Frampton Feels Better Than Ever as Camp Plays Out For Donaire

To put it lightly, 2017 was a difficult year for Carl Frampton, but now he's in a good place ahead of his date with Nonito Donaire.

'The Jackal' returns to the SSE Arena in Belfast on April 21st, where a win could set up a summer stadium showdown at Windsor Park.

Frampton teamed up with Jamie Moore towards the end of last year, and told the BoxNation Podcast that he's enjoying life at the VIP Gym, alongside the likes of Martin Murray and Jack Catterall.

"It's good fun in here. The camaraderie is brilliant, everyone's kind of bouncing off each other. There are some very good fighters here. A lot of us getting ready for big fights. I look forward to getting to the gym every day," he revealed.

At 31, Frampton admits he may only have a few more years left at the top, but says that changing his management, promotional and training team last year has given him a new lease of life.

"It genuinely has, and I'm not just saying that for the cameras and for the media. I feel like I'm in a better place and I feel much happier," he said to Steve Lillis.

"[It's] probably the happiest I've ever felt as a boxer in my whole career. I'm talking about from the amateurs when I was seven-years-old...when my ma was pushing me out the door to make sure I was going training. Right now I'm the happiest I've been in boxing!"

Frampton recently hinted that he may give up drinking alcohol until he retires. "Look, something was made out of that, more than what it was. I'm not a big drinker anyway, we'll see what happens. [If I beat Donaire] of course, a pint or half-pint," he joked.

Also on episode 14 of the BoxNation Podcast, Steve Maylett analyses Terry Flanagan's next opponent Maurice Hooker, Martin Bowers discusses Daniel Dubois' progression and Barry Jones reveals how difficult it was to retire from boxing.

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