BOXING: Carl Frampton tips Paddy Barnes for World titles

Carl Frampton is sure his good friend Paddy Barnes will be a huge success in the professional ranks after turning pro this week.
Paddy BarnesPaddy Barnes
Paddy Barnes

Belfast fighter Barnes has signed a deal with MGM and the two time Olympic Bronze medal winner has set his sights on World titles in the coming years and months.

And Frampton - the current WBA Featherweight World Champion - is convinced Barnes has the tools to deliver in the pro ranks.

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“Paddy is the most determined man I know and he would run through brick walls to achieve the goals he sets himself.

“He also has a professional style. His defence is very good, he is compact and he can punch.

“For a man in his weight division he can punch very hard and I know this from personnel experience as I have fought and sparred with him in the past,” added Frampton

And ‘The Jackal’ is convinced that Barnes will be fighting for titles sooner rather than later.

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“Paddy has loads of experience and is he starts out at flyweight he could be fighting for a World title within ten fights.

“There is no need for him to hang about and I know he wants to be busy in the coming months,

“Paddy has loads of experience and skill and it would not surprise me if he was fighting for and won a World title within 12 fights. He is that good,” added Frampton.

And Frampton says Barnes already has his sights set on an old foe - Zou Shimming.

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“Shimming is the one he wants and that is a huge money fight. Shimming beat Paddy at two Olympic Games but if they had met this time around Paddy would have won and I see Paddy beating him now that they are both professional.

“Paddy did not perform at the Olympic Games in Rio because he was weight drained.

“That was not the real Paddy Barnes in there.

“He was out on his feet at the end of the first round but he fought to the death, As I said ‘he is the most determined man I know.”

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