Carl Frampton was crowned unified World super-bantamweight champion after boxing clever to out-point Scott Quigg by a split decision last night.
The Belfast boxer earned scores of 116-112, 116-112 to 115-113 against to defend his IBF belt for a third time and capture Quigg’s WBA title in front of 20,000 fans at the Manchester Arena.
Frampton’s domination should have earned him a unanimous points decision and he out-classed Quigg for long spells of the fight.
Frampton was too clever and slick, using his skills, jab, feints and short hooks to leave Quigg out of ideas as he slumped to his first professional loss.
Quigg only came alive in the later rounds and Frampton finished the fight as he had been for most of it: in control.
It was absorbing rather than exciting, with Quigg having no answer to Frampton’s tidy boxing and looking out-classed at times.
Up next up for The Jackal is likely to be Guillermo Rigondeaux, the Cuban who is still regarded as the division’s best despite being stripped of his WBA and WBO world titles due to inactivity.
Miami-based Rigondeaux, 35, is still the WBA’s ‘Champion in Recess’ and Frampton must face the Cuban by July 27 or give up the belt.
At least 10,000 fans had made the trip from Belfast and with tickets at the venue shared equally between the fighters, there was a deafening din in the arena with Frampton’s fans making the most noise.
Frampton walked to the ring last after two successful defences of his IBF belt while Quigg had made six defences of his WBA belt although was only promoted to full world champion status after his last fight.
There was genuine animosity between the fighters, trainers and promoters after various rows including what changing room each would have.
But there was not much aggression early on as neither fighter wanted to commit much with Frampton scoring with more jabs.
Frampton, 29 last Sunday, doubled up his jab in the second as he grew bolder while Quigg was more hesitant in letting his hands go.
Quigg, 27, landed a good two-punch combination later in the second but it lacked power to really trouble Frampton.
It continued to be tense in the third with Frampton doing the pressing and throwing the more punches, although there were few clean blows landed.
Frampton was boxing well in the fourth, landing shots from an array of different angles nad seemed in control as he slipped the few shots that came back at him.
But Quigg then caught him with a fast right on the ropes, the best punch of the fight so far, and Frampton had to scuttle away to safety.
It was a rare moment of pressure and ambition from Quigg, who after five rounds looked out of ideas as Frampton out-boxed and out-thought him.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/boxing/carl-frampton-beats-scott-quigg-7456291
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