Scott Quigg wants ‘biggest fight in British boxing’ against Carl Frampton

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/mar/01/scott-quigg-carl-frampton-biggest-fight

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After years of stumbling at countless hurdles, Carl Frampton and Scott Quigg look to be in the home stretch in negotiating what would probably be the biggest British fight of the year.

The likelihood of their putting their world super-bantamweight titles on the line against each other this summer is stronger than at any time during discussions over the past couple of years. All that need finalising are the money, the venue and the broadcaster – and those negotiations remain problematic.

The good news is both fighters are desperate for the bout to take place sooner rather than later. Quigg flew to Belfast on Saturday to be ringside for Frampton’s first defence of his IBF belt and was impressed with the Irishman’s fifth-round stoppage of the intemperate but dangerous Californian Chris Avalos.

“If [Floyd] Mayweather and [Manny] Pacquiao can get made, surely this one can get made,” Quigg told the Guardian. “Wherever they want, is fine by me but this [the 11,000-seater Odyssey] is not big enough [one point of agreement with the Frampton camp].

“If it’s got to be indoors, the MEN [in Manchester] holds 20,000, the O2 in London holds 20,000.

“There’s no calling anybody out. If they want that fight, I’m ready for it. For me, it’s the biggest fight in British boxing. I 100% believe I’ll beat him and he’ll say the same – and that’s what will make a great fight.”

The Bury boxer said he would happily fight in Belfast. “The atmosphere was fantastic. The Irish are boxing people. They know and appreciate the sport.

“I remember coming over for Martin Rogan and Sam Sexton years ago, and the atmosphere was exactly the same then. I’d love to walk out in front of 20,000 fans, here or over there.”

He was generous in his appraisal of Frampton’s performance. “He boxed well, kept calm. As long as he kept his cool it was only a matter of time before Avalos started getting reckless and overconfident. When he started doing that Carl picked the right shots. You couldn’t argue with the stoppage. He boxed well.”

Frampton was ice-cool in ignoring the raucous backing of his supporters and timed his finish perfectly, countering the wild swings of Avalos with pinpoint headshots, then opening up with full-blooded blows to batter him to a standing halt a minute and 39 seconds into the fifth round. It was probably the best of his 20 wins, his 14th by stoppage.

As for a unification showdown with Quigg, Frampton’s promoter, Barry McGuigan, said the only thing that will prevent it happening is “somebody getting greedy”.

And, as Quigg is on a fight-by-fight deal with Sky, McGuigan thinks the chances of putting the fight on ITV – who returned to boxing with this bout – are good. “We will sit down and talk with ITV this week,” he said. “This is a fight that should be free-to-air, a fight for all the people.”

Quigg first has to recover fully from the injury to tendons on his right hand he suffered defending his title against Hidenori Otake in November. “I started light punching last week,” he said. “Hopefully when I start picking the power up and letting them go it stays good. If the Frampton fight can happen in July or the end of June, I’m ready for that.

“I think I can stop him. The hardest puncher? Don’t matter if he can’t land ’em. The thing that wins that fight is defence and I believe I’m better in every department. I rate him very highly and it’s a fight I want and he wants, so let’s make it happen.

“It’s the biggest fight for both of us. Who would people rather see fight: me and him or him and [Guillermo] Rigondeaux [who holds the WBA’s “super” version of the 8st 10lb title and the WBO belt]? This is the biggest fight in the division, too big not to happen.”

As for the payday, which would dwarf anything either man has earned on a single night, Quigg was not as concerned as might have been imagined.

“That’s a bonus,” he said. “What means more to me is seeing a picture of McGuigan’s face when I beat his fighter. The look on his face money couldn’t buy.”