Carl Frampton is embracing life after boxing in his commentary role at DAZN - and no longer getting punched in the face for a living.
Belfast’s Frampton is widely-heralded as one of Ireland’s finest fighters and he retired in 2021 with a 28-3 (16 KOs) record.
He fought the likes of Kiko Martinez, Leo Santa Cruz, Scott Quigg, Josh Warrington, and Nonito Donaire, but despite his fighting highs, he does not miss boxing.
“I don’t,” said the 38-year-old. "I get asked this question quite a lot, but I promise I don’t miss it. I’m happy to be a part of it, and be around the big nights. So I don’t miss it. I don’t miss it at all. I’m just happy to be involved in some shape or form.”
Frampton is now an expert commentator for DAZN, having moved over from BT Sport/TNT Sports when they moved away from boxing.
Although Frampton has been doing some running and bodyweight workouts, there will be no comeback. He is content on the safe side of the ropes.
“I’ve enjoyed it,” he said of the transition. “And I was doing more and more commentary, even at the back end of my fighting days. And it was something that I was hopeful that I would maybe get a job, maybe here or there, and maybe down the line get a contract with someone. So I’ve been lucky in a sense that I kind of retired and walked into a contract with BT, then that turned to TNT, and then now I have a contract with DAZN as well. I’m really enjoying it.
“I’ve got a lot of friends from guys at BT and TNT, but the guys at DAZN, they’re all good people. Everyone looks after you. They’re just nice people, even the people just behind the scenes and stuff. We call it a job, but as someone said, ‘If you find a job you love and you’ll never have to work again.’ This is what I’m doing at the moment. It doesn't feel like work, but I get paid for it.”
Frampton enjoys hearing the comments of the likes of Andy Lee, Andre Ward, and Paulie Malignaggi as some of the best experts in the game, and he enjoys working alongside popular Welshman Barry Jones.
"Barry Jones is as honest as they come,” said Frampton. “There’s so many. Big Buncey [Steve Bunce], I think they’re a channel missing out on Buncey at the minute. I love Buncey. He can bring so much because he’s been around for so long and knows so many people and stories, he’s been around so many big fights, and the stories are always great.”
One of the things Frampton often hears now is that, since he retired, the big nights in Belfast have not been so magical and they will not be as vibrant again. But he believes that is only temporary and the good times will come roll.
"Yeah, it’s nice when people say stuff like that,” he admitted. “But it can be. Of course it can be.
"And Lewis Crocker [new IBF welterweight champion] could be the man that can bring the big nights back to Belfast. I think that was the anticipation with the first one [fight between Crocker and Paddy Donovan], wasn’t it? I think those who thought that if Paddy was victorious, then the fights might go south to Limerick. And if Crocker wins, then Belfast becomes the stronghold again. So there’s massive opportunities to come off the back of it.”
