Martinez-Frampton heads to Belfast in January

By Jonny Stapleton

KIKO Martinez won't just turn up to face Carl Frampton for the European title in Belfast he will win and retain his crown, according to Sergio Martinez.
Martinez has assured Team Frampton and Irish fight fans that Kiko Martinez won't go AWOL for a third time and will turn up for his proposed European title defence against Carl Frampton in January.

Frampton has twice agreed terms with the fighter Irish fans have now labelled 'Sick Note', only for the three time and reigning champion of Europe to pull out last minute.

The one sided demolition of former world champion Steve Molitor, Martinez's September replacement, proved Frampton is ready to move on to world level, but the Commonwealth champion has unfinished Martienz business and still has eyes on the Continental crown.

And The Greatest Middleweight in the world, Pound for Pound world number 3 and Kiko Martinez new promoter claims 'The Jackal' will get the chance to sink his teeth into the fighter who stopped Bernard Dunne within a round.

Martinez, who beat Matthew Macklin in New York on St Patrick's Day, claims a deal is done and has played down fears Kiko Martinez will pull out late again.

"We won the official purse bids organized by the EBU for the fight, our offer exceeded all others, but Frampton's promoter (Edddie Hearn) is keen to take the fight to Belfast. They have made a better offer and Kiko will have a better purse. We do not mind going to Belfast the home of Carl because we have great confidence in our boxer, so we agreed," Martinez said yesterday.

"As I said before, the fight will go ahead and Kiko will fight. Kiko injured his shoulder and asked for an adjournment the last time out, that was it. It happens a lot of fighters and it ould have happened to Frampton."

Sergio Martinez has Irish previous having fought Matthew Macklin on St Patricks Day- he also promoted Dee Walsh bout in Spain over the summer
Not only does Martinez assure Martinez won't go AWOL he is also certain his charge won't go missing in action.

The world middleweight champ is confident the Spaniard will beat Barry McGuigan's protégé and also stressed he wants the clash to be a world title eliminator.

"We want the fight to be a world title eliminator for a world title and will try and make that happen. Who wins will have the biggest fight of their career awaiting. Kiko is the biggest talent in Spain right now and is known around Europe and rightly so. Frampton is a very good fighter, but we know that Kiko will win. He is very strong and nothing will stop him as he peruses a world title."



http://www.irish-boxing.com/2012/11/sergio-martinezkiko-wont-go-awol-or-mia-for-frampton-bout/