Television actor James Nesbitt believes Carl Frampton is a "beacon of light" for Northern Ireland whose legacy will stretch beyond the boxing ring.
Frampton is training for a massive world title fight against Jamel Herring on April 3 in Dubai.
If he wins the Tiger's Bay boxer will become Ireland's first-ever three-weight world champion, and cement his legacy as one of the sport's greats.
Bloodlands star Nesbitt believes Frampton's career and life story helped unite an often fractured society in Northern Ireland.
And Nesbitt believes the 34-year-old from Tiger's Bay will one day sit comfortably in the pantheon of Northern Ireland sporting greats whose appeal transcended their given sports.
"I can't overstate the fact. I think with Carl, not only in the present, but I think history will absolutely show, that he was clearly a very important sportsman in Northern Ireland," Nesbitt told the Inside Fighting documentary.
"I think history will show he played an important role, the same way that Michael O'Neill did with Northern Ireland at the Euros. And in the same way back in the day when people like Geordie Best and Alex Higgins did.
"They were kind of beacons of light that lifted people away from the awfulness of what was happening.
"Carl, someone from Tiger's Bay, on one side of the line. And for him to come from that strong loyalist background, with his marriage to a Catholic girl.
"To bring the fans, particularly for Catholics to be prepared to go along and say 'I'm on Carl Frampton's side'.
"This fighter from the north of Ireland. You can call it Northern Irish, you can call it from the north of Ireland, you can say any label you want.
"But Carl is where he's from and represents everyone from where he's from."
