Frampton comeback revealed as court battle with ex-manager is delayed

Q Radio news

A court showdown between Carl Frampton and Barry McGuigan has been put back until early next year.

The fighter known as the Jackal, from north Belfast, is taking action in Northern Ireland against his former promoter over allegedly withheld earnings.

It surrounds claims against the dissolved McGuigan family-run Cyclone Promotions UK.

In London, Frampton is separately defending an action by McGuigan for alleged breach of contract. The featherweight fighter left Cyclone Promotions in 2017.

Frampton's barrister Peter Girvan concurred with judge Mr Justice Adrian Colton QC that January 20 was a suitable date for the legal contest at Northern Ireland's High Court.

Progress has been slow because Frampton did not know when he would fight again after injuring his hand in a freak accident earlier this year.

This summer McGuigan's actress daughter Danika died aged 33.

Mr Girvan said Frampton's legal team was "sensitive to the position on the other side. We did not want to be seen to be overly pressing".

He is expected to fight again on November 30, his counsel added.

A possible trial date in December posed problems surrounding the availability of expert witnesses including a specialist in accountancy, barristers told a review hearing in the Belfast court.

McGuigan's barrister Brian Fee said a January trial date gave more leeway for preparatory measures.

He added: "If there is a new trial date it should be one that won't be imperilled by any further delay."

The judge said he was keen to deal with the case and expressed willingness to postpone another trial.

Frampton had been managed by McGuigan since turning professional in 2009 and won world titles at two weights.

He had been due to take on Mexican Andres Gutierrez in July 2017 but the contest was postponed at the last moment.

The Tiger's Bay-born fighter was 1lb overweight for his first fight since his defeat by Leo Santa Cruz, but the contest was still scheduled to go ahead until his opponent was injured slipping in the shower.

Frampton and McGuigan, a former world featherweight champion, apologised to the public but their split was confirmed shortly afterwards.

Meanwhile, opponents have been confirmed for Carl Framptn and Michael Conlon in separate events in the U.S later this year. 

Frampton had to pull out of a bout against Emmanuel Dominguez with a broken hand after an accident last month. 

He'll make his comeback in California on November 30th against Isaac Dogboe.

Conlon will have his featherweight bout around a fortnight later in New York.

He'll take on Vladimir Nikitin, who withdrew from an event at Falls Park in Belfast this summer.