BELFAST fighter Carl Frampton has split from Sky Sports because he says the broadcaster favours English fighters.
The world title contender, who is managed by Barry McGuigan, said: “I don’t like saying it, but it’s true, if you are not an English fighter you don’t get the same attention on Sky Sports.”
The 26-year-old also claimed that the broadcasting giant lacked enthusiasm in broadcasting his fights from Ireland - which he said damaged his career prospects.
Frampton told The Irish Post: "It’s not a nice thing to say but its true – it’s 100 per cent true.
“It was only the week before a fight I was getting good exposure, but before and after – nothing”.
In a stinging attack, the European Champion also said he felt “degraded” by Sky’s future plans to put him on the undercard of a British fighter only starting his professional career.
“To be European Champion and to be boxing in front of an 8,000 sell out at the Odyssey Arena producing the best atmosphere that has been on a Sky TV show in I don’t know how many years and then to be told that you’re boxing on a Luke Campbell undercard – it’s not on and it’s a bit degrading to be honest.
“Luke Campbell is an Olympic Champion which is all well and good but he’s a four round debutant and I don’t intend to be boxing on undercards like that”.
He added: “They can say what they want but Sky Sports were not happy about coming to Ireland. They were talking about costs and how expensive it was – they just didn't want to do it.
“That’s why you see fighters boxing on top of the bill cards in England and getting easy opponents but what Sky were saying is - ‘well if we are going to Ireland, Frampton needs to be in a tough fight’.”
“That’s why we said ok and I got, Steve Molitor, who a lot of people thought was going to beat me and then, Kiko Martinez, who a lot of people thought would beat me as well but the truth is – they did not want to come to Ireland”.
The Shane McGuigan trained fighter has parted from promoter Eddie Hearn and linked up with Frank Warren and BoxNation.
He believes Warren will deliver the world title shot he craves.
“The aim since I turned professional was always to become World Champion and the aim is still there – nothing has changed, I’ve just changed TV station”.
The unbeaten super-bantamweight will put his IBF intercontinental title on the line when he fights Nicaraguan Everth Briceno at Wembley Arena on July 20th.
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