• Super bantamweight

Frampton faces Martinez for IBF world title

Carl Frampton stopped Jeremy Parodi in the sixth round in October © PA Photos

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After Carl Frampton knocked out Kiko Martinez in the ninth round to win the European junior featherweight title in February 2013, he had to watch as Martinez got a shot at a world title two fights later and won it.

Now Martinez, hungry to avenge the defeat, will make the third defence of his IBF super bantamweight crown when he faces Frampton in a rematch on September 6 at a venue to be determined in Northern Ireland, Frampton's promoter Cyclone Promotions announced on Wednesday.

"I'm over the moon to be fighting for a world title in my home [country]," Frampton said. "I have to thank my team for making this happen and now it is time for me to deliver. I am fully focused on September 6 and Kiko Martinez. It's been my dream since I started boxing to become a world champion and I have worked so hard to get this far. Now is the time for me to fulfill that dream in front of the best fans in the world."

Frampton, known as 'The Jackal', has been one of boxing's top rising contenders for the past few years. After knocking out Martinez, Frampton stopped Jeremy Parodi in the sixth round in October in defence of his European title and then vacated it. He next knocked out former world titleholder Hugo Cazares in the second round in a world title elimination fight on April 4, a victory that made him the mandatory challenger for titleholder Leo Santa Cruz.

However, Frampton's team instead pursued the rematch with Martinez.

"Carl has proven time and again that he deserves to be a world champion and now he will get his chance to become one, in the best circumstances possible, without any options on his future and in front of his devoted home fans," said Cyclone Promotions chief executive Barry McGuigan, the Hall of Fame former featherweight champion. "Cyclone Promotions have worked tirelessly over the past couple of months to secure this fight and we are overjoyed for Carl. We are in discussions with a number of venues and we will announce the venue of the fight shortly."

Since Martinez lost to Frampton, he has won four fights in a row. Last August, he knocked out Jhonatan Romero in the sixth round of an upset to win the belt.

Martinez defeated quality opponents in his first two defences, stopping former titleholder Jeffrey Mathebula in the ninth round in a Spanish homecoming fight in December followed by a seventh-round knockout of former bantamweight and featherweight world titleholder Hozumi Hasegawa in Japan on April 23.

Martinez said he has wanted a rematch with Frampton.

"Since [the first fight], when I get up at five in the morning to go training, I remember him. For me, to defeat him is a greater motivation than the chance to unify the belts," Martinez said. "I will never forget that night and I will prove that it was just a bad day for me. I am world champion now and my legacy will be bigger for facing Carl Frampton."

Sampson Lewkowicz, Martinez's adviser, said his man would gain revenge. "Yes, he lost the first fight, but he had promotion and managerial problems and was totally underpaid for that fight," Lewkowicz said. "Mentally he was not in the best condition. It's totally different now. He will knock him out."

The winner will next have to face mandatory challenger Chris Avalos, who earned the position on Saturday in Macau with an eighth-round knockout of Yasutaka Ishimoto in a title elimination fight.

This article originally appeared on ESPN.com

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