darren Traynor, the 34-year-old has a chance to win his third world title, and in a third weight class no less, whilst a win on Saturday will cement his legacy as the greatest Northern Irish fighter in modern memory.

But with age catching up with him, and questions raised over his persistent hand injuries, it remains to be seen whether Frampton can still cut it at world championship level, and if it doesn’t go his way this weekend, it could be his last shot.

How good is Jamel Herring?

Often the way when a fighter has spent most of his time competing overseas, it remains to be seen whether Herring is a real force in the junior-lightweight division.

But with two successful title defences under his belt, including a win against highly rated Lamont Roach Jr., it won’t be an easy fight for the travelling Northern Irishman, but at 35-years-of-age, Herring himself is battling the elements of time.

Both fighters were active in the summer of 2020, August for Frampton and September for Herring, with neither holding an advantage over the other in regard to ring rust, something that has proved a contributing factor in world title bouts over the last six months.

What we do know is Frampton will be treating this challenge like it is his last in the ring, and as long he can stay injury free during the fight with that problematic left hand, we’re likely to see two fighters trying to take each other’s heads off for 12 rounds.

The champion heads into the betting as a slight outsider to win the fight at EVS, with Frampton 4/5 to get the victory and the draw 16/1.

You can get either fighter to win By KO TKO or DQ at 9/2, whilst a decision victory is 7/4 and 7/5 for Herring and Frampton respectively.

Check out all the latest boxing betting odds at William Hill