FRAMPTON REBORN
‘The Jackal’ targets the top once again after defeating Donaire
CARL FRAMPTON was viewing the exit. Not so long ago, he was discussing his strategy for leaving the sport. But after a glorious victory over Nonito Donaire at the SSE Arena in Belfast, Frampton has no intention of departing the scene. Those thoughts are now banished. In fact, he’s eyeing more show-stopping occasions down the line.
“I used to throw out these numbers, like I wanted to retire when I’m 32. But I’m really enjoying boxing and as long as I’m doing that I am not thinking about retirement at all,” Frampton said.
The performance against Donaire, a fourweight world champion and dangerous puncher himself, has reinvigorated the Belfast man’s career. Frampton showed nearly the full repertoire of his skills. After making a careful study of his opponent in the opening round, he went to work. He attacked in the second, trapping Donaire in a corner, forcing the ‘Filipino Flash’ to hook his left furiously to escape. The skill of both fighters was soon apparent. Frampton swayed back, only to counter with a firm right-left combination. He aimed a jab at the body, and Donaire’s right hand shot to the head.
But the different dimensions to Frampton’s work were the difference. He slammed his back hand down to barrel in close. His work on the inside was tremendous. It was a risk, Nonito did manage to uncork excellent uppercuts. But their exchanges, with Donaire’s back resting on the ropes, were punishing for the Filipino. Masterfully, Frampton knew when to stand on the inside and when to manoeuvre at long range. Edging
‘I’M REALLY ENJOYING BOXING, NOT THINKING ABOUT RETIREMENT’
onto the backfoot, Carl clearly had the superior footwork. That movement left Donaire’s punches falling short, while Frampton could pepper him with double, even treble jabs. His strategy was well conceived and almost flawlessly executed.
Almost flawless, because when Donaire did see an opening he took it. An almighty left hook, Nonito’s signature punch, slammed into Carl’s jaw in the 11th round. Even the Belfast crowd, whose adulation for Frampton had reached its now almost familiar state of rapture, felt it. Their cheers fell into a gasp as Carl, hurt, desperately swung himself away from Donaire.
Nonito set after him in the final round. But Frampton would orchestrate the session, rebuilding the momentum of his work and the sound of the crowd’s roar. He unleashed a final flurry, burying Donaire in the ropes with a blaze of hooks. Donaire finished beaten but still standing.
All three judges, Zoltan Enyedi, Steve Gray and Patrick Morley, were in agreement, 117-111 for Carl Frampton. Marcus Mcdonnell refereed.
The Belfast man has a clear goal, a bigger fight still at Windsor Park in the summer. Against Donaire he won an Interim title from the WBO. Their world champion Oscar Valdez is recovering from a broken jaw but Frampton has an eye on him for the August fight.
“I think it’s a really good fight it will get the public’s attention worldwide,” Carl said. “Valdez is a great fighter, really ferocious, good fan friendly style. But there isn’t a perfect fighter and I love aggressive guys when they come forward, I can deal with them.”
Argentina’s Omar Andres Narvaez may be vastly experienced, but he was too small, with too many miles on the clock to break past the consistent southpaw jab of Zolani Tete. A mostly submissive Narvaez stayed on the outside, cantering forward with the occasional outburst of punching. Tete brought in his heavy hooks to the body when he could but shut Narvaez out to defend his WBO bantamweight title, winning every round for every judge, finishing a 120-108 victor on the cards of Lynne Carter, Patrick Morley and Phil Edwards. Steve Gray refereed.
The endurance of Conrad Cummings was remarkable. Luke Keeler took charge from the opening bell. The Dubliner whipped in punches from either hand, hitting off the back foot as Cummings came on. Keeler flung a right over and wobbled Conrad badly before the end of the second round. Keeler dominated the first half of the bout but Cummings stuck in there, piling forward in the seventh round when Luke was badly cut over the left eye. But Keeler steered himself through that potential crisis and took a good unanimous decision win. Steve Gray scored 98-92, Zoltan Inyedi 97-93 and Lynne Carter 99-91. Phil Edwards refereed. ➤
➤ Local southpaw Tyrone Mckenna was the busier and got on the front foot early on against Anthony Upton. But Upton, also from Belfast, kept his form better as the contest progressed. He clubbed his right over, catching Mckenna heavily. In a close fight Mckenna snatched momentum in the final two round. He collided with Upton, swinging hooks. Anthony turned aside dropped to a knee, curious as Mckenna’s punches hadn’t put much of a dent in him before. Referee Marcus Mcdonnell awarded the knockdown and ultimately scored the 10-rounder 98-92 to Mckenna.
Mullingar’s David Oliver Joyce sustained the pressure, keeping up his assault against Seaham’s Jordan Ellison, until referee John Lowey called a halt to the proceedings at 1-43 of the sixth round.
Michael Carrero reached for Sam Maxwell with his left, only for the Liverpudlian to send a lovely right arching over the top. The blow shuddered into the side of the Nicaraguan’s head. His legs stuttered and he slid the canvas, counted out after 56 seconds by ref Eamon Magill.
Troy Williamson jabbed to feel his way into the contest before opening up on Christian Hoskin Gomez. Doubling his right cross he jolted the Plymouth man’s head back. Gomez rallied well in the second, but over the third and fourth rounds Williamson let his hands go. Gomez may not have been shaken but little was coming back and the referee Lowey stopped him at 2-41.
Belfast’s Steven Ward got to grips with Michal Ciach. He sensed the Pole weakening and pushed forward in the third round. A hefty left hook bowled Ciach over. Spitting out his gumshield might have bought him plenty of time to recover but Ward hurt him again with a right cross and battered Ciach back to the canvas. Mr Lowey stopped him there at 2-48.
At 1-59 of the second round Tamworth’s Ryan Hatton clubbed Attila Tibor Nagy
down to a knee with a body shot to halt the Hungarian. Liverpool heavyweight Alex Dickinson dispatched an inert Lee Carter,
depositing the Mancunian on the seat of his shorts where Mr Lowey counted him out after a mere 68 seconds. Derry southpaw
Tyrone Mccullagh was too active for Barcelona’s Elvis Guillen, keeping a steady stream of punches flowing, and landing, to prompt Mr Magill to end it at 2-10 of the third round.
Despite putting Arnold Solano down with a firm left hook in the second round, the Spaniard scampered away from Marco Mccullough for the duration of the six-rounder. The local man won a 60-53 decision from referee John Lowey. Lewis Crocker halted Scott James. Mr Magill refereed.
THE VERDICT Frampton looks back to his best but Donaire, at 35, is facing the end of the line.