Carl Frampton: I Wanted a Fight The People Would Remember

Carl Frampton unanimously outpointed previously undefeated champion Leo Santa Cruz on Saturday night to take the WBA super featherweight title.

Frampton, from Northern Ireland, improved to 23-0. Santa Cruz, from Mexico, dropped to 32-1-1.

"It’s a dream come true," said the new champion. "I had the dream of winning a world title and I won it, but I never thought I’d win in two divisions. It was a tough fight, I wanted it to be a tough fight because I wanted a fight the people could remember. I respect him a lot. He was a true warrior."

Judges Frank Lombardi and Tom Shreck gave him the fight with 116-112 and 117-111 scores. The third judge, Guido Cavalleri, had it 114-114.

At the end of the second round, both fighters received a sustained, roaring ovation from the crowd of 9,062 at Brooklyn's Barclays Center. Santa Cruz and Frampton took turns landing heavy shots in the round, and continued to alternate exchanges for the remainder of the fight.

Despite the ferociousness of the flurries, neither fighter was able to knock down the other.

"I had a good game plan, Frampton said. "I won it with my heart, not with my head and I got my hand raised. I won the fight because I didn't lose control. I earned his respect early in the fight with my distance control and hard punching."