Carl Frampton calls potential McGregor-Mayweather bout a mismatch

Featherweight champion Carl Frampton was in Los Angeles on Thursday to promote his rematch with Leo Santa Cruz on Jan. 28 at the MGM Grand, but everyone is talking about what the other Irishman did in California.

UFC superstar Conor McGregor was granted a boxing license in the state of California, according to multiple reports on Wednesday. The news reignited speculation of a blockbuster bout between McGregor and retired boxing star Floyd Mayweather Jr., a once far-fetched rumor that continues to gain steam.

Frampton, a native of Northern Ireland, spoke to the Review-Journal about the possibility of McGregor starting a boxing career.

The two-division champion said he isn’t sure if McGregor is serious about getting in the ring or just trying to gain leverage against the UFC. McGregor has stated he would like to get bigger purses from the UFC and ownership shares of the company that recently sold for $4 billion.

“I think him getting a boxing license in California is almost like he’s sticking the fingers up at the UFC and telling them, ‘I could do what I want,’” Frampton said. “He can definitely box, but we have yet to see what sort of level he can get to, but McGregor is someone I admire a lot.

“Boxing is his background, so maybe with a year of solid training and do boxing only, then he can maybe do something. Who knows, but it’s hard to judge now when he really hasn’t done it, but boxing is what he’s good at. Even in the octagon you see he likes to stand up, he likes to punch, not wrestle.”

Many boxers have criticized McGregor for trying to go after the pound-for-pound king in Mayweather. Frampton sees it as a smart business move.

“It wouldn’t surprise me if he gets a huge fight,” Frampton said. “A lot of people are up in arms about it, but this is a money-making business, and he will make money forever and I don’t see a problem in that.”

Is Frampton siding with his fellow Irishman if the fantasy match ever comes to fruition?

“A boxing fight with Floyd Mayweather would be a mismatch,” Frampton said. “It would be easy for Floyd over McGregor, but McGregor would be laughing the whole way to the bank. That would do more pay per views than Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao and there would be a lot of hype around it.

“Both McGregor and Mayweather can sell a fight, that would be a huge event, but it would be very one-sided.”

Contact Gilbert Manzano at gmanzano@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0492. Follow @gmanzano24 on Twitter.