TODAY: Carl Frampton vs. Luke Jackson battle for the Interim WBO Featherweight World Championship

EDMONTON, Canada– A bonafide Event of the Year candidate is on tap today in the United Kingdom, featuring a pair of world title fights and a Special Heavyweight Attraction, to air in Canada exclusively on Super Channel (2:45 p.m. ET / 11:45 a.m. PT. start), live from Windsor Park in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Frampton vs. Jackson is apresentation of Frank Warren’s Queensbury Promotions.

“It is going to be a fantastic occasion,” Warren said. “We have Ireland’s best in action. Carl (Frampton) is a tremendous professional, fantastic to work with and the reason we are here. He knows what is at stake and wants to put himself in line for a full world title fight. He is not fazed and just wants the best. He wanted to fight at Windsor Park and we have delivered. After this he will be in a major, major fight which fans will love, but (Luke) Jackson is here to win, and upsets happen. This is Carl’s dream and I don’t want it turning into a nightmare.
“Paddy (Barnes) is really stepping up to the plate after five professional fights and, if gameness wins world titles, he wins this weekend. I am looking for history being made, and I believe Paddy can do it in his sixth fight.”

Three-time, two-division world champion Carl “The Jackal” Frampton (25-1, 14 KOs) meets 2012 Australia Olympian Luke “Action” Jackson (16-0, 7 KOs) in the 12-round main event for the Interim World Boxing Organization (WBO) Featherweight World Championship.

“It has been a dream to box at Windsor Park and is about to become a reality,” Frampton commented. “I have seen a few things Luke has said, but from start to finish, I have trained very hard and it’s about more than Luke. It’s Windsor Park. I know a fair bit about Luke and he is highly ranked for a reason. He is a good fighter, but I am at another level.”

“I thought Carl was overlooking me,” Jackson countered, “but he knows what is at stake. If Carl loses to me his career is over. I have got to fight the perfect fight and I believe I can do it.”It’s a real-life Rocky story if I win. I have come from nothing. I have gone through a lot to get here and if I spoke about that I’d be here all day. My father has left Australia for the first time ever to be here and it makes me so proud. A 67-year-old man has travelled halfway around the world for me. I have tried to prepare mentally for all the things that can happen, and we have to see if it works.”

In the 12-round co-featured event, three-time Irish Olympian Paddy “The Leprechaun” Barnes (5-0, 1 KO) challenges World Boxing Council (WBC) flyweight world champion Cristofer “El Latigo” Rosales (27-3, 18 KOs), who will be making his first title defense.

“It is going to be a great fight,” Barnes predicted. “Cristofer is relentless and it’s going to be fight of the night. To become a world champion especially in my home city, will be the best thing ever. If I dictate the pace, I can control the distance and will win.”

“I am used to fighting away (from home) and I’m not bothered fighting in front of this big crowd,” Rosales remarked. “I know enough to realize I am going to win on Saturday. I don’t want Paddy to go running like a chicken. I will let him dictate and then I will catch him.”
Undefeated former unified world heavyweight champion Tyson “Gypsy King” Fury (26-0, 16 KOs) continues his comeback in a 10-round match against veteran Francisco Pianeta (35-4-1, 25 KOs).

FRAMPTON VS. JACKSON LINE-UP ON SUPER CHANNEL

MAIN EVENT – INTERIM WBO FEATHERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP — 12 ROUNDS
Carl Frampton (25-1, 14 KOs), Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK 126 lbs.
vs.
Luke Jackson (16-0, 7 KOs), Hobart, Tasmania, Australia 124 3/4 lbs.

CO-FEATURE – WBC FLYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP (12)
Cristofer Rosales (27-3, 18 KOs), Champion, Managua, Nicaragua 111.lbs.
vs.
Paddy Barnes (5-0, 1 KO), Challenger, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK 112 lbs.

SPECIAL HEAVYWEIGHT ATTRACTION (10)
Tyson Fury (26-0, 16 KOs), Wilmslow, Cheshire, UK 258 lbs.
vs.
Francesco Pianeta (35-4-1), Gelsenkirchen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany by way of Italy 254 ½ lbs.

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS — 10 ROUNDS
Steve Collins, Jr. (12-1-1, 4 KOs), Castleknock, Ireland
vs.
Steve Ward (7-0, 3 KOs), Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK

(All fights and fighters are subject to change)

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Roberto Villa is the CEO, Founder, Executive Writer, Senior Editor of FightBook MMA. Has a passion for Combat Sports and also a podcast host for Sitting Ringside. He’s also a former MMA fighter and Kickboxer.