FRAMPTON LANDS CHIEF SUPPORT SLOT ON FROCH BILL

Global exposure for Belfast super bantamweight star – Ochieng defends English title – Cote makes UK bow



Carl Frampton will provide the chief support on the undercard of Carl Froch’s IBF World super middleweight title challenge to Lucian Bute in Nottingham on May 26.



The Commonwealth super bantamweight champion will fight at the Capital FM Arena in front of a huge global audience with the event aired by EPIX in the United States and live in more than 20 countries across the world, including the UK, Canada, Spain, Germany, Russia, Japan and in Scandinavia.



The unbeaten 25 year old defended his Commonwealth title for the second time in Sheffield on March 17 with a second round knockout of Ghanaian Prosper Ankrah, following his explosive win over Kris Hughes at York Hall, Bethnal Green in January with a knockout of the year contending right hand in the seventh.



It’s a stacked undercard of young talent with Islington’s Erick ‘The Eagle’ Ochieng defending his English light middleweight title against Nottingham’s AA Lowe, who landed the shot at Ochieng after beating fellow Nottinghamshire fighter Terry Maughan with a fourth round stoppage to claim the British Masters title.



International flavour is added by Bute’s fellow Canadian Pier Olivier Cote and the IBF Inter-Continental light welterweight champion will face Wolverhampton’s Mark Lloyd as Cote fights for the first time in the UK.



Islington’s exciting middleweight star John Ryder is looking to move to 11-0 and faces a tough night against Yorkshire’s Luke Robinson, and fellow Matchroom Sport fighter Ryan Aston also fights on the bill.



Team GB star Scotty Cardle will make his third pro outing and local fighters Leigh Wood and Adnan Amar will also taste the action on a huge night of top class action in their city.



“It’s a great line-up and another chance for Carl Frampton to get massive exposure,” said promoter Eddie Hearn. “The unbeaten super bantamweight star heads an exciting undercard group alongside Erick Ochieng, Pier Olivier Cote, John Ryder, Ryan Aston and Scotty Cardle, who will provide plenty of entertainment to a global TV audience before the mouth-watering main event.”



Tickets for Froch’s IBF World super middleweight title challenge to Bute are on sale now priced £80 and £150 from the Capital FM Arena Nottingham website http://www.capitalfmarena.com/ and on 08444 124624 – £40, £60, £100 and £200 tickets have sold-out, as have the VIP packages priced at £300.

Sheffield fight fans out in force as Hatton and Brook weigh-in

War of the Roses stars hit the scales at a packed Meadowhall shopping centre

Meadowhall shopping centre stood still today as Kell Brook and Matthew Hatton weighed in for tomorrow night’s War of the Roses clash at the Motorpoint Arena Sheffield, live on Sky Sports 1, HD1 and in 3D.

Both men took to the scales live on Sky Sports News, Hatton making the weight first (10st 6lb 9oz) before Brook travelled down the escalators to a rapturous reception from his home town following as he tipped the scales at 10st 6lb 4oz.

“I am overwhelmed by the turn out today,” said Brook. “Coming down to a reception like that was just amazing, I have been buzzing for fight night for a while now and that’s given me another boost.

“I’d like to thank all the fans that turned out today and I promise them that I will make Sheffield proud tomorrow night.”

Carl Frampton provides the chief support as he defends his Commonwealth super bantamweight title against Ghanaian bantamweight king Prosper Ankrah, with Greg Proksa defending his European middleweight strap against Kerry Hope and Adnan Amar and Lee Purdy battling for the vacant English welterweight crown.

Team GB star Scotty Cardle makes his highly anticipated professional debut, exciting middleweight prospects John Ryder and Ryan Aston face tough nights with Alistair Warren and Lee Noble respectively, and the night begins with a potential barnstormer between Sheffield’s own Wayne Reed takes on Commonwealth Gold medallist Eamonn O’Kane.

A limited number of tickets are available for the ‘War of the Roses’ plus a full championship undercard now remain priced £30 and £100 from the Motorpoint Arena Sheffield Box Office on 0114 256 5656 and at www.motorpointarenasheffield.co.uk. £40, £60 and £150 VIP tickets have now sold-out.

Official weights

12 x 3 mins WBA/IBF Inter-Continental Welterweight Championship

Kell Brook 10st 6lb 4oz v Matthew Hatton 10st 6lb 9oz

12 x 3 mins Commonwealth Super Bantamweight Championship

Carl Frampton 8st 10lb v Prosper Ankrah 8st 10lb

12 x 3 mins European Middleweight Championship

Greg Proksa Hope 11st 5lb ¼oz v Kerry Hope 11st 5lb ¼oz

10 x 3 mins Vacant English Welterweight Championship

Lee Purdy 10st 6lb 1oz v Adnan Amar 10st 6lb 12oz

8 x 3 mins Middleweight Contest

John Ryder 11st 9lb 10oz v Alistair Warren 11st 7lb

6 x 3 Middleweight Contest

Eamonn O’Kane 11st 9lb 5oz v Wayne Reed 12st 1lb 5oz

6 x 3 Middleweight Contest

Ryan Aston 11st 6lb 5oz v Lee Noble 11st 5lb 9oz

4 x 3 mins Light Welterweight Contest

Scotty Cardle 9st 12lb 4oz v Sid Razak 10st 2lb

Frampton targets Quigg, Martinez and Munroe after March 17

The Jackal confirms Ghanaian for War of the Roses defence

Carl Frampton is aiming to impress on his second Commonwealth super bantamweight defence as he targets big showdowns with the hottest super bantamweight stars this year.

Frampton faces Ghanaian bantamweight champion Prosper Ankrah on March 17 at the Motorpoint Arena Sheffield live on Sky Sports 1, HD and in 3D, and his team say that another devastating performance is needed in the first clash of a three-fight plan that includes Scott Quigg, Rendall Munroe and Kiko Martinez.

The Belfast star claimed the vacant title with a fourth round stoppage of Australian Mark Quon in Belfast in September and impressed in his first defence with a brutal seventh round knockout of Kris Hughes at York Hall, Bethnal Green in January, taking his unbeaten record as a pro to 12 fights.

Fights with British king Quigg, former European and Commonwealth champ Munroe and current European belt holder Martinez have been touted in one of the most electric divisions in the sport and Frampton’s manager Barry McGuigan is urging them to meet The Jackal in the ring in 2012.

“The three important guys along the route are Quigg, Munroe and Martinez, and we want to fight them before the end of the year,” said McGuigan.

“We're willing to stand up and be counted and we don't want to wait around for another year so let's do it. If Quigg and Munroe don't want to fight Carl then we’ll move on and tackle Martinez – which I feel is a harder fight – because we want the big fights now. The super bantamweight division is very tough and the boys at the top are very good, and it's not going to get weaker anytime soon, so there's no point hanging around. These would all be massive, crowd-pleasing fights that would capture the public’s imagination and everyone would win.

“Martinez is defending his title in March and hopefully he'll come through that and want to defend against Carl at the beginning or end of the summer. It's far more beneficial for Quigg and Munroe to fight Carl than it is each other, and we want to meet them both to set this division on fire.”

Frampton’s fight with Ankrah promises to be an exciting affair, with the challenger known for his aggressive front-foot approach and coming into the contest with 12 consecutive wins inside the distance. McGuigan is fully aware that the African poses a big threat, and says Frampton has to put on a show to secure a hometown fight in June.

“He knows has to win impressively in Sheffield,” said McGuigan. “It's very important to us that Carl fights in Belfast in June. The game is all about the fans, and you have to give them something to latch onto. Carl has had great support in London and he will in Sheffield, but Carl fighting in Belfast will be massive news and a big seller, the fans are desperate to see him and they will come in massive numbers.”

Hearn added: “This is the final stage of Carl's apprenticeship. We expect a tough challenge from Ankrah but we want Carl to go out there and look devastating. Carl and Barry show no fear when we talk about opponents and after we've got the win here we want a big summer fight in Belfast. We are already in contact with the Hatton's regarding Munroe and would love to face him, Martinez or Quigg next.”

Limited tickets for the ‘War of the Roses’ plus a full championship undercard now remain priced £30 and £100 from the Motorpoint Arena Sheffield Box Office on 0114 256 5656 and at www.motorpointarenasheffield.co.uk. £40, £60 and £150 VIP tickets have now sold-out.