ELEVEN years have zipped by since Carl Frampton scratched his name into the stone tablets of Irish boxing history, beating Kiko Martinez over 12 rounds on Saturday, September 6, 2014.
The fact that this was a rematch mattered little to the thousands of fans who braved the wet and windy conditions along the Belfast docks to witness a little slice of history. Frampton had already outboxed and broken down Kiko some 18 months before.
Their first fight was an intriguing clash of styles. Kiko Martinez swaggered into Belfast with his European super-bantamweight title but left empty-handed after being comprehensively knocked out by Frampton on a cold February evening at the Odyssey Arena.
Boxing under the Eddie Hearn banner on Sky Sports, it was a different time and situation. Barry McGuigan proceeded to wrestle his young hopeful away and place him as a premium domestic headliner on Frank Warren’s BoxNation. The McGuigans handled the business, Frampton dealt with the fighting.
The rematch took place in an impressively constructed outdoor venue on the Titanic Slipways in early September. Having rebuilt with four wins (all by stoppage) since the initial Frampton humbling, this time, a revitalised Kiko arrived with a world title.
He also had the backing of his namesake promoter and Argentine southpaw legend Sergio Martinez, predicting to us media types in the build-up that the diminutive Spaniard would produce a KO finish.
Keen to avoid the “we’ve already beaten this guy by knockout” line, at the risk of diminishing his man’s achievements, Barry McGuigan explained that he was expecting a harder fight than the first one.
This time, there would be no knockout finish, but the result was no less resounding as Frampton settled for dishing out a comprehensive boxing lesson, dropping Kiko en route to a unanimous verdict in front of the 16,000 fans packed into the Titanic Quarter.
Frampton started out behind a strong jab as Kiko appeared more reserved than in the first meeting. Frampton’s superior movement and ring generalship were earning him the tight rounds as Kiko targeted the body. For all of his qualities, Kiko showed across his career that he could be outboxed and Carl was the man to do just that.
The spite carried in round five as Carl landed a perfect counter right hand at the end of the session, sending a dazed and confused ‘La Sensacion’ down for a count. Looking back now, it was one of Frampton’s most disciplined boxing displays, especially given the magnitude of the occasion.
‘The Jackal’ moved side-to-side, using the full perimeter of the ring to befuddle his man. Martinez cut a disconsolate figure in his corner as the champion’s threat slowly diminished.
He was getting dangerously close to being fully neutralised. Bloodied and weary, Martinez shipped a final classy flurry of Frampton blows in the 12th. The crowd rose for the final round, eager to help push their hero over the line.
Referee Steve Gray told me later that he never seriously considered stopping Martinez, pointing to the Spaniard’s vast experience in title fights. The judges’ scorecards read 119-108, another 119-108 and 118-111, all in favour of the new IBF super-bantamweight champion, Carl Frampton.
Scoring from ringside (a task I never particularly relished) for the Sunday Life newspaper, I totalled 118-110 to the new king, echoing the collective sentiments of the three wise men.
“We’ve done it!” laughed Barry McGuigan at the post-fight press conference. “I said a long time ago that this guy was going to be the world champion and people laughed at me. We are thrilled. The night couldn’t have been better; the weather could’ve been better though. This was the biggest audience that Northern Ireland boxing has ever seen.”
The new champion entered the press conference wearing a Santa Claus suit, looking understandably beaten up around the facial area, but even that could not hide his beaming smile.
“What a night. It hasn’t really sunk in yet. My head’s still a bit sore and my hands are still a bit sore,” said Carl Frampton.
“I was a tough fight but I’m world champion now and it’s a long time coming. I haven’t had the time to sit down and think about it yet but I intend to hold on to this [IBF belt] for a very long time. I’m relieved because that was a tough fight even though I always felt in control.”
Talk naturally turned to what’s next. Abner Mares and Leo Santa Cruz’s names were both mentioned. Frampton said that he wanted Scott Quigg. Mandatory contender Chris Avalos was also floating around in the background.
Carl technically had a 90-day buffer to defend against the California boxer, who had recently hooked up with Eddie Hearn, but rumours that Avalos was nursing a hand injury were true. Carl would go on to flatten the lively American in five the following February.
On the Monday after Frampton’s victory, Steven Beacom summed up the atmosphere in the Belfast Telegraph.
“On Saturday evening, the Lagan lookout bridge took a pounding like never before with thousands of excited fans walking from Belfast city centre towards the Titanic slipways, some not wanting to risk trying to find a car parking space (wise choice for anyone arriving after 8pm), others having enjoyed themselves in nearby bars.
“The volume was well and truly cranked up when Sweet Caroline had the spectators bouncing in the stand with Frampton’s entrance, just after 10.30pm, moments away.”
