Later this month, Carl Frampton will go toe-to-toe with American Jamel Herring; the Northern Irishman hoping to etch his name into the history books. If Frampton can overcome the challenge posed by WBO super featherweight champion Herring, he will become the first boxer from the island of Ireland to win a world title at three different weight classes. And he’ll join just a select few Britons to achieve that feat.
Nonetheless, the Belfast-born fighter is the heavy favourite in the Frampton vs Herring odds. So, as ‘The Jackal’ gears up to make history, let’s take a look back at his last five bouts.
Darren Traynor – Win via TKO
With the pandemic putting paid to any hopes of Frampton and Herring going toe-to-toe last year as expected, they both took on interim bouts. For The Jackal, it was a 10-round encounter against the little-known Darren Traynor at London’s York Hall. Frampton looked a little rusty in the early rounds against the former two-weight Scottish champion. In the latter stages, however, the Belfast man took control of the fight; his body punches proving too much for Traynor. One sent him to the mat in the sixth round, before he called it quits after another in the seventh. It was a 28th career victory for Frampton.
Tyler McCreary – Win via decision (unanimous)
A bout against Tyler McCreary at Las Vegas’ Cosmopolitan Hotel in November 2019 was The Jackal’s first time in the ring in over a year. And, similarly to the Traynor fight, it wasn’t the most convincing of performances from Carl Frampton. Despite a couple of knockdowns, the Belfast boxer failed to stop the unbeaten American inside the 10-round encounter. Instead, the bout went to the scorecards; Frampton winning rather comfortably, with all three judges scoring it 100-88 in his favour.
Josh Warrington – Loss via decision (unanimous)
Defeat to Josh Warrington was a bitter blow for Frampton. The Jackal was largely expected to go to Manchester and strip the Yorkshire fighter of the IBF featherweight title. In what was an incredible fight with both boxers trading some big blows, however, Warrington defied odds edging a victory on the judge’s scorecards; two judges marking it 116-112, while the other scored it 116-113. It was a second-successive defeat in a title fight for The Jackal. He lost to Léo Santa Cruz in the year prior.
Luke Jackson – Win via TKO
A bout at Northern Ireland’s national stadium, Windsor Park, was at the top of Frampton’s wish list for some time. Against Australian Luke Jackson, that dream became a reality. A 24,000-strong crowd crammed into the Belfast venue as The Jackal put on a dominant display. Carl Frampton knocked his opponent with an empathic body shot in the ninth and, later in the round, Jackson’s corner threw in the towel.
“This was unreal,” Frampton said afterwards. “The atmosphere was special, the crowd was fantastic and they made my dream come true. It was unbelievable from start to finish.”
Nonito Donaire – Win via decision (unanimous)
Frampton defeated Nonito Donaire on points at the SSE Arena in Belfast to win the WBO interim featherweight title. The Jackal set the tone for much of the bout against the former four-weight champion. Despite a scare in the 11th when the veteran Filipino landed some big blows, it was a rather comfortable victory on the scorecards; all three judges scoring the bout 117-111.
