Scott Quigg said that he would “get changed at home” rather than risk his super bantamweight unification fight against British rival Carl Frampton being called off because of a row over dressing rooms.
The dispute resurfaced during Friday’s weigh-in at the Manchester Arena.
Northern Ireland’s Frampton threatened to withdraw from yesterday’s contest because he felt Quigg, born in Bury, near Manchester, has the better dressing room.
Photo: Reuters
“It means nothing to me,” Quigg said. “They [Frampton’s camp] are getting themselves wound up, they have threatened to walk away from the fight if we get the changing room but, to let all these fans down over a changing room, come on, I’m not going to do that. I’ll get changed at home and come to the arena and get in that ring. It means nothing to me, the changing room, it’s just nonsense.”
The two undefeated British world champions meet with Frampton’s International Boxing Federation belt and Quigg’s World Boxing Association title on the line.
Frampton weighed in at 55.2kg, marginally heavier than Quigg at 55.11kg.
Belfast-born Frampton was involved in more than a minute of staring with his English opponent, which he ended by blowing Quigg a kiss.
“This is the only real rivalry I’ve had in my career, it’s been five years brewing and brewing, and getting bigger all the time,” Frampton said. “I feel like I’m level-headed, I took a step back and smiled and let them carry on, it’s all good and all part of the pantomime. I am better than him. I have the power to knock him out, from the first round to the last round, and I’ve also got the boxing brain to comprehensively beat him on points.”
As for a decision on choice of dressing rooms, Frampton said: “Why not flip a coin? Simple. Or rock, paper scissors?”
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Revelations of positive doping tests for nearly two dozen Chinese swimmers that went unpunished sparked an intense flurry of accusations and legal threats between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the head of the US drug-fighting organization, who has long been one of WADA’s fiercest critics. WADA on Saturday said it was turning to legal counsel to address a statement released by US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) CEO Travis Tygart, who said WADA and anti-doping authorities in China swept positive tests “under the carpet by failing to fairly and evenly follow the global rules that apply to everyone else in the world.” The
Taiwanese judoka Yang Yung-wei on Saturday won silver in the men’s under-60kg category at the Asian Judo Championships in Hong Kong. Nicknamed the “judo heartthrob” in Taiwan, the Olympic silver-medalist missed out on his first Asian Championships gold when he lost to Japanese judoka Taiki Nakamura in the finals. Yang defeated three opponents on Saturday to reach the final after receiving a bye through the round of 32. He first topped Laotian Soukphaxay Sithisane in the round of 16 with two seoi nage (over-the-shoulder throws), then ousted Indian Vijay Kumar Yadav in the quarter-finals with his signature ude hishigi sankaku gatame (triangular armlock). He
Rafael Nadal on Wednesday said the upcoming French Open would be the moment to “give everything and die” on the court after his comeback from injury in Barcelona was curtailed by Alex de Minaur. The 22-time Grand Slam title winner, back playing this week after three months on the sidelines, battled well, but eventually crumbled 7-5, 6-1 against the world No. 11 from Australia in the second round. Nadal, 37, who missed virtually all of last season, is hoping to compete at the French Open next month where he is the record 14-time champion. The Spaniard said the clash with De Minaur was