RECENT WORLD-TITLE CHALLENGER Jono Carroll will face former world champion Scott Quigg in the latter’s neck of the woods on 7 March, live on Sky Sports.
Dubliner Carroll and Bury native Quigg, Matchroom stablemates, will square off in a super-featherweight contest at the Manchester Arena, where Quigg has fought seven times as a professional.
Carroll [17-1-1, 3KOs] produced a spirited display but came up short in his maiden world-title tilt against hometown hero Tevin Farmer in Philadelphia last March, but rebounded with a points win over journeyman Eleazar Valenzuela in a stay-busy fight in Hermosillo, Mexico, in August.
Quigg [35-2-2, 26KOs] has only fought on five occasions since losing his super-bantamweight title to rival Carl Frampton in their unification clash in Manchester in February 2016.
He’s won four of them, losing only to Mexican star Oscar Valdez whose jaw he shattered during a unanimous-decision defeat in their featherweight title fight in March 2018.
Quigg didn’t fight at all in 2019 after suffering an elbow injury in the spring which reoccurred in November, causing him to withdraw from a meeting with Carroll which had been scheduled to take place on the Andy Ruiz-Anthony Joshua II undercard in Saudi Arabia.
But victory over the Finglas man this March would go a long way toward earning Quigg the opportunity to win a world title in a second weight, while a win for ‘King Kong’ Carroll would likely also see him re-enter the title picture at 126 pounds.
“I haven’t necessarily learned anything extra about Scott Quigg since we were first due to fight”, said Carroll, 27, “but I have learned more about myself – how much I want this life and what I’m willing to give up in order to accomplish my dreams and goals.
“I understand I need to be ready all the time and so does my partner, so I was training the day before Christmas and then I jumped on a plane out to America to help Tevin Farmer prepare for his fight the day after Christmas.
“I love Christmas and I just bought my first house in Spain, so it was quite special to wake up in my own home on Christmas morning and appreciate what’s around me.
“Now it’s time for the next step. I know my worth as a person and as a boxer. I won’t let Quigg beat me no matter what type of fight it has to be. I’m good at adapting so I will see what he’s good at and then take that away from him.”
Added Quigg, 31: “I’m looking forward to making my return after having 16 months out the ring due to the injury I suffered early last year. Unfortunately, the injury reoccurred before the Saudi Arabia show but the arm is fully healed now and I’m already in great shape about to start camp.
“This is a fight I’m really excited about. I’m looking forward to getting in there and taking him apart and showing that despite being out the ring for over a year and the injury, there is still a lot left in the tank.
“I’ve got everything fully focussed on 7 March to put in a career-best performance. It’s great to be back fighting and headlining at Manchester Arena again and for my supporters to be able to see me back fighting on UK soil. It’s a great platform for me to launch my career forward again and get my name back in the mix for a world-title shot.”
An announcement on tickets and undercard information will be made next week.
