Carl Frampton: Andres Gutierrez to vows grab 'opportunity of a lifetime' in Belfast

Andres Gutierrez says he will be unfazed by Frampton's vocal home support in Belfast

Mexican Andres Gutierrez has vowed to grab his "opportunity of a lifetime" by shocking Carl Frampton in Saturday's world featherweight title eliminator.

Gutierrez is ranked eighth by the World Boxing Council but the Belfast bout will be by far the biggest contest of the 24-year-old's career.

"I've been waiting for this for many years. I'm not going to let it pass," said the Guadalajara-based boxer.

Frampton is back after losing the WBA world featherweight title in January.

Another Mexican Leo Santa Cruz handed Frampton his first career defeat in Las Vegas as he avenged the Northern Irishman's victory in New York last July.

Frampton has admitted that a second straight defeat could leave his career running out of road but the two-weight world champion says he believes he is in shape to knock out the dangerous Mexican.

Gutierrez is something of a knockout specialist himself having clinched 24 KO wins in his 35-contest career.

His only career loss was a controversial points defeat by another Mexican Cristian Mijares 13 months ago while his record also includes a draw from six years ago.

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Speaking through an interpreter, Gutierrez insisted he will be unfazed by Frampton's vocal home support at the SSE Arena.

"I am ready to go into the spotlight of a big arena. I am right on the weight and ready for this fight.

"I know I am a visitor here in Belfast and the fans are going to be noisy but I will have 100m Mexicans back home who will be behind me and willing me to win this fight."

The Mexican looks to have slimmed down considerably from his weight six weeks ago when he was introduced as Frampton's opponent for the Belfast contest.

However, Gutierrez says the weight loss has been "no trouble" and that he "feels perfect" as the fight approaches.

Barry McGuigan says he is "100% confident" Frampton will win

McGuigan says Frampton could face Selby before Christmas

Frampton's manager and promoter Barry McGuigan insists he is unconcerned by his fighter appearing to up the pressure on himself by saying that a second successive defeat could herald the end of his career.

"He has always put pressure on himself. He always wants to perform the best he can and uses whatever triggers that by putting the onus on himself," added McGuigan, himself a former world featherweight champion.

"Carl wants to win spectacularly. He wants to box the ears off this guy and take him out.

"I'm 100% confident and I think we are looking at a world title fight before the end of the year - but first we're focused on Saturday night."

With Santa Cruz still refusing to travel to Belfast to fight Frampton for a third time, McGuigan indicated on Thursday that Wales' IBF champion Lee Selby could be the Northern Irishman's opponent for a pre-Christmas contest.