By Steve Wellings

Carl Frampton (19-0, 13 KOs) is the new IBF super-bantamweight champion of the world after defeating Kiko Martinez (31-5, 23 KOs) in Belfast last night. ‘The Jackal’ had already knocked out Martinez when the pair met last year but he settled for dishing out a comprehensive boxing lesson this time round, dropping Kiko en route to a dominating points’ verdict. 16,000 fans packed in to a specially-made venue at the Titanic Quarter and each and every one roared their man to victory.

Frampton started out behind a strong jab while Kiko was more reserved than last time, boxing on the back foot and targeting the body. The early rounds were close but Frampton appeared to be taking them. I gave the champion a share of the second session but nothing else until the seventh. Despite a tentative start Martinez tried to engage more after the fourth but Frampton’s superior movement and ring generalship were earning him the tight rounds.

Kiko found Frampton’s body more frequently in the opening seconds of the fifth but Carl’s footwork was making it hard for the Spaniard to pin him down without tasting spiteful counter punches. Midway through the fifth a frustrated Martinez hit Frampton after a slip. The Belfast boxer was unfazed and responded later in the round by dropping his man with a perfect counter right hand at the end of the round. Dazed, confused and cut over the left eye it was becoming an increasingly futile task for the visitor.

The knockdown only served to further demoralise the champion who spent the sixth round following Frampton around the ring. Carl’s sharp jab and slick upper body movement was proving too much. Frampton did, however, take his foot slightly off the gas in the seventh which allowed Kiko to cut the distance quicker. ‘La Sensacion’ once again found a home for the left hook.

Martinez’s body work was going well in the eighth and Frampton needed the use of his jab and shoulder rolls to avoid the bombs. Sensing a potential shift in momentum the crowd rallied their man at the end. Kiko continued to motor forward in the ninth but all the quality came from Frampton who planted his feet, landed the shots and slid away effortlessly to the safety of centre ring.

Through the 10th and 11th Frampton moved side-to-side, using the full perimeter of the ring to befuddle his man. Martinez cut a disconsolate figure in his corner as the champion’s threat slowly diminished. He was getting dangerously close to being fully neutralised. Bloodied and weary Martinez shipped a classy flurry of Frampton blows. The crowd rose for the final round, eager to help push their hero over the line.

Frampton dominated the final round, piling on the pressure as a sagging Martinez suddenly looked like he might be stopped. Carl eased off and cruised home to the world title. Referee Steve Gray said later that he was not seriously considering stopping Martinez, pointing to the Spaniard’s vast experience in title fights.

The judges’ scorecards read 119-108, 119-108 and 118-111 all in favour of the new IBF super-bantamweight champion Carl Frampton. I totalled 118-110 to the Tigers Bay boxer.

“We’ve done it!” laughed promoter Barry McGuigan at the post-fight press conference. “I said a long time ago that this guy was going to be the world champion and people laughed at me. We are thrilled. The night couldn’t have been better; the weather could’ve been better though. This was the biggest audience that Northern Ireland boxing has ever seen.”

The new champion entered the press conference wearing a Santa Claus suit, looking understandably beaten-up around the facial area but even that could not hide his beaming smile.

“What a night. It hasn’t really sunk in yet. My head’s still a bit sore and my hands are still a bit sore,” said Carl Frampton.

“I was a tough fight but I’m world champion now and it’s a long time coming. I haven’t had the time to sit down and think about it yet but I intend to hold on to this for a very long time. I’m relieved because that was a tough fight even though I always felt in control.”

So, what’s next? Abner Mares and Leo Santa Cruz’s names were both mentioned but Frampton said that he wants Scott Quigg. Mandatory contender Chris Avalos is also floating around in the background. Carl technically has 90 days to defend against the California boxer, who recently hooked up with Eddie Hearn, but rumour has it that Avalos is currently nursing a hand injury.

On the undercard Marc McCullough (11-1, 7 KOs) was handed a stiff test in the form of experienced Russian Dmitry Kirillov (31-5-1, 10 KOs) but came through with relative ease. The visitor was retired by his corner at the end of the eighth. Marc put another notch on his WBO European featherweight crown and is showing sufficient maturity in his work to suggest a step up to the next level is imminent.

Kirillov entered the ring with an impressive resume that included an IBF world title back in the day. That was down at super-flyweight, however, and the size difference showed as McCullough kept the smaller man at bay with his jab.

Kirillov worked behind a lazy jab of his own and threw plenty of left hooks but offered little else. His head movement was good but McCullough landed a solid right hand early on that bloodied his nose. Dmitry was enjoying himself by the fourth round and even though he wasn’t throwing or landing an awful lot more he implemented a backward shuffle. McCullough was unperturbed and kept ramming the jabs home.

Kirillov was holding and hitting in the fifth session, using his veteran smarts to avoid McCullough’s heavy artillery. The Russian sneaked in a few right hands at the end of each round to try and steal the points but McCullough was bossing every three minutes. Referee Steve Gray admonished Kirillov for a low blow in round eight. Marco, trained by John Breen and Eamonn Magee coasted down the stretch even though he could’ve upped the pace. The scorecards were ultimately not needed as Kirillov’s corner withdrew their charge from further punishment and McCullough claimed a deserved victory.

“I’m delighted with the win and a patient performance,” said McCullough after the contest. “He’s a former world champion and very tricky so I had to throw the combinations. Every shot I threw he was gone by the second one. John was screaming at me from the corner to use the jab.”

Eamonn O’Kane’s big show opportunity ended in an unsatisfactory manner when his bout against Lithuanian opponent Virgilijus Stapulionis was ruled a technical draw. Both engaged in four rounds of bloody warfare before a gash on Stapulionis’s right eye was deemed too extreme to allow the bout to continue.

Eamonn (12-1-1, 4 KOs) was bang in trouble as early as the first round when repeated right hands to the ear splayed his senses and the Dungiven middleweight was handed a count by referee Marcus McDonnell.

Indeed, McDonnell toiled all night to keep both men in check and Stapulionis (23-3-1, 16 KOs) was bizarrely deducted a point in the second round for "illegal use of Vaseline” when his corner worked on a cut during a mid-round intervention. O’Kane neglected his jab for long periods and leaned in with a whipping right hook too often as things descended into a scrappy mess. Stapulionis was wild in his approach and showed why he was an avoided dangerman leading up to this bout. Eamonn needed every ounce of his fitness and resolve to take the right hands.

The bout was curtailed due to a severe cut as Mr McDonnell stopped it at 2:47 of round four. Luckily for O’Kane the ending means that he keeps his IBF inter-continental title and still has a fight with world champion Sam Soliman in his sights

“I need to be boxing better than that but it’s a learning curve even at 32-years-old,” said O’Kane post-fight. “He was coming in with the head a bit and turning, so it was awkward. I should’ve boxed a bit more than I did. I want to be fighting again before the end of the year certainly.”

Conrad Cummings registered a 60-54 victory over Robert Talek (7-7, 3 KOs) at middleweight. Cummings’ movement was crisp early but he pushed his punches a little from the second round. The left hook was working well but Talarek showed commendable resilience and threw back some meaty counters. Bossing the middle rounds Cummings was making use of his workrate, trying new angles.

Talarek came into it in the fourth and by the fifth Conrad initiated a few more clinches. Talarek had a bloodied nose by the final round and spat his gumshield out to gain a few seconds’ rest. Referee Hugh Russell Jnr had a little more to do as the bout wore on but Cummings was well worth his win, moving the slate to (4-0, 2 KOs).

“That guy’s tough and has some good wins on the record and his record doesn’t do him justice,” said Cummings. “I want another couple before the year’s out. I was starting to box a bit more and I enjoyed it. I could’ve done more than six rounds. He caught me with a few shots, it was a learning curve.”

Elsewhere on the card Jamie Conlan (13-0, 8 KOs) defeated Mexico’s Jose Estrella (14-6-1, 10 KOs) over 10 rounds for the WBO inter-continental super-flyweight title…..Matthew Wilton (9-0, 3 KOs) beat Adam Cieslak (3-2, 1 KO) 40-36 at light-welterweight and Willie Casey (16-3, 9 KOs) stopped George Gachechiladze (15-12-1, 8 KOs) in the sixth round.

Steve Wellings is a freelance Irish Boxing writer and his 2014 Irish Boxing Review book, as well as previous editions can be downloaded here www.irishboxingreview.com