Carl Frampton: Former two-weight world champion unsure if he will fight in Belfast again

Carl Frampton says he cannot be sure that he will fight in his home city again after plans for a bout in Belfast this summer were scuppered by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The 33-year-old looked set to meet WBO super-featherweight champion Jamel Herring with Windsor Park the most likely venue, however arrangements have been postponed with both fighters still keen to meet in the future.

"I still would like to fight at Windsor Park, whether or not that happens again now, who knows?" he said.

"I just want to win a world title - that's the main objective and whether it happens at Windsor or whether it happens in America it doesn't matter.

"But if I ever fight in Northern Ireland again, I want it to be at Windsor Park."

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Frampton was speaking on BBC Sport NI's 'Sport Re-run: Frampton's Greatest Fights' which will be broadcast on BBC Two NI at 20:00 BST on Sunday 21 June.

The north Belfast man is still hoping to meet Herring for a chance to become the first Irish fighter to win world titles in three weight divisions.

Frampton has fought at Windsor Park once before, defeating Luke Jackson in August 2018

After losing to Josh Warrington in December 2018, Frampton contemplated retiring from the sport before deciding to continue in pursuit of another belt.

'The Jackal' is preparing for a bout this summer which he hopes will help prepare him for a fight with Herring in the near future.

"I want to win I don't want to ever feel defeat again in my career," said Frampton from his training base in Manchester.

"Boxing is a lonely sport and when you lose it's hard to take and it's hard to get over.

"I just don't want to ever feel that again but I'm prepared to put in everything I can to become a world champion again.

"I think my next fight will be a fight, a non-title fight, probably a 10 rounder. Then I'm pretty sure I will fight Jamel Herring to give me the chance to become a three-weigh world champion, that's what I want to do and possibly a defence.

"If I could unify my second weight division, that would be huge."

Santa Cruz win remains the career highlight

In Sunday's programme Frampton looks back at his three world title-winning fights, placing each victory into context as he reflects on what has so far been a memorable career.

While his 2014 win over Kiko Martinez in front of a raucous home crowd landed Frampton his first world title, and his victory over Scott Quigg saw him unify two of the super-bantamweight belts, the Belfast man says defeating Leo Santa Cruz in New York remains his career highlight.

Frampton travelled to the Barclays Centre as firm underdog, but produced a stunning performance to claim the WBA featherweight title.

"I brought maybe 2000 fans with me as well, they sounded like 10,000, it was a very, very good atmosphere," he recalls.

"A lot of the American press didn't think I could win the fight, it was my first fight at a new division.

"I was a big underdog but I had to fuel belief in myself that I could go out and do it. And I done it and it was a good fight, it was a close fight but I won the fight and I won it fair and square.

"I think the judges got it right on the night and it's probably the highlight of my career and it's the one so far that people will remember me for when they look back in ten, twenty, thirty years' time, they'll remember the night I beat Santa Cruz in New York."