Carl Frampton Reveals the Real Cost of Boxing Glory, The Pain Behind the Belts, Legacy & Retirement
Two-weight world champion Carl Frampton joins Darren Barker on First Round TV for one of his most revealing interviews to date.
From growing up in Belfast during The Troubles to winning world titles in front of his home crowd, Frampton shares the untold stories behind the belts — the pain, the politics, and the sacrifices that fans never saw.
He opens up about:
- Turning pro out of desperation when he was broke
- The brutal nights with Kiko Martinez that left him with busted eardrums and pissing blood
- The bitter rivalry with Scott Quigg and breaking his jaw mid-fight
- Becoming a two-weight world champion against Leo Santa Cruz — and losing the rematch
- The explosive split with the McGuigans and how it almost broke him
- Why the Josh Warrington fight left him doubting everything
- His final night in the ring against Jamel Herring — and knowing it was over
Honest, emotional, and at times heartbreaking — Carl Frampton reveals the real cost of boxing glory.
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Transcript
0:00 – Intro: Carl Frampton joins First Round TV
0:45 – “There’s nothing special about me – I just grafted harder”
2:20 – Fear of Travellers in amateur boxing
3:40 – Growing up in Belfast during riots and The Troubles
5:00 – First boxing gym at age 7 – falling in love with the sport
7:00 – Early amateur struggles & thinking about quitting
9:45 – Turning pro out of desperation: “I was skint”
11:55 – 200 amateur fights and chasing a pro dream
13:50 – Winning first title and chasing Scott Quigg
15:40 – The Gavin Reid fight and early title pressure
17:00 – The politics of Matchroom: “If he wins, great. If not, move on”
20:00 – War with Kiko Martinez – “Both eardrums busted, I was pissing blood”
27:00 – Titanic Quarter world title win at home in Belfast
34:00 – Carl Frampton vs Scott Quigg: rivalry, broken jaw & the scorecards
38:00 – Becoming a two-weight champion vs Leo Santa Cruz
42:00 – Losing the Santa Cruz rematch: “I felt deflated”
44:30 – The split with the McGuigans – loyalty, betrayal & fallout
48:00 – Joining Jamie Moore and finding a new team
50:00 – The Josh Warrington fight – underestimating his power
52:00 – Retirement thoughts after Warrington defeat: “I was retired in my head”
54:00 – The freak hotel pillar accident & cancelled fight
55:45 – Final fight vs Jamel Herring in Dubai – “I was done”
57:20 – Retirement reflections: legacy, loyalty & lessons
