WBO junior lightweight champion Jamel Herring will defend his title against former two-division champion Carl Frampton on Feb. 27 in London, promoter Frank Warren announced Tuesday.
It’s a long-awaited battle between Herring (22-2, 10 KOs) and Frampton (28-2, 16 KOs) that had been delayed by COVID-19 issues, but it should be a very competitive fight in the early part of 2021.
After putting a hold on January fights in the United Kingdom, the British Boxing Board of Control announced Monday that fights could resume in February paving way for this Herring-Frampton card date to be set.
If Frampton wins, he would become the first three-division champion from Northern Ireland. If Herring wins, it would be his biggest win as a pro and the third defense of his WBO title.
The winner of the Herring-Frampton bout is expected to face rising star and No. 1 contender Shakur Stevenson (15-0, 8 KOs) in a title bout later this year.
Herring is coming off a disappointing eighth-round disqualification victory over Jonathan Oquendo in September which was called after Herring suffered a cut and said he couldn’t continue. Frampton is coming off a more impressive seventh-round TKO victory over Darren Traynor in August.
February will be a busy month for the top of the junior lightweight division. WBC champion Miguel Berchelt will defend his title against fellow Mexican and undefeated contender Oscar Valdez Feb.20 on ESPN. IBF champion JoJo Diaz will defend his belt against undefeated challenger Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov Feb.13 on DAZN.