Everything is pointing towards the upcoming bout between Josh Warrington and Carl Frampton being, for want of a better term, an absolute belter. The pair clash for Warrington's IBF Featherweight title at the Manchester Arena on Saturday, with BT Sport covering the fight on pay-per-view.
Warrington (27-0), of course, is boasting that unbeaten record and has been on a high since capturing the belt in front of an electric hometown crowd at Elland Road last May. However, without belittling Warrington's record, most would agree that Frampton (26-1) is the more accomplished fighter.
Frampton older and arguably 'wiser'
Indeed, while both men have fought 27 fights and there isn't a huge age gap between them (Frampton is three years older), their paths have been very different. "The Jackal" has been in the mega-arenas of the US, fighting the likes of Leo Santa Cruz in New York and Las Vegas. Warrington has largely stayed at home, with that Elland Road bout being the first that had a 'big fight feel' to it.
While the Manchester Arena is neutral ground for the pair, Frampton should be comfortable as it was the scene of his big win over Scott Quigg in 2016. Plenty of Frampton's loyal Belfast fans will make the trip over to Manchester, similar numbers to those backers of Warrington crossing the Pennines.
Bookies can get it wrong, of course, but the latest boxing betting odds from 888sport are in favour of Frampton. The Belfast man is priced at 4/9 to take the win and Warrington's title, whereas the Leeds-born hero is priced at 7/4. A draw, not always a bad bet given what happened to Tyson Fury and Gennady Golovkin in recent high-profile bouts, is priced at 20/1.
Fight may be closer than bookies' odds
While Frampton is bookies' favourite, it's not as if they are sticking their neck out and those odds seem pretty much a match for pundits' consensus. Put simply, the accomplished Frampton should take the victory, but Warrington is no 'place-holder' champion and this is exactly the bout that could put him on the next level.
However, while the odds are close for the outright win, it's interesting to see how they are adapted for the method of victory. Frampton, who wins a lot of fights by KO (15 of his 26 wins) is priced at 11/4 for a stoppage victory. Warrington, meanwhile, is way out at 8/1 for a KO/TKO/Disqualification win, but just 11/4 t do it on points.
It all suggests that the younger man must evade Frampton's smart jabs deceptively strong punches – Frampton's other nickname was "Brick Fists". But Warrington is a tremendous worker, one who has advantages over the Jackal in terms of reach and height. Looking at his past fights, Warrington seems to be indefatigable.
In the end though, this fight may be won, not with skill, but with nous. That is where Frampton holds all the aces. He knows what it takes to win these bouts under different types of conditions. Warrington may have been carried through on the euphoria of a Leeds crowd, but Frampton has fought in cauldrons without a local fan in sight. Without making a firm prediction, it's hard to see anything but The Jackal walk away with another title as he looks to cement legacy as the best Irish fighter of his generation.
