WBO super featherweight champion Jamel ‘Semper Fi’ Herring 23-2 (11) has reflected on his sixth-round knockout of former two-weight world champion Carl ‘The Jackal’ Frampton 28-3 (16) at Caesars Palace in Dubai earlier this month.
The 34-year-old Frampton was looking to become the first three-weight world champion from Ireland but things didn’t go his way. American Herring, 35, turned in a career-best performance to drop the title challenger twice en route to a stoppage victory before the halfway point of the fight.
“Biggest victory of my career,” the Cincinnati southpaw said on the Last Stand Podcast with Brian Custer this week.
“Just to fight a champion who has won three world titles in two weight classes and not only have a win over, him but a spectacular win, it meant a lot. It meant more than just winning the title; it solidified me as a legitimate world champion in a stacked division.”
The 130-pound weight class is indeed deep. Oscar Valdez 29-0 (23) lifted the WBC belt from fellow Mexican Miguel ‘El Alacran’ Berchelt 37-2 (33) in an all-out war back in February. Young hotshot Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis 24-0 (23) is the boss according to the WBA following his highlight-reel sixth-round knockout of Leo ‘El Terremoto’ Santa Cruz 37-2-1 (19) in October last year.
Herring says he will take on all challengers, even if that means moving up to the lightweight division where undisputed champion Teofimo ‘The Takeover’ Lopez 16-0 (12) reigns.
“I’m still a threat, I’m still hungry and I still fight like I’m trying to fight for something,” Herring said. “I’m not satisfied with just being a champion and even at 135, I still feel like I have a lot to prove.
“Oscar Valdez has called me out. He has a title and I just feel like that’s the more logical and best thing to do for me in terms of my career. Shakur [Stevenson] is not a bad fight but there are more benefits coming from fighting a guy like Oscar Valdez.
“It’s a unification. He has the WBC crown and whoever you talk too he’s considered either the number or number two guy in the division.
“I want to have a spectacular year to where not only I come back from a rough 2020, but if I win another fight, especially against a great champion like Valdez.
“That has to put a guy like me of all people in the conversation for fighter of the year and that’s what I’m going for.”
But Herring isn’t hanging his hat on the Valdez fight happening.
“If things don’t plan my way with Valdez, I always have a lot of opportunities at 135 pounds as well,” he said.
“I’m very accustomed to the weight class so that’s not an issue and I think I have a lot more in me to prove and to gain.
“If I get Valdez or after Valdez, then I have no issue coming back to lightweight and making my statement and mark there.”
