Carl Frampton and Kiko Martinez locked horns in an explosive press conference ahead of their huge European super bantamweight title clash in Betfair’s ‘Unfinished Business’ on Saturday February 9 at the Odyssey Arena in Belfast, live on Sky Sports.
Their rivalry has been brewing after Martinez twice pulled out of fights with the unbeaten Belfast boy and Saturday’s battle will have even more spice after they exchanged angry words today.
Frampton quipped that “the European title is like his hair; he’s losing it” and the Spaniard snapped back at Barry McGuigan’s protégé.
“I’ve come here because Frampton was too scared to come to Spain,” said Martinez, a 100-30 shot with Betfair to end Frampton’s unbeaten run. “I’ve come here to shut Frampton’s mouth once and for all, he’s talked too much and I hope that on Saturday he comes to fight and not to run.
“Frampton didn’t want to leave Belfast for anything. I have always fought away and that shows that I am not a coward like they say I am. We’re not scared to go anywhere and I never have been. They are trying to sell in Belfast something that doesn’t exist – Carl Frampton is not a good boxer.
“He and his team know that I am a lot stronger than anyone he’s met and you should all know that. I am not one of the bodies he’s had to face. I am properly prepared mentally and physically with a champion’s mentality, which is what I am.
Frampton dubbed the European champion as ‘The Spanish Hulk Hogan’, and added: “We’ll see how strong he is when I’m hitting him on the chin with the hardest punches he’s ever been hit with in his life.”
After the press conference, Frampton said he believes that weight issues were the cause of Martinez’s outburst.
“He’s struggling at the weight, he looks gaunt and that might be why he was a bit touchy and he said what he said, but talk is cheap and we’ll see on Saturday if he can back it up,” said Frampton, 1-5 favourite with Betfair to rip the European title from Martinez.
“I think he’s a desperate man and he’s trying to force me into a fight. I think he’s underestimating how good I can fight up close – I can outfight him, I can outbox him, I can do whatever I want to win the fight. I’m predicting a win and maybe even a possible stoppage win, to be the first guy to stop him would be great.
“I’ll fight how I want to fight, I’m not stupid. I can judge a fight after the first round and I’ll know what to do best to get the win.”
Martinez and Frampton clash on a massive night of boxing in Belfast, with Martin Lindsay challenging Lee Selby for the British and Commonwealth super featherweight titles and Andy Lee facing Dublin’s Anthony Fitzgerald in a ten-round middleweight clash on a top class undercard.
Super flyweight prospect Jamie Conlan faces Mike Robinson in a British and Commonwealth title eliminator while former Prizefighter champions Eamonn O’Kane and Martin Rogan, former European middleweight champion Grzegorz Proksa, former Team GB star Callum Smith and unbeaten Belfast trio Marco McCullough, James Fryers and Daniel McShane also feature.
Tickets for Betfair’s ‘Unfinished Business’ featuring Carl Frampton vs. Kiko Martinez at the Odyssey Arena on Saturday February 9 are on sale now. Floor and tiered seats are on sale from the Odyssey Arena website www.odysseyarena.com priced £30, £40 and £60, while Ringside tickets at £100 and Inner-Ringside VIP tickets at £150 are both available from Matchroom Boxing’s website www.matchroomboxing.com.
Frampton vs. Martinez – Betfair bet: 1-5 Frampton, 100-30 Martinez, 28-1 Draw
Link to the Presser: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXwoLekDvAM&feature=youtu.be
