National Pride and a Chance at Global Stardom on the Line in Frampton vs. Quigg

Manchester's Scott Quigg and Belfast's Carl Frampton don't agree on much. For almost five years, the top 122-pounders in Europe have squabbled over any and everything. Money. Venue. Timing. Even who will use which locker room.

But both boxers agree on one thing—this fight matters to fans in both Britain and Ireland. The Manchester Arena, home to the fight that will air Saturday on Showtime, sold out in just seven minutes, underscoring the intense interest across the region.

"It's a rivalry that runs deep and has a lot of history behind it," boxing historian Patrick Connor said. "It's religious, social, psychological and for many years was just covered in bloodshed." 

Today, any blood spilled is limited to the boxing ring and rugby pitch. But, within those playing fields, athletes from both nations are prepared to give their all. So too the fans. The arena will be split in half—10,000 tickets were reserved for Quigg's English faithful and 10,000 for Frampton's Northern Ireland base.

"The rivalry is very big because the English fans, they’re passionate about the sport in general. The Irish are passionate about the sport," Quigg told Bleacher Report. "They get behind their man. The support that they give all the Irish fighters, they create a great atmosphere.

"There’s a lot riding on this, and there’s a lot of pride at stake. And I think the atmosphere in the arena is gonna be absolutely electric."

Frampton agrees, but with a twist.

"Ireland versus England is a big rivalry and not just in boxing but in all sports," Frampton said. "But, I think that’s what Eddie Hearn and Quigg are trying to make out here that this is Ireland versus England. It’s not. I have fans from all over the U.K., all over Ireland.

"This is really my U.K. and Ireland support versus Scott Quigg’s support in Manchester. So, it’s not an Ireland thing here. It’s my support against his, and I have a lot more than him." 

It's a fight that has been a long time coming. Bluster prevailed for years as the two battled in the press instead of in the ring. Though both were clearly among the top boxers in Britain, Frampton was considered the favorite, perhaps even among the best in Irish history.  

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That all changed in two blinks of an eye in his last fight, when lightly regarded Alejandro Gonzalez Jr. knocked Frampton to the ground twice in a closely fought contest. In the same month, Quigg made short work of former Frampton foe Kiko Martinez.

"Frampton struggled with a virtual unknown, even if he wound up showing guts doing it. Meanwhile Quigg took out one of Frampton's ex-opponents and did it with more style," Connor said. "No matter who wins or how they get the win, we should see some world-class tension in there."  

Fight Info

When: Saturday, Feb. 27, 10 p.m. GMT (5 p.m. ET)

Where: Manchester Arena, Manchester

TV: Sky Sports Box Office (U.K.—pay-per-view show), Showtime Extreme (U.S.), Hungary Sport 2 (Hungary), Panama Cable Onda Sports (Panama) 

The fight itself should more than live up to the hype. Frampton is the technician with flashy, fast hands—but one not afraid to slug it out when he finds himself under pressure. Quigg is the consummate brawler. Outside, from distance, he'll be helpless. Inside, in spitting distance, he's a brutal body puncher. He's looking for a street fight and will have to force the issue early and often.

This is more than a grudge match or a proxy for national rivalries. It's a world-class fight between two of the best boxers on the planet. Both men hold a major title, joining 10 other fighters from the region in what is arguably a golden age for Irish and British boxing. 

"There’s gonna be one less by the time me and Quigg fight, but I know it’s not gonna be me," Frampton said. "It’s a good time for British boxing. ... We’re getting a lot of support from the fans. Boxing is in a great place at the minute, and we’re all playing a wee part in it."

The future for the winner, however, is across the Atlantic, following in the footsteps of Brit Ricky Hatton and Irish MMA star Conor McGregor. Once again the two men, who nearly came to blows at the final press conference, found room for agreement.

"That’s why I’m in boxing," Quigg said. "I come here to become world champion. And once I achieve that goal I didn’t stop there. I set new goals and new heights because I wanna challenge myself everyday...Hatton got that crossover into the U.S. market. He ended up taking 40,000 Brits to Las Vegas and being a global star. That’s the next goal that I’ve set."

"I think there’s potential for a big fanbase there for me with the Irish Americans," Frampton said. "That’s the objective, because I can fight in America more often. But, again, it’s one fight at a time here. I need to beat Scott Quigg first."

Jonathan Snowden covers combat sports for Bleacher Report.