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Shane and Barry McGuigan celebrate Friday night's win with Carl Frampton. William Cherry
Cyclone

Barry McGuigan wants to turn Ireland into 'a conveyor belt of champions'

Frampton the flagbearer for a country “full of world class talent” says Barry McGuigan.

BARRY MCGUIGAN BELIEVES that his young fighters can become Irish boxing’s golden generation.

Carl Frampton was the headline act in the Odyssey Arena on Friday as he KOd Hugo Cazares to seal a world title shot.

And his Cyclone Promotions teammates made the most of their night in the spotlight on the ‘This Is Belfast’ undercard.

Jamie Conlan, older brother of Olympic medallist Michael, clinched the WBO European Super-Flyweight title while two more of the stable’s stars, Marc McCullough and Conrad Cummings, reinforced their exciting prospects with knockout wins.

While Frampton prepares for his showdown with Leo Santa Cruz later this year, McGuigan has plans for Conlan and McCullough to head up a Belfast card next month.

“We’re going to make sure these kids get out and keep busy,” he said. “That’s the most important thing for young kids.

We’ll develop Irish talent. We want to bring them through and provide a conveyor belt of champions and we will.

Cyclone is a labour of love for the former world champion and the operation is very much a family affair. Son Shane trains Frampton while older brother Jake is involved in the management side of the company with his dad.

“I just love doing what I’m doing,” McGuigan said. “It’s not work. We’ve been putting in 16 hours a day for the last seven or eight days.

We’re still very much a cottage industry. It’s the family with a really great team around us but that’s how it all starts and you build and develop and grow from there. I love it.

Tyrone’s Cummings, a former Irish amateur champion, opened Friday night’s Odyssey bill and stopped Zahari Mutafchiev to take his professional record to 2-0.

“Cummings is going places in the middleweight division and we’re going to sign other kids,” McGuigan said.

“Ireland is just full of talent, world class talent, and [Frampton] is the flagbearer.

“He can win a world title. He will win a world title.”

Ravenhill on the shortlist for Frampton title fight – but he’s ready to take his shot in America

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