Interview with Carl Frampton ‘I believe I need to teach this lad a bit of manners’

Belfast’s Carl Frampton looks ahead to the first defence of his IBF super-bantamweight world championship against Californian Chris Avalos at the Odyssey Arena tonight.

Q: Your opponent, Chris Avalos (25 wins, two losses), certainly seems to be enjoying the build-up, judging by his confident comments. After winning the title, is Avalos the type of opponent you need now — a bit of a mouth — to get your attention?

A: I think it’s going to be a tough fight. He’s very arrogant. Everything he’s saying, I don’t know if he actually believes it. He’s saying things like ‘it’s going to be an easy fight’, that he’s going to knock me out and claiming I’m not very good. It’s like he’s trying to tell himself that. When he sees me, it’s like he gets frightened, he thinks he has to say all this crap. He’ll probably have a go, I’m sure. I think the crowd will be very, very hostile with some of the stuff he’s said. I think it will be the best atmosphere yet in the Odyssey and he’ll have a go. But that will suit me.