Move Over Peter Frampton, Carl Frampton Comes Alive

By Lou Eisen

Last month, IBF super bantamweight world champion Carl “The Jackal” Frampton, 20-0, 14 KO’s came alive at the Odyssey Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland before a packed house of raucous supporters. The young champion put his entire array of dazzling skills on display by stopping a game but hopelessly outmatched Chris “The Hitman” Avalos, 25-3, 19 KO’s in five short but brutally one-sided rounds. Referee Howard John Foster, who has been criticized in the past for allowing fighters to incur too much punishment, got it right this time by stopping the fight at the 1:33 mark of the fifth stanza, saving Avalos from sustaining any more punishment.

Frampton made the first defense of the title he won from Kiko Martinez look rather easy. Frampton deserves full marks for this victory as Avalos is by no means a fringe contender and is considered one of the more talented super bantamweights in the world today. Frampton came out loaded for bear at the opening bell, landing his jab well, while throwing and frequently landing multi-punch combinations that were just too fast for Avalos to block or slip.

Frampton’s flurries came early and often and the power in his fists was readily evident in the grimaces often etched into the visage of Avalos after he was on the receiving end of such savage displays of power punching. Frampton used the first few rounds to break Avalos down systematically with resounding body shots that could be heard throughout the packed arena.

Frampton matched terrific hand speed with cruel punching power time and again by throwing left hooks around Avalos’s right elbow repeatedly, landing them flush on the challenger’s unprotected liver. Frampton, showing himself to be in absolutely superb condition, quickly cut off the ring at the beginning of each round, in order to back the hapless Avalos into the ropes where he could unleash his two fisted attack to the body and head. Frampton had no problem picking Avalos apart at will, landing numerous thunderous hooks to the head, coupled by uppercuts to the point of his chin, which had the challenger’s head snapping back violently often throughout the match.

Frampton is a skilled fighter and knows well how to corner his opponents, cut off their escape routes and then wade into the fray with a bloodthirsty zeal only matched by a lion taking down a wounded prey. Frampton is a big game hunter and would be a definite handful for any fighter in the super bantamweight division. Is Frampton the best super bantamweight in the world? At this point that honor goes to Guillermo Rigondeaux. However, suffice it to say, any fighter that would be foolish enough to take Frampton lightly would risk being on the losing end of a career ending fight. It was rather ironic that Avalos entered the ring sporting the nickname, “Hitman,” as he was the only one being hit, hard and frequently in this fight.

Frampton, always a fast starter, never really allowed Avalos to get into the flow of the fight. The super frenetic Frampton quickly reduced his American challenger to punching bag status by always going straight to the attack at the opening bell with both fists blazing away. Frampton jumped on Avalos at the beginning of all five rounds and didn’t allow the California native to come up for air until the fight was mercifully stopped. Frampton literally hurt Avalos with every shot he landed to the head and body. Frampton was staggering Avalos with body and head shots early on in the bout. Avalos looked as if he had been run over by a charging rhinoceros, given the excessive pounding he endured to the face and body.

Avalos deserves credit for even lasting five rounds with Frampton. Avalos even deserves credit for walking back to his own corner after each rounded ended, given the ferociousness of the beating he sustained at the punishing hands of the IBF world champion. It was clear for all to see even in the first frame that this fight would not go the distance. Avalos tried his best and managed to land a handful of shots but they had absolutely no effect on the super excited champion. Frampton realizes that boxing is also show business and with that in mind, he did his best to give his native Belfast crowd an entertaining fight they would not soon forget. Needless to say he succeeded and then some in that department.

After the fight ended, both Frampton and his manager, former world champion and Hall of fame member Barry McGuigan, called out Leo Santa Cruz and Guillermo Rigondeaux. McGuigan did most of the talking, touting his fighter as the best super bantamweight in the world. Yes, Frampton was indeed impressive in victory. However, the consensus in boxing is that Rigondeaux is the best super bantamweight in the world right now, followed by the perpetual power-punching machine known as Santa Cruz.

Scott Quigg, the WBA World super bantamweight champion was quickly ushered into the ring. Quigg was there to help drum up support for a title unification bout with Frampton. Quigg is from Lancashire, England and would love such a fight to happen at Wembley Arena. Frampton wants the fight to take place in Belfast. Wherever a Frampton-Quigg fight takes place, it would be an instant sellout in the United Kingdom. McGuigan wasted no time in insulting Quigg to his face although Quigg was too smart to take the bait. It is hard to believe given his many years in boxing that McGuigan still has not learned one of the oldest lessons that the sport has to offer, which is that it never pays to make a fight personal. By doing so, he is giving Frampton’s future foes extra motivation and that could very easily backfire against the IBF champion and his loudmouth manager.

Needless to say, Frampton and Quigg showed much mutual respect for one another. For them, it is not personal but strictly business. That is how boxing is most of the time. However, McGuigan didn’t let up, making it his solemn mission to continually downgrade the worth of Quigg, Rigondeaux and Santa Cruz as both fighters and world champions. There is a steep price to be paid for such folly. Frampton looked great against Avalos but Santa Cruz. And especially Rigondeaux would be a huge step up in talent for Frampton. Quigg is Frampton’s best bet for a win and beating Quigg is not a given either. McGuigan should be careful from now on lest he let his mouth write a check that Frampton can’t cash.