Frampton right at home in NYC

Report/Photos: Socrates Bustamonte

Belfast met a slice of Irish America in New York City Monday. International Boxing Hall of Famer and former featherweight champ Barry McGuigan and his protégé, Ireland’s unbeaten sensation Carl “The Jackal” Frampton (22-0, 14 KOs), were at Annie Moore’s NYC in midtown Manhattan with all the settings of a classic pub across the pond. The duo continued the hoopla for Frampton’s challenge of featherweight champ Leo Santa Cruz (32-0-1, 18 KOs) on Saturday night, July 30, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

Since arriving on America shores on the Fourth of July, it has been a whirlwind – fireworks so to speak – for the manager McGuigan, his son Shane who trains Frampton, and the former IBF/WBA junior featherweight, who gave up the belts to impose his will on featherweight title-holder Santa Cruz for the same belt that his manager held 30 years ago.

A Gleason’s Gym welcome by Brooklyn’s own Paulie Malignaggi began the foray on July 7, and a proclamation presented by Westchester County Executive Robert P. Astorino continued the hype on July 12 at Frampton’s training headquarters, Champs Boxing Gym in New Rochelle.

Today, it was all Ireland, starting at Annie Moore’s for the media and fans, later at a reception at the Irish Consulate hosted by Barbara Jones, hosting dignitaries and members of Team Frampton, and a final whistle stop for McGuigan at The Press Box Irish Pub on Second Avenue to continue the ex-patriots blitz.

Jim Houlihan, who was the curator of the world famous Fighting Irishmen memorabilia exhibit throughout the U.S. and Ireland a decade ago, when he befriended McGuigan, was the lightning rod for the consulate reception.
Tom Ryan, owner of both Irish restaurants, and a product of the Emerald Isle from County Kilkenny, hosted both pub crawls.

Annie Moore’s barkeep ‎Conor Harte of County Donegal was delighted to meet Barry McGuigan, and that Frampton was his protégé. “I loved Barry as a fighter because he was just a normal, humble guy, and a great fighter at the same time. He brought both communities together (Northern Ireland and, he united them. I remember he won the title in a soccer stadium, and it was huge.”

McGuigan was buoyed by the bartender’s commentary, harkening back three decades ago: “That’s exactly the effect I wanted to have. I didn’t want the people to feel threatened. Because everywhere they went, everywhere they turned, they felt threatened. I didn’t want to be sucked into that. A majority of the people just wanted to live a happy life. They kept quiet. The just wanted to live their lives peacefully. It was really bad. I wore the flag of peace.

“I wanted people to go to my fights and not worry about what they said, or where they were from,” he added. “I wanted them to go to the fights and say ‘I support Barry McGuigan.’ They went to my fights together, drank together and celebrated together. It didn’t matter where they were from. I know what I did 30 years ago started things, it made people think. That’s something to admire.”

Manager Hugh Ward, County Donegal, and bartenders Paul Gaynor, County Meath, and huge fight fan Carlos Chang from “County Venezuela” were also part of the greeting party.

The three decade journey for McGuigan as a manager has been a long sojourn with many peaks and valleys for the former world champ best known as “The Clones Cyclone,” culminating with Frampton’s two title belts and a chance for a crown in the featherweight division on July 30.

The fact that Frampton was born in Belfast, where many of McGuigan’s memorable slugfests took place at the Kings Hall; that he is vying for the championship in the same weight class in which McGuigan campaigned; and finally that and is trained by McGuigan’s 27-year-old phenom son, Shane, makes it a satisfying, spectacular journey of ironic twists and turns.

While Frampton may be considered the underdog by many to the taller, more experienced Santa Cruz, Team Frampton is brimming with confidence.

“I’m 100 percent convinced that Carl will beat Santa Cruz, but it will be Carl’s hardest fight,” says Barry McGuigan. “I believe this fight will put Carl in another stratosphere. He’s definitely more comfortable at featherweight.”

On fighting for the same title his manager held, Frampton said: “It feels like it’s going to happen. I don’t know about fate but…he was a slight underdog going in too. It just rings. Barry’s looked after me from the start, and I’ll never work with another team.

The Jackal reports that “things are going very well. I wanted to get here early for a reason, and it’s all worked. The sparring and conditioning have been perfect. I’ve adjusted to the time change. I’m asleep at 11pm and up at 8am every day. It’s normal.”

Shane McGuigan echoed his fighter’s sentiment. “Carl can find a home anywhere. The people in New Rochelle have been brilliant, so the adjustment has been fine, even with the heat.

On Frampton fighting for the same title his dad held 30 years ago, Shane added: “It’s very exciting, it feels good. But Carl and my father are two very different people with their own identity. Carl has great trust in his management team and in his trainer. He’s full of confidence. He knows he can win and his team feels the same.”

Middleweight stablemate and fellow Northern Islander Conrad Cummings (9-0-1) was also on hand for the proceedings, and will fight on the Barclays undercard. The UK native has been on a great journey, too. “It’s been amazing. It’s something you dream of as a kid. I’m staying calm. Mentally and physically I am ready to go.”

Now, all roads lead to the Barclays Center on July 30 and a date with destiny.