Carl Frampton vs Scott Quigg: Carl Froch wonders if Frampton knows what he's in for in Manchester
Tuesday 23 February 2016 11:34, UK
Carl Froch is waiting to see how Carl Frampton reacts to moving up to Manchester for the all-important build-up, before he decides who is going to win...
Fight week is fight week whoever or wherever you are, but I am wondering if it will be starting to dawn on Carl Frampton just what he's in for.
Don't get me wrong, I still cannot split him or Scott Quigg and I will only make a prediction after that weigh-in on Friday when we've looked at them and they have looked into each other's eyes.
As I have said many times, before Frampton's last fight when he was put down twice by Alejandro Gonzalez Jr in Texas, I would have been leaning towards him.
Having so many supporting you can help you get through but it can mean you are carrying the weight of expectation on you, which might not help.
But I am wondering whether all this talk of popularity and being the best is bringing added pressure.
He is boxing in Quigg's back yard. That's not a problem and there might well be more Northern Irish fans there on the night, but that in itself has more people not only wanting him to win, but expecting him to win as well. Now, is that adding unnecessary pressure to Frampton?
Like most of you I have been watching the build-up, Behind The Media Tour and The Gloves Are Off, and there is one thing that I have noticed: Scott Quigg is, to me, a man who is convinced he can't be beaten.
I've seen a lot of Quigg and we know he has been down before and he is not indestructible but he gets back up, bites down on that gumshield, gets through it and gets the job done.
Frampton wasn't so good after he was put down, though. Travelling out to Texas might not have helped and maybe, just maybe, not having much support out there was a problem.
Having so many supporting you can help you get through but as I said before, it can mean you are carrying the weight of expectation on you, which might not help.
I just think there is more pressure on Frampton in this one. Quigg has plenty on his shoulders too yet for some reason I see Frampton as the one who is supposed to win, the one who has been telling us he is going to win and win well.
I can only call it as I see it, yet here we are, heading to Manchester and it has a very familiar feeling for me. Remember when I was fighting George Groves for the first time I was expected to win, it was supposed to be easy, no problem at all.
I wonder if the same thing is happening to Frampton. But what happens when Quigg is suddenly in front of him, laying those big hooks to the head and body, is hard as nails and walks through brick walls?
It happened to me and suddenly it was nowhere near as easy as I thought it would be. Mind you, in my head Groves was supposed to be an easy fight and I was genuinely convinced I shouldn't even have been fighting him.
Admittedly I'd been doing that dancing show and might have cut a few corners for that but in my head I was still convinced he would go over as soon as I caught him flush on the chin.
Maybe Frampton isn't thinking anything like that. But when he arrives in Manchester it might dawn on him. That is why it is impossible to side with either of them... yet.
I am like a normal fight fan; I like Frampton and I like Quigg, but I do think I have swayed away from Carl's corner and see it more as a 50/50 fight leaving me well and truly on the fence.
Carl Frampton vs Scott Quigg, exclusively live on Sky Sports Box Office on February 27, is available to order via Sky remote and online
