Carl Frampton After the Scales: This Was Easy and I Feel Great

by David P. Greisman

It was long past time for Carl Frampton to leave the 122-pound division behind. And yet there he remained, defending the world title he won in September 2014 on three occasions, including a unification victory over Scott Quigg this past February.

But that was it for him in that weight class. Now he’s in the 126-pound weight class, where he came in at 125.25 pounds for his challenge of Leo Santa Cruz at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, airing Saturday night in the main event on Showtime.

“I’m a natural featherweight. I grew out of super bantamweight a year and a half ago. I made it because I was the champion,” Frampton said in an onstage interview afterward. “I was killing myself to make the weight. This is the easiest I’ve made the weight in five, six years. I feel great. I’m leaving with the title.”

He felt good enough after making weight that he remained in Barclays Center for some time afterward, signing autographs and taking photos with a vocal contingent of fans, many of whom had traveled from Northern Ireland to support him.

They’re seeing him take on a very tough opponent in his first fight at 126.

“I wanted a guy like Santa Cruz. I wanted to prove myself,” Frampton said. “I know I can beat these guys. At featherweight, I can beat any of them. When I hit them hard, it’s game over.”

Pick up a copy of David’s book, “Fighting Words: The Heart and Heartbreak of Boxing,” at http://bit.ly/fightingwordsamazon or internationally at http://bit.ly/fightingwordsworldwide. Send questions/comments via email at fightingwords1@gmail.com