Carl The Jackal Frampton Walks Down Santa Cruz, Wins WBA 126 Pound Title
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
*Photo Credit: Robert Brizel, Real Combat Media
Brooklyn, NY (July 31, 2016)– It happened. As predicted, Carl’ The Jackal’ Frampton, 23-0, 14 knockouts, Belfast Northern Ireland, who gave up his IBF and WBA Super Bantamweight titles to move up in weight class, walked down 32-0-1 Leo Santa Cruz, a Mexican with 18 knockouts out of Rosemead, California, to win the World Boxing Association Super World Featherweight title. The bout was difficult to score, with most rounds close. One judge scored the bout 114-114 a draw. Most press had the bout scored a point or two one way or the other. Even Frampton acknowledged the one scorecard 117-111 in his favor was too wide.
Frampton won rounds two, three, and rounds five through nine, and the bout-by landing the better shots in those seven rounds. Santa Cruz did his best work over the last three rounds and appeared to win them, though two judges gave rounds 11 and 12 to Frampton.
The crowd at Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn, New York, on Saturday evening, July 30, 2016, was decided pro-Irish, with at least six to seven thousand fans having flown in to support Frampton from Belfast, Northern Ireland, singing Irish songs and chanting Frampton’s name. The crowd did not influence the course of the bout, with both fighters strategically landing their power jabs and power shot bombs while in rapid motion. This sort of a super fight, which promoter Lou DiBella called a classic, did a great deal to promote the sport of boxing.
The facial bruises of both fighters aside, USA Showtime and Premier Boxing Champions had a winner in the main event, with solid prospects for a Belfast super fight rematch.
Frampton’s manager Barry McGuigan, and Frampton, both offered ex-champion Leo Santa Cruz a rematch, either in Belfast or in the United States, sometime in 2017. He agreed. IBF World Featherweight champion Lee Selby also showed up at the post fight press conference, and expressed an interest in fighting Frampton. In addition, Frampton expressed an interest in fighting Gary Russell Jr., Oscar Valdez, and Jesus Cuellar, the other champions at 126 pounds. However, Frampton stated fighting Guillermo Rigondeaux was not of interest now because Rigondeaux, the WBA Super World Super Bantamweight champion from Cuba, has a boring fight style and personality which does not sell tickets.
Result: Carl Frampton Win Majority Decision 12 Leo Santa Cruz, Featherweights. Frampton wins the World Boxing Association Super World Featherweight title
Scoring: 117-111, 116-112 for Frampton. 114-114 a draw. Referee: Harvey Dock.
David Haye, Ricky Hatton, Daniel Jacobs, Lee Selby and Julian Williams were at ringside.
On the undercard, boxing commentator and sometimes welterweight Paulie Malignaggi did double duty, and won an easy 10 round decision over Gabriel ‘Tito’ Bracero. ‘The Magic Man’ utilized a brilliant strategy of rapid foot movement, moving in and out on Bracero, who had no ‘Plan B’. Malignaggi won the first eight rounds, with a confused Bracero standing in front of him with no stationary target to hit. Bracero won the last two rounds when Malignaggi began to tire. Malignaggi stated after the bout he was considering a fight for the European Welterweight title before retiring. Malignaggi was back at ringside doing commentating after the bout. Bracero, however popular, just cannot win the big fight.
Result: Paulie Malignaggi Win 10 Gabriel Bracero, Welterweights
Scoring: 98-92, 98-92, and 96-94 for Malignaggi. Referee: Benjy Esteves Jr.
Other Fight Results
Referees: Arthur Mercante Jr., Benjy Esteves Jr., Eddie Claudio
Tony Harrison TKO 9 Sergey Rabchenko, Junior Middleweights (1:18) IBF Eliminator
The first eight rounds were technical quiet. Suddenly Harrison finished Rabchenko with a short right to the chin. Trainer Ricky Hatton was in corner of Rabchenko. No matter.
Mikey Garcia TKO 5 Elio Rojas, Super Lightweights
In battle of inactive dinosaurs, 35-0 Garcia knocked down showboating Rojas five times.
Rojas, really a featherweight, should never have taken a higher weight bout at 140 pounds.
Tevin Farmer Win 10 Ivan Redkach, Lightweights
Farmer wins every round, his sixteenth straight win! However, Farmer was deducted one pound in the eighth round for low blows. Redkach was deducted a point in the ninth round for leaning with his head to butt. Referee Arthur Mercante Jr. maintained control of ring.
Amanda Serrano TKO 1 Calixta Delgado, Featherweights (1:41)
Serrano retains the World Boxing Organization World Featherweight title. Delgado was down twice in the first round, and taken to the hospital on a stretcher with broken ribs.
Min-Wook Kim TKO 1 Louis Cruz, Lightweights (2:33)
South Korean lightweight prospect Kim knocked down Cruz three times in the first round.
Jose ‘El Gallo’ Gomez TKO 1 Josh Crespo (2:31)
California featherweight prospect Jose ‘El Gallo’ Gomez wins eighth straight bout.
Conrad ‘Dynamite’ Cummings Win 6 Dante Moore, Middleweights
Northern Irish 10-0 middleweight prospect Conrad ‘Dynamite’ Cummings continues rapid rise. Former world heavyweight champion David Haye was at ringside for Cummings.
Josh Taylor Win Referee’s Technical Decision 2 Evincii Dixon (3:00), Welterweights
Taylor, ‘The Tartan Tornado’, wins fifth straight. Referee does not let Dixon out of corner.
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