Carl Frampton fired up for title shot

By Ronan Mullen

Carl Frampton booked his shot at the World Featherweight Championship with an emphatic win over Luke Jackson on Saturday night.

The end came via TKO during round nine, Frampton lighting up a wet and windswept Windsor Park by scoring his first stoppage win in over three years.

Already a two-weight title holder, he will now look to reclaim a portion of the 126-pound crown when he challenges IBF belt-holder Josh Warrington in late 2018.

The latter was amongst a 25,000-strong crowd present for proceedings at Belfast’s feted home of football, inclement conditions not enough to dampen the fervent refrain of the hometown faithful.

After a somewhat stilted start, the Ulsterman quickly took control, his typically adept footwork framing matters in the early going.

Though Jackson did find sparing success in spots, his rugged returns of fire were largely kept in check by the more polished output of Frampton.

Sustained and assured bodywork would most notably tell the tale in that regard, Frampton flooring the Tasmanian with a left hook at the close of round eight. The bell served as little more than a stay of execution for a visibly wilting Jackson, his corner duly throwing in the towel to end the fight inside nine.

“It was just an unreal experience, a dream come true”, beamed Frampton.

“I was having a meal beforehand with my wife Christine and the chicken was shaking in my hand; I was so nervous.

“I knew he was tough, and (trainer) Jamie Moore told me to hit him with jabs and break him down. After five rounds I felt I could walk through him a little bit. I felt so relaxed, I was able to try things out. Luke would have stood in there as long as possible if he could.

“The atmosphere was special, the crowd was fantastic and I’ll never forget it. It was unbelievable from start to finish. I puffed the chest out, I felt about 5ft 7 and a half!”

While the win furthers Frampton’s calls for a rubber match with long-time foe Leo Santa Cruz, as well as a clash with WBO kingpin Oscar Valdez, promoter Frank Warren declared that Warrington will indeed be next man up.

“These are my prime years, I feel good”, said Frampton of the task at hand.

“I have never felt better than I have with the team around me at the moment.

“I know myself I still have a lot [left in the tank] but I have to prove it with performances like that. Warrington is a different fight altogether, but I’m keen as mustard. Let’s do it.”

It proved out to be a less auspicious night for Frampton’s lifelong friend Paddy Barnes, the two-time Olympic medallist coming up short in his maiden world title tilt.

Barnes was dropped and stopped by flyweight champion Cristofer Rosales in round four, the Nicaraguan’s heavier hands a noticeable point of separation in an otherwise even affair.

Despite landing well amidst spells of educated pressure, Barnes had no answer to Rosales’ picture-perfect right uppercut downstairs, the local man falling to the first defeat of his still young pro career.

On an evening dominated in large part by Irish interest, including the debut of another Olympian in Steven Donnelly, developments atop the international heavyweight scene would ultimately garner most of the global headlines.