Guardian interview
Frampton is interviewed by The Guardian. He talks about growing up in Ireland.
I was always quiet and even timid. A few years ago I read about [the boy he fought]. At least I think it was him. A newspaper report said he’d ended up in jail after stabbing another man. When I was seven he seemed so much tougher, rough and bigger than me. I was just a very wee boy shitting himself.
On upcoming bout with Léo Santa Cruz.
I don’t see any way Léo can change his game. He will just come after me as hard as last time. He threw 1,100 punches at me that night. He can’t do much more this time … but, even if he does, it will just give me more chances to nail him…I’ve watched the first fight a few times and I made plenty of mistakes. Sometimes I stood my ground too long. Even when I moved back I was doing so in straight lines. I got clipped with combinations as he has pretty long arms. So if I take one step and then meet him and counter I can cut out so many mistakes.
The Reveal interview
Kriegel interviews Frampton in Belfast.
Even since I was a kid, it’s a much easier place to live. I kind of grew up at the back end of the troubles. The troubles were almost over when I grew up, and there was a still a lot of fighting between the Catholics and the Protestants. Now it’s a much more inclusive city. It’s moved on a lot. I feel like I should have a job for the Tourist Board. I’m constantly promoting Belfast..This is a good city…I started boxing when I was seven years old. And I was in and out of Catholic/Nationalist areas all the time. So I never really got involved in too much trouble…They tried to keep religion out of boxing, and it’s one of the only sports it can really happen in..It’s a respect thing, and people respect good fighters over here. It doesn’t matter what side of the fence you come from…People want to look at me and say I’m a new figure for Northern Ireland. I’m a Protestant married to a Catholic. This is a ‘new age’ thing.
