Carl Frampton title fight to be shown live on ITV

Carl Frampton, right, will face Chris Avalos next. Credit: PA

ITV will screen live IBF super bantamweight champion Carl Frampton’s eagerly-awaited first title defence against Chris Avalos.

Boxing fans will be able to enjoy free to air coverage of all the action from the CWM FX sponsored bout taking place in Belfast on February 28.

Promoted by Barry McGuigan’s CWM Cyclone Promotions, Frampton v Avalos will be broadcast live and exclusive on ITV's flagship main channel.

A top quality undercard, featuring a world title eliminator plus a number of exciting international bouts involving some of the best prospects in British boxing, will be screened live on ITV4.

Frampton vs Avalos will be the first world championship match staged in the UK to be broadcast live on terrestrial television since Carl Froch beat Jean Pascal for the WBC Super Middleweight title in 2008. Khan featured in the last live broadcast abroad against Paulie Malignaggi in New York in 2010.

Undefeated Frampton is one of the most explosive talents in World boxing and follows in the footsteps of mentor McGuigan as the latest superstar to emerge from Belfast.

The Odyssey Arena, known as ‘The Jackal’s Den’, will be packed to capacity with 9,000 devotees creating one of the most daunting atmospheres in world boxing for the American Avalos,ranked no.1 challenger by the IBF and WBO.

Frampton will be defending his title. Credit: PA

McGuigan said, “This is a great day for Carl Frampton and CWM Cyclone Promotions but it is also a great day for the sport of boxing. We are very excited to be partnering with ITV in bringing World championship boxing back to the mainstream public. ITV have for the past thirty years been at the forefront of big time boxing on terrestrial television and it is excellent news that Carl Frampton will become the latest in a long line of World champions who have boxed on ITV. Frampton vs Avalos is going to be a cracking contest between two of the best Super Bantamweights in the World. The viewers on ITV are in for a fantastic evening of World class boxing.”

IBF champion Frampton said, “I am delighted to be defending my World title live on ITV on the 28th of February. When I was a young lad all of the big fights were on ITV so to be defending my World title on the channel is a dream come true. Boxing needs mainstream exposure and I am thrilled to be part of its return to terrestrial television with ITV.”

Craig Droste, General Manager of London-based Forex trading company CWM FX said, “As proud sponsors of CWM Cyclone Promotions we know how hard Carl and the team have been working in the build up to this world-class fight and it’s fantastic news that this momentous occasion is going to be shared with millions of viewers live on ITV.”

Niall Sloane, Head of Sport at ITV said, “This fight presents an opportunity to showcase a young, exciting British boxer to our audience. We're looking forward to bringing viewers an evening of world class boxing."