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Carl Frampton in New York: A fight that lived up to all our expectations

Carl Frampton after defeating Leo Santa Cruz in Saturday nights WBA featherweight title contest against Leo Santa Cruz at the Barclays Centre, Brooklyn, NY. Picture by Press Eye/William Cherry.
Carl Frampton after defeating Leo Santa Cruz in Saturday nights WBA featherweight title contest against Leo Santa Cruz at the Barclays Centre, Brooklyn, NY. Picture by Press Eye/William Cherry. Carl Frampton after defeating Leo Santa Cruz in Saturday nights WBA featherweight title contest against Leo Santa Cruz at the Barclays Centre, Brooklyn, NY. Picture by Press Eye/William Cherry.

WE’VE produced some of the world’s best - Rinty Monaghan, Steve Collins, Wayne McCullough, Dave ‘Boy’ McAuley, Jack Dempsey, Jimmy McLarnin and of course Barry McGuigan.

But Carl Frampton topped the lot of them with a performance of power, skill and guts in Brooklyn on Saturday night. ‘The Jackal’ took on a three-weight world champion in Leo Santa Cruz – a man who is younger than him, taller than him and who threw everything at him - and he ripped the WBA featherweight title out of his grasp.

Steve Collins was the only Irishman to win world titles at two weights and Frampton – from Tigers Bay - is the first fighter from the North to achieve the feat.

“I don’t know if it’s sunk in yet,” he said after his points win.

“When I get home it’ll hit me a bit more but it’s a huge achievement. I’m just a normal guy, working class who can fight a wee bit and that’s it.”

Three decades on from his own WBA featherweight title win, Frampton’s Boxing Hall of Fame manager Barry McGuigan is still revered in the US. The ‘Clones Cyclone’ needs no introduction and backs Frampton to be the best Ireland has produced.

“I said a long time ago that Frampton could be the greatest Irish fighter that there’s ever been,” he said.

“Tonight was the greatest fight of his life. We knew it would be a fight that would really make him stand out, we knew it would be a tough fight but Shane got the tactics with Carl absolutely brilliant and it was a spectacular performance.

“Maybe we’re talking about trainer of the year of fighter of the year here. I genuinely believe that this kid will go on to be the greatest Irish fighter that there has ever been.”

Celeb watchers would have enjoyed their night at the Brooklyn Center.

Frank Lampard and Christine Bleakley were there and Rory McIlroy, fresh from his disappointment in the USPGA, was ringside too cheering on ‘the Jackal’.

Among the boxing fraternity, veteran heavyweight Shannon Briggs chased David Haye around before Frampton and Santa Cruz took the stage and delighted the fans with his ‘Lets go champ’ catchphrase.

Thomas Hauser, biographer of Muhammad Ali, was in press row. “I like Carl, I hope he wins, but I think Santa Cruz might have too much for him,” he said as the atmosphere in the Barclays Center rose to a deafening crescendo.

Tricolours and Ulster flags waved among the Mexican colours while MC Jimmy Lennon junior stood patiently in the centre of the ring ready to get the show started.

“Ladies and gentlemen the time has come for the one you’ve all been waiting for…”

It lived up to all our expectations and Frampton edged ahead of Ireland’s greats with the finest 12 rounds of his life.