Kid Galahad Says Scott Quigg and Carl Frampton will Continue to Avoid Him

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Kid-Galahad

 

In Bury’s Scott Quigg and Belfast’s Carl Frampton, the UK is home to two of the four world champions in the super-bantamweight division. Both are newly-crowned with Quigg being awarded the WBA belt after holding the interim title, putting it on the line for the first time in October 2013 against Yoandris Salinas in a fight scored a draw. He has since made four successive and comprehensive defences. Frampton outpointed Kiko Martinez for the IBF title in September 2014 having knocked him down in the fifth, in a rematch from eighteen months earlier.

Quigg and Frampton have both made their journey towards championships beneath the banners of the big television channels in the UK. Both were fighting on prominent Matchroom Sports shows, aired on Sky Sports, when they were still considered prospects. Quigg continues to do so while Frampton has made the switch to the only other big dog in town; Boxnation, run by promoter Frank Warren. A fight between these two has been delayed, owing to the notion that it would mean more when they are both champions. Now they are. They were making their final strides towards their respective straps. Another fighter in the same division, and from the same neck of the woods, has been quietly establishing his reputation as a force to be reckoned with.

Kid Galahad [Abdul Barry Awad] is a Sheffield fighter out of the famous Ingle Gym. The young man’s elusive style is reminiscent of all the prominent fighters that have been moulded beneath that very same roof. Johnny Nelson, Ryan Rhodes, Herol Graham, and, of course, ‘Prince’ Naseem Hamed. His fights so far have been held at the less glamorous terrestrial T.V station Channel 5. Galahad has not been the recipient of the same kind of exposure as his more advanced counterparts, despite amassing a record of 18-0 with 9 knockouts.

Galahad was in attendance at the press conference for Kell Brook’s upcoming title defence against JoJo Dan -scheduled to take place in Sheffield on March 28th- when he spoke with Kugan Cassius from iFL TV. He told of his plans for the new year.

“I’m not too sure. I think they’re on about a fight abroad in April, so we’ll just see what they’ve got for us basically. We’re looking to win the world title this year because obviously Quigg and Frampton don’t want to fight me unless I’ve got a world title.”

The only other way to get a title in this division would be to either go up challenge WBC champ Leo Santa Cruz or WBA Super and WBO holder Guillermo Rigondeaux. Neither match-up presents any less trouble than going directly for Quigg or Frampton; there are no soft targets in this weight class. But Galahad clarified what route he would prefer to take, and it was here that his detached demeanour changed to reveal the brashness typical in fighters from the same stable.

“Get an eliminator, win a world title, and then go after them. Go after Quigg, back him up cause that’ll be the easiest payday of my life, and then go after Frampton. Go Ireland, whup him, whip him up. Then I’ll be number one in the division.”

His irreverence for those ahead of him in line can only be admired. This is what I like to hear; a fighter who believes he is the best and isn’t afraid to announce it to the world. However, the notion that he will be numero uno at super-bantamweight if he dethrones Quigg and Frampton remain hollow as long as Rigondeaux is still out there. Rigo is the consensus king in the division, and to the other titleholders is like the tear-away, drug-addict child from an affluent family; everyone would rather he didn’t exist.

As long as the prospect of Quigg and Frampton signing for a unification bout remains a possibility. Most fans will clamour for that fight rather than for either to defend against Galahad, who himself is pessimistic as to whether that fight will ever take place at all. He doesn’t hold back when explaining his reasons.

“I personally believe it’s Joe Gallagher [Quigg’s trainer] who will never put that fight on. Because Joe Gallagher, he’s not gonna take the risk, he knows Frampton would probably stop Quigg . My personal opinion is he knows Quigg will probably get stopped in four rounds, five rounds.”

This man is not afraid to point fingers, and if his gab continues to match his skills he could very well talk his way into a lucrative fight. As many have before him, which is ironic because he is talented enough to be held in high regard without any added theatrics.