Jamel Herring puts his WBO super featherweight world title on the line against Belfast’s former two-weight world champion Carl Frampton this weekend at Caesars Bluewaters Dubai.
The clash will be Dubai’s first-ever world title bout on Saturday.
If Frampton is victorious, he will become the first Irish boxer to become a three-weight world champion.
The American, meanwhile, is looking to notch the third successful defense of the title he won from Masayuki Ito in May 2019.
Herring-Frampton will stream live and exclusively in the United States on ESPN+ (4 p.m. ET), with undercard action scheduled for 2 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
Ahead of the fight, Herring aired his views after recovering from Covid.
“I was able to stay focused with all the postponements because I had that motivation and hunger. I know this is still a big fight. And I didn’t want to let it go,” he said.
“Yes, a win over Frampton would be a career-defining milestone. You want to win a world title. OK, we win the world title. Well, what’s next?
“We had to defend our title to be considered a real champion successfully. I’m getting to the conversation of, ‘Oh, you want to face the other champions and the other big names.’
“Carl Frampton is a two-division world champion. He has done great things in his career.
“Since November 2019, this fight has been talked about. This is my moment. This is what I’ve worked for. I’ve been asking for this. This is a big fight for me now.”
He continued: “I know a win will push my career up. I’m just excited to finally get in there with another good champion that I can topple, hopefully, this weekend.
“I don’t have any doubts about the fight happening in Dubai because I’m a U.S. Marine. I’ve fought everywhere, in terms of the battlefield or the ring.
“If you guys remember, I was willing to face him in Belfast with no issue, in front of thousands of people.
“I was willing to give him that home-field advantage because I wanted the fight that bad that I didn’t care where the fight was at. As long as we had a ring and some gloves, I didn’t care.
“The way I win this fight is just being me, the Jamel that won the world championship. I have to bring that hunger back.
“I feel like my back is against the wall, even as the champion.”
SATURDAY, April 3, 2021
ESPN+, 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT
Jamel Herring vs. Carl Frampton, 12 rounds, Herring’s WBO Junior Lightweight World Title
Zhankosh Turarov vs.Tyrone McKenna, 10 rounds, Turarov’s WBO Intercontinental Junior Welterweight Title
ESPN+, 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m.PT
Keyshawn Davis vs. Richman Ashelley, six rounds, lightweight
Donnie Nietes vs. Pablo Carrillo, ten rounds, vacant WBO International Junior Bantamweight Title
Tursynbay Kulakhmet vs. Heber Rondon, ten rounds, Kulakhmet’s WBC International Super Welterweight Title.
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