Carl Frampton has been forced to delay his crack at becoming a three-weight world champion.

The former super-bantamweight and featherweight title-holder was due to face WBO super-featherweight king Jamel Herring next Saturday.

But Belfast’s Jackal sustained a hand injury and the bout is now expected to take place next month, with a new date set to be announced.

Frampton, 33, said: "It is just a bit of a twinge in my hand, nothing too serious but I have seen a specialist and his advice was to rest it.

"So I asked about the possibility of a postponement to the fight and it was agreed to.

"It gives me a better chance because I will be going into the fight with two good hands after taking the advice from the specialist. It is nothing major and there is no fracture.

It is just a bit of a twinge in my hand, nothing too serious. - Carl Frampton

"I haven't been able to spar or hit the heavy bags for a while. From next week, I have been given the go-ahead to start doing that again. 

"I have still been training, doing loads of running, shadow boxing and hitting the paddles as well, which kind of replicates the pads, but I have not hit anything solid for the last two weeks.

"It wouldn't have sat right with me to pull out if people had spent their hard-earned money on tickets and travel, but this is completely different and I just want to give myself the best opportunity to win."

The bout was originally scheduled to take place last year but was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic. 

A disappointed Frampton added: "It is something that just happens in boxing and I am thankful we have been able to postpone it."