Kiko Martinez vs. Carl Frampton 2: Winner, Scorecard and Analysis
Carl Frampton was crowned the new IBF super bantamweight champion in front of a Belfast crowd on Saturday evening, defeating Kiko Martinez with a unanimous points victory.
BBC Sport confirmed the result, which extended Frampton's record to 19 consecutive wins, his second victory over the Spaniard in as many years:
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BT Sport's Ian Darke applauded the Northern Irishman for his result, the atmosphere of Belfast predictably electric throughout the fight:
With the applause of a home crowd egging him on, Frampton came out of the traps firing more frequently than Martinez, but the opening exchanges between the two were rusty, to say the least.
That being said, the Northern Irishman landed enough with his right hand to justify a lead on the scorecard, despite his opponent's best attempts to tighten matters.
It was in the third that Frampton really started to distance himself from Martinez, keeping the reigning champion at arm's reach with his left and showing a more calmed dynamic, maturer than the first two rounds had suggested.
Boxing Wales' Dewi Powell summed up the change in events as matters progressed:
The more the fight more on, the more it seemed Martinez was shrinking from the occasion, however. Frampton came not just in heavy numbers but with potency in his punches, too.
It was same story in defence, and any surges the Spaniard attempted were made to look pedestrian at times, Martinez simply not throwing enough to warrant any points advantage by the time the pair headed into the fifth.
A head clash in the fourth round was ruled accidental on Frampton's part, opening a cut over Martinez's left eye, but replays showed the knock may not have been such a mistake.
If that incident caused controversy, however, the Belfast audience were roused more so by Martinez's near attempt to hit the hometown lad after he'd dropped to the canvas.
The cut suffered by the Spaniard earlier in the fight began to take its toll in the fifth, Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated detailing the extent of the injury:
And it was in this round that Frampton drew fans out of their seats, taking a soft Martinez hook to the chin before unleashing a damaging right of his own, dropping his foe with the best shot of the night up to that point.
In the current vein of things, the reality grew more and more clear that Martinez's only chance of victory would be to end the fight early, but his challenger proved elusive.
The seventh round would be argued as the first to go even slightly in Martinez's favour, although mainly as a result of Frampton's seeming willingness to sit back and catch his breath.
Sky Sports' Michael Kelleher praised the host for his performance through seven rounds, hinting that the 27-year-old is capable of far greater things in future:
Frampton would be completely focused on the matter at hand, though, and his concentration showed as the ninth and 10th rounds were also added to his tally, picking away at his enemy while Martinez opted for stronger shots but on a far less frequent basis.
Credit must go to Martinez for remaining resolute through the battle, managing to open up Frampton with a cut of his own as the bout wore on, although not as severe as his own.
Mannix testified to the bravery of Martinez, noting that Frampton's heavy work rate was perhaps starting to work against him in the latter stages:
Concern struck in the 10th when Frampton curled over in defence, protecting his torso after appearing to feel a body blow from the defender, Martinez taking the round as a result.
In the end, though, the foundations built in the first seven rounds were enough to cement Frampton's triumph, responding to any danger with strong deliveries of his own, evading most potential spells of pressure.
The final two rounds even suggested that Frampton might take the knockout victory with some devastating flurries, but the tank was evidently running low and he instead looked to see matters out in full.
In a battle of brains versus brawn, the new IBF super bantamweight champion displayed a lovely combination of wits and flair, choosing his moments to strike with a keen mind and reaping the benefits.
Live Fight displays the moment Frampton realised his result was in the bag:
"The final bell goes and Frampton has won this #FramptonMartinez pic.twitter.com/rOuqrQuTah
— LiveFight.com (@LiveFight) September 6, 2014"
Boxing News and Debate quote promoter Eddie Hearn in saying a fixture opposite WBA world super bantamweight champion Scot Quigg is on the cards:
It was a cold night in Northern Ireland, but Frampton and his fans didn't feel the chill after such a resolute performance, clinical in all aspects and rarely looking likely for the defeat.
Attention will instantly turn to what's next for the newly crowned world champion, but Frampton will delight in his accomplishment for the time being, the greatest boxing display of his career to date.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
