Carl Frampton and Barry McGuigan have a special relationship. They go far beyond manager and fighter - McGuigan has referred to Frampton as his "fourth son" in the past - and it is quite remarkable that they have been placed together, given what each of them represent as sportsmen and as people.
Though from Clones, the Catholic McGuigan represented something great to people from all over the troubled northern part of the island during his boxing career. Having married a Protestant woman, McGuigan's anthem before his fights was often the non-political "Danny Boy", famously sung by his father before his world title victory against Eusebio Pedroza in 1985. McGuigan has described journeying up north frequently to box when he was growing up and "just not taking notice of the potential dangers" that might have existed up there.
Frampton has a similar story (though in many ways he is the opposite of McGuigan). Hailing from the loyalist (Protestant) Tigers Bay area of Belfast, situated on a notorious interface beside the New Lodge (republican/Catholic) estate, Frampton has described travelling to republican areas of Belfast to fight as a kid and as a result not finding it strange to co-exist with the other side of what was a divided society in Northern Ireland. Similarly to McGuigan, Frampton - a Protestant - broke with tradition somewhat when marrying: his wife, Christine, is a Catholic. As a result of his neutral, non-political stance, Frampton - like his mentor - is celebrated by all sides of the community in the north.
Frampton was interviewed by US author and journalist Mark Kriegel in Belfast (in the fine drinking hovel 'The Duke Of York') ahead of his re-match with Leo Santa Cruz in Las Vegas on January 28th. He spoke about a lot during the piece (see below) - his upbringing, what religion he will raise his daughter in, how confident he is about the Santa Cruz fight and more - but one very interesting revelation was when Frampton described something McGuigan does for him before each fight:
CF: Barry is a more religious man than I am, and he wanted me to win that (Santa Cruz) fight.
This is something Barry does still, and I know this because I've been told. He doesn't tell me. But he goes and each time I fight, no matter where I fight in the world, he goes and visits these nuns in Belfast who have been sworn to a vow of silence.
They don't speak. They're not allowed to ask anything. And he goes and he sits with these nuns and he gives them tea bags, bread, milk - that sort of stuff, they aren't allowed to ask for anything - but he he asks them to pray for me.
He doesn't know I know that, but I know he does that. And that shows you that he wants me to win.
MK: How does that make you feel?
CF: Nuns praying for a little Protestant boy from Tigers Bay...it just doesn't happen. But it's happening for me, and it's a good feeling. It's a really nice feeling.
It wouldn't be the first time McGuigan has sought divine intervention for his fighter - he prayed during Frampton's first bout with Santa Cruz - but it shows the strength of McGuigan's faith, as well as how much he cares about the 'Jackal' achieving success.
