Back underdog Josh Warrington to edge tight decision over Carl Frampton

IBF world featherweight title
BT Sport Box Office, 10pm Saturday

Josh Warrington seems to get better with every performance and we could be in for something special when he defends his IBF world featherweight title against Carl Frampton at the Manchester Arena.

An inspired Warrington won the belt with a fantastic performance against Lee Selby at Leeds United's Elland Road football stadium in May, and he can prove that was no fluke by causing the The Jackyl all sorts of problems despite being a considerable underdog.

In his first foray at world level the hugely popular Leeds fighter outworked and outfought Selby, and he will set a blistering pace from the first bell.

Frampton has the more impressive resume, and he will need to draw on all of his skills and experience to avoid a similar fate against an opponent who won't take a backward step.

But Frampton has shown in the past that he is willing to go into the trenches with top-notch opponents, and he usually comes out on top. He held world titles at super-bantamweight between 2014 and 2016, and after defeating rival Scott Quigg he stepped up to featherweight and dethroned champion Leo Santa Cruz with the best performance of his career.

Accolades followed - The Ring magazine named him Fighter of the Year - but 2017 started off badly. A disappointing performance in the rematch saw Santa Cruz win the belt back, and Frampton has not looked at his prime despite three wins since.

The Belfast boy has shrugged off suggestions that he is past his best and insists that under coach Jamie Moore he is better than ever. And while his recent performances may not have been up to scratch he is clearly still a fantastic fighter with plenty to offer.

Frampton certainly has plenty of motivation with a world title on the line for the first time since Santa Cruz ripped it off his waist, but Warrington, who is four years younger than Frampton at 27, is a fighter in the ascendancy and his higher workrate could see him sneak a close - possibly a majority or split - decision.

These guys have both been involved in plenty of nail-biting decisions before. Frampton beat Quigg via a majority verdict, then won and lost a split decision to Santa Cruz, while Warrington edged-out Selby on a split and beat Kiko Martinez on a majority last year.

Warrington has just six KO's on his record and Frampton had six decisions in a row before stopping Luke Jackson in his last fight, so expect a long, hard-fought contest.

Recommendations
J Warrington by decision
1pt 3-1 188bet
J Warrington by split decision
0.5pt 20-1 Coral, Ladbrokes
J Warrington by majority decision*
0.5pt 22-1 Coral, Ladbrokes

*A majority decision occurs when one judge scores the bout as a draw

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