FACE OFF 😤 @TevinFarmer22 vs @jono_carroll

🗓 March 15
🏟 @LiacourasCenter, Philadelphia 🇺🇸
🥊 IBF World Super-Featherweight Championship

This... 🔥 #FarmerCarroll pic.twitter.com/JJnv7wzha8

— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) January 29, 2019

DUBLIN’S JONO CARROLL and IBF World super-featherweight champion Tevin Farmer were in vocal form as they clashed at Tuesday’s press conference in Philadelphia ahead of their world-title showdown at the city’s Liacouras Center on St Patrick’s weekend.

Katie Taylor also spoke briefly at the Matchroom USA presser as she looked ahead to her world-title unification clash with Rose Volante on the same 15 March bill, but the Brazilian was not in attendance.

Hometown hero Farmer [28-4-1], American boxing’s fairytale story, promised to inflict upon Carroll [16-0-1] a brutal first defeat. He also vowed to take the Dubliner for a cheesesteak afterwards, implying that Carroll would lose a portion of his purse due to a proposed bet between the pair.

Finglas native Carroll, meanwhile, went back and forth with the sizeable contingent of Farmer supporters in attendance while vowing only to relieve the champion of his belt in six weeks’ time.

The pair later squared off and had to be separated as their heads came together.

Jono Carroll and Tevin Farmer were pulled apart after they went head to head after a spicy press conference. Matchroom Boxing Matchroom Boxing

Before introducing Carroll to the baying crowd, promoter Eddie Hearn said of his recent Irish recruit:

“We have a saying in England: I don’t know if we’re allowed to say it here or if it’s rude… But he’s full of spunk. What that means is he has a big, big set of cojones.

“He’s got a massive personality and he can really fight. I saw him a while ago win our Prizefighter tournament [2014], and we had him on our show in Dublin [Return of the Mack, 2014]. A fantastic talent.

Unfortunately, for some strange reason, he ended up going with another promoter [Frank Warren]. And I was watching him on TV and every time I was watching him I was sitting there with my voodoo doll, and I was thinking: ‘Lose, ya bastard! Lose!’ But he wouldn’t; he kept on winning, and he kept on climbing up the IBF rankings.

“He’s now got a huge following in the UK, in Ireland, because he’s a massive personality.

These two [Carroll and Farmer] have been going at it on social media non-stop, and now Jono Carroll sits one fight away from winning the IBF super-featherweight championship of the world. I know this man has massive, massive dreams, and it’s going to take a lot to beat him on 15 March.

“There’s going to be huge Irish support in the arena, there’s going to be huge Philly support.”

Carroll regaled that perhaps unfamiliar Philly support with his boxing backstory before adding: “Here I am today, fighting in America. This is where dreams are made. For me, this is amazing. And I want to thank everyone from Philly — even though we had a bit of beef [on Twitter]. I love this town, this is the first time I’ve ever been–”

At this point, champion Farmer interjected: “Don’t cop out now!”

Carroll replied: “Nah, I ain’t copping out, motherfucker… You’re going to get yours, don’t worry about it. You’ll get your turn to speak. Ssh, little man.

Listen, this is where I’m going to win my world title. So for me, this place is going to be historic for my family, you know? My grandkids are going to hear stories about Philly, so I’m proud to be here today. I don’t care what this little pea-brain in the back says. All I’m saying is I’m going to take his title.

🗣 @jono_carroll: "Here I am today, fighting in America, this is where dreams are made. My grandkids are going to hear stories about Philly. This is where I’m going to win my world title. Mark my words, @TevinFarmer22 isn’t going to know what hit him.”#FarmerCarroll @DAZN_USA pic.twitter.com/LlUuabjS5n

— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) January 29, 2019

“I keep getting these fights and I keep winning these fights,” Carroll added. “Most of my fights, I’ve been an underdog. And I just keep winning and winning and winning. Even though Eddie has been poking that little doll, I’ve still been doing it!

I’m going to take Tevin Farmer’s belt — mark my words. Mark my words that on 15 March, Tevin Farmer’s not going to know what hit him. He hasn’t been tested before. And listen, if he can beat me, I’ll take my hat off and say, ‘He’s a great man.’ Because it’s going to take a great man to beat me for a world title.

“Sheeeeeeit,” Carroll added with a laugh, channeling The Wire character Clay Davis. One member of the chuckling crowd, a Farmer supporter, then shouted at the Irishman: “Easy work!”

“Easy work?” replied the grinning Carroll. “Yeah, right, son! Easy work — yeah, right! Listen, Tevin knows he’s in for a battle, youse all know he’s in for a battle.

All I’ll say is text me on Twitter, apologise after I spank your boy, all right?

Enter champion Farmer, crowd audibly on his side, and he wasted no time in launching a three-pronged verbal assault on his challenger.

Turning back to Carroll, he began: “Bro, that’s not a Philly beard, first of all. You gotta grow the sides.

“Second, you only got this fight because I chose you. You were supposed to win that mandatory [eliminator for the title], you didn’t win — you got a draw. You was talking shit, and I said, ‘Eddie, bring him here.’ That’s number two.

“Number three: I’m tired of beating [Irishmen]… I just beat your cousin! James Tennyson, I stopped him. I’m tired of beating y’all. You have to come and bring your best. You gotta win!”

Carroll jibed back off-mic but was scarcely going to deter the hometown man, who continued to tear into him.

“I’m gonna beat your ass,” Farmer said. “I’m gonna beat you the fuck up…bad. I promise to God.

“Remember you tweeted me, telling me I’m cocky?”

Carroll replied: “You don’t think you’re cocky?”

“No, I don’t think I’m cocky,” Farmer said. “But I’ll be cocky today! I’ll post up a picture, you know the picture. 20 grand says you can beat me, right?

“After I beat your ass, I’m going to take you for a cheesesteak!”

Katie Taylor spoke briefly in Philadelphia, while opponent Rose Volante was not in attendance. Matchroom Boxing Matchroom Boxing

Even if Rose Volante had been in the building, it’s unlikely that the Portuguese speaker and Katie Taylor would have engaged in similar fare.

The Irishwoman was invited to the mic by promoter Hearn, who said of 15 March’s co-headliner:

“If you have the opportunity to watch the film Katie, you must do it. It’s on iTunes, it’s on every major platform to download right now. This is an incredible story of a true fighter.

“This young lady was responsible for women’s boxing being in the Olympic Games; she had to go and showcase her skills to convince a committee that they should allow women’s boxing in the Olympic Games.

In Ireland, she is a queen, a God of boxing. And right now in the women’s game which is flourishing, she stands out as the pound-for-pound number one. On Saint Patrick’s Day weekend in Philadelphia, she will get the opportunity to win another world title and unify the division once more, before being one step away from being the undisputed champion.

Taylor was typically curt, telling the audience and cameras: “I never really have a lot to say but it’s great to be here in Philadelphia, such a great fighting city and I can’t wait for 15 March to have the chance to unify the division again and go one step closer to becoming the undisputed champion, which has always been my ultimate goal.

“Thank you so much to DAZN and Eddie Hearn and Matchroom for making these fights happen.

This is exactly what boxing needs: the best fighting the best. I can’t wait to showcase my skills again.

Carroll and Taylor’s respective world-title bouts will be broadcast on Sky Sports in Ireland and the UK as well as DAZN in the States. London Olympic silver medalist John Joe Nevin will also feature on the bill.

Join us to preview the Six Nations with Simon Zebo, Murray Kinsella and Gavan Casey on Thursday @7pm in Liberty Hall Theatre Dublin.

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