Frampton vs. Jackson: Big Fight Preview

Frampton vs. Jackson: Big Fight Preview

Carl Frampton and Tyson Fury enter their fights on the big Frank Warren show this weekend at Windsor Park on the verge of a world title fight and both trying to reclaim what they once had. Both fighters have big fights on the horizon and a win for both on Saturday night will see both in massive fights towards the end of the year.

The worry when plans lie ahead is that the fighter takes his eye of the opponent immediately ahead of them. Despite both being the overwhelming favourite to win their fights, both Frampton and Fury need to be mindful of that. Defeat for either on Saturday would have major implications, not just a world title opportunity lost but a career likely to be over as a result, the stakes are extremely high.

Carl Frampton vs. Luke Jackson:

So what’s on the line for both fighters:

Luke Jackson is being given little or no chance but he knows if he could upset the odds his career goes to another level, all of a sudden he is right bang in the world title picture, it is a potentially life-changing fight for Jackson. But even in defeat, he could still raise his profile with a good showing so unless he gets blown away the Australian could see his reputation enhanced even in defeat.

But for Frampton it’s a different story, he is almost certainly one defeat away from retirement. Frampton if he becomes the first man to defeat Luke Jackson will almost certainly get the big domestic showdown with Josh Warrington for the IBF featherweight title or the WBO champion Oscar Valdez if the Warrington fight fails to come to fruition.

For Frampton, 31, any talk of future fights with the likes of Warrington, Valdez or even the trilogy fight with Leo Santa Cruz would end with a defeat against the unbeaten Luke Jackson. In a Frank Warren press release Jackson (16-0) claims Frampton (25-1) is over the hill and looks overweight:

“Across the board he is phenomenal, but I don’t think he is as good as he once was,” explained Jackson. In the first fight against Leo Santa Cruz he boxed out of his skin and deserved to win, but he hasn’t looked the same since. He is very beatable and I think I can beat him, simple as that.”

These comments and others have irritated ‘The Jackal’ judging by his response:

“He has annoyed me a little bit, but not enough to take my mind off the game and be overly aggressive. He has annoyed me enough to wanna flatten him and put him out cold, properly. I haven’t knocked anybody out in a long time, but Luke Jackson is a guy who is going to get knocked out.”

There were worrying signs when Frampton returned after the Santa Cruz loss. Horacio Garcia was beaten on points late last year, but to me, he looked a little off maybe a fighter on the slide. However, on reflection, a shorter than normal camp, getting used to his new trainer Jamie Moore and maybe a little too eager to get a stoppage all resulted in a laboured display. But next time out against the former four-weight world champion Nonito Donaire Frampton looked to be near his old self and hopes of another world title reign were raised.

At 33 the Australian, having his first fight in Europe, despite all the verbal bravado looks out of his depth. Jackson is taller and with a longer reach but just hasn’t mixed in the same sort of company that Frampton has. Even in limited company Jackson isn’t getting his opponents out of there, only 7 stoppages in his 16 pro fights so if he is to win a points win looks his only route to victory.

Despite being a bronze medallist at the 2006 Commonwealth Games and competing in the 2012 Olympics Jackson is a big outsider in the fight and with good reason. The opposition each have faced are levels apart. Will Young an earlier victim of Jackson is rather apt, while anything is possible, but a Jackson win looks remote.

THE ODDS COURTESY OF @SkyBet

PREDICTION:

Jackson is unbeaten but also severely untested at this kind of level. Jackson talks about Frampton having slipped of late, but for the Australian to win Frampton will need to have slipped a lot and in simple terms, he hasn’t. Jackson is competent enough in all areas but Frampton will prove far too good for him.

I expect Frampton to find his range relatively early and make the longer reach of his opponent irrelevant and then steadily break his man down in the first half of the fight before getting his first stoppage win since he defeated Chris Avalos in 2015.

Also on the bill Cristofer Rosales and Paddy Barnes clash for the WBC flyweight title.