The Jackal’s back in business
Double-weight world champion and Ring magazine 2016 Fighter of the Year Carl ‘The Jackal’ Frampton dominated Ohio’s Tyler McCreary over 10 rounds in the Top Rank show in Las Vegas on Saturday.
Official scores were 100-88 on all three cards in this ‘catchweight’ super-featherweight bout. The Belfastman dominated throughout, targeting the body of the American and dropping him with vicious left hooks in rounds 6 and 9.
Given that Frampton 26-2-0 (15 KO’s) had been out of the ring for almost a year his timing was excellent, nailing McCreary with strong jabs and digging in with follow up hooks to the body. Added to this was his ability to duck under the tall American’s jab throughout the contest and not suffer any facial damage.
McCreary 16-1-1 (7 KO’s) was game and although outgunned from the early stages showed great resilience as he went past round 8 for the first time in his career. Frampton ‘schooled’ him for the majority of the fight but the American will learn a lot from dipping his toes into the elite level waters.
Worrying was Frampton’s post fight admission that he felt something go in his left hand in the 2nd round and feared that he’d fractured it yet again. “I re-fractured the hand twice in camp, but I knew a lot of people were coming to support me. There was absolutely no way I wasn’t fighting.” This followed a freak injury six months ago when an ornament fell on it and fractured on the eve of an earlier return fight. This doesn’t bode well for an early return to the ring this time around.
During the post fight interview he was joined in the ring by WBO super-feather champion Jermel Herring who Frampton looks forward to meeting in either Belfast or New York next year. Most noticeable was the height differential between the taller American and the Irishman. This will be a key factor in any title fight should it be made, but who would back against Frampton adding a third divisional world title on Saturday’s showing. Frampton is indeed back in business.
Casimero shocks Tete
Philippines bantamweight John Riel Casimero 29-4-0 (20 KO’s) added a third divisional world title to his resume with an emphatic stoppage of South African WBO champion Zolani Tete in Birmingham, England on Saturday’s Queensberry Promotion.
Southpaw Tete 28-4-0 (21 KO’s) was a big favourite going in. After a quiet first round, he won the second, but suffered two knockdowns in round three as a result of two big right hands. He bravely dragged himself up on both occasions, but was overwhelmed by Casimero before referee Steve Gray stopped the fight at 2:14 mins.
After the ecstasy of the stoppage the Filipino champ called out Japanese superstar and World Boxing Super Series champion Naoya Inoue. “Next fight, Inoue … Come on, Monster !”. This would be a massive proposition for the Asian continent, with a three weight Filipino against a growing Japanese legend. A natural for the Tokyo Superdome or gambling playground of Macau.
Tete will have to re-group and the likelihood is he will move up to the super-bantamweight division. The Inoue fight has disappeared for the time being, possibly forever.
Other notable achievements of the weekend included female undisputed welterweight champion Cecilia Braekhus successfully defending her titles and Alexander Besputin winning the WBA welterweight title in Monte Carlo’s Matchroom promotion. Both victories being on points.
We now move onto Diriyah, Saudi Arabia for the much anticipated rematch for the WBA/IBF/WBO Heavyweight titles. Let the hype of fight week begin !
The Undisputed 