Unified WBA/IBF 122-pound champ Carl Frampton has told The Belfast Telegraph he is already making plans regarding his retirement from boxing. Though he is probably at his peak now and has many big fights ahead of him, the unbeaten Irishman is already looking at making sure he does not stay in boxing too long.
Next up for Frampton will almost certainly be a summer showdown up at featherweight with thrilling warrior Leo Santa Cruz. If Frampton can get a win there he will have achieved another of his goals: that of becoming a two-weight world champion. And Frampton said he is hoping Santa Cruz will agree to fight him in Belfast, though he says he has his doubts.
“A dream was always to become a world champion, I’ve reached that goal and unified the division,” Frampton told The Belfast Telegraph. “Another dream is to be a two-weight world champion – we set new goals all the time. I’m hoping to bring him [Santa Cruz] here but I don’t think he’ll come. I probably have maximum another ten fights. Probably three-and-a-half years. I’d like to be out by 33. I don’t want to set a definite age limit – but I wouldn’t like to be doing it much more than 33.”
Of course, fight fans have heard this kind of talk before. Remember when Miguel Cotto vowed to retire at age 30? Recall when Oscar De La Hoya said the same thing? Still, Frampton, an intelligent man, may prove to be one of the exceptions, and actually retire whilst at the top. Ten fights in three-and-a-half years would be some work-rate, especially for a lower-weight fighter operating at the highest level as we all hope Frampton will be doing.
Currently aged 29 and a pro for just short of seven years, Frampton had come through tough, physical fights against the likes of Kiko Martinez (twice) and Alejandro Gonzalez Junior, but some fans might think it’s a little strange that a peaking world champion who is 22-0 is already talking about retirement. Maybe we should enjoy Frampton and his considerable talents while we still can. That fight with Santa Cruz cannot fail to be a great action battle.