Herring Remains Optimistic Of Frampton Clash Proceeding As Planned

Even in the wake of a global crisis, Jamel Herring remains fully focused on what will be the most notable fight of his pro career to date.

As sporting events, schools and establishments and schools are shut down at an alarming rate around the world, the reigning junior lightweight titlist remains among those in the sport who have something definitive to look forward to in the future. With that comes his short-term wish, a future to look forward to, in and out of the ring.

“Can we put off the apocalypse until another time,” Herring (21-2, 10KOs) quipped to BoxingScene.com on Monday.

The suggestion comes with good reason in more ways than one. The 34-year old Long Island (New York)-bred southpaw is always hard at work, regardless of whether he has a fight in queue. One actually is on deck, a big opportunity in fact as Herring—now based out of Cincinnati—is set to make the second defense of his 130-pound strap versus Northern Ireland’s Carl Frampton (27-2, 15KOs). Their bout will take place June 13 on an ESPN platform, live from the Belfast, N. Ireland hometown of Frampton, a former two-division titlist who boasts a rabid fan base in his corner of the world.

Such an aspect was a bigger factor a few weeks ago than it is in present time. The ongoing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has prompted public health officials globally to place attendance and personnel restrictions on the size of events to take place over the course of the next few weeks, which could extend into months even once the sporting world—and in particular, boxing—is permitted to return to a normal workflow.

“Overall, I’m confident things will be cleared up long before June,” believes Herring, whose clash with Frampton will come shortly after celebrating his one-year anniversary as a 130-pound champ. “If you ask me, I feel for Frampton because he was expecting home field advantage. But what’s the purpose now if we’re being restricted to small crowds of people at the moment.”

Herring was always willing to travel abroad, expressing an interest in such a path from the moment both he and Frampton turned away the respective challenges of previously unbeaten foes.

Frampton stormed through undefeated featherweight Tyler McCreary, taking a lopsided 10-round decision in their catchweight fight last November. The bout took place three weeks after Herring dealt the first pro loss to mandatory challenger Lamont Roach Jr. in what marked the first defense of the title he claimed in an emotional points win over Japan’s Masayuki Ito on Memorial Day weekend last May in Kissimmee, Florida.

The win over Roach came just two days prior to Veteran’s Day, with the defending champ—a U.S. Marine and two-tour Iraqi war veteran—playing up the occasion to the hilt. The showdown with Frampton doesn’t quote grant him that same luxury as he travels to his challenger’s backyard, although at this point there isn’t a boxer on the planet more concerned with the backdrop than they are of hearing a bell to signal the start of their next fight.

“Either way, I just want to get back in the ring and officially start my 2002 the correct way,” notes Herring.  

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox