By Elliot Foster
Manchester Arena, Manchester, England - In a long awaited showdown of undefeated champions, Carl Frampton (22-0, 14 KOs), of Belfast, Ireland won a twelve round unanimous decision over Scott Quigg (32-1-2, 23 KOs) of Lancashire, United Kingdom to keep his undefeated record in place and unified the IBF/WBA super bantamweight titles. The scores were 115-113 for Quigg, 116-112 for Frampton and 116-112 for Frampton.
The first half of the fight was controlled by Frampton's jab and edge in activity. Quigg was giving away rounds simply by default, by not being active and staying in a defensive shell for the most part. Quigg was struggling to get on the inside and couldn't get off with any of his shots.
Quigg picked up the activity in the seventh and started letting his hands go, but Frampton was landing with the better shots when they exchanged. The tempo continued to pick up for Quigg as he did good work in the first half of the eight, with Frampton landing hard counters in the second half. Quigg was going after the body in the ninth, digging and looking to break down the quicker man.
Quigg continued to push the pace in the tenth with Frampton appearing to look a bit tired at the start. Frampton decided to stand his ground and they were trading very hard shots to the body and going toe to toe with big shots to the head. Both fighters had their moments with hard punches landing.
They continued to trade some very hard shots in the eleventh. Quigg started pulling away in the final minute with hard punches, including a huge right hand that clipped Frampton hard on the jaw.
Frampton started very well at the start of the twelfth, using his experience to hit and not get hit as Quigg applied the pressure and was trying to land something big, but unable to close it out.
ON THE UNDERCARD
Gavin McDonnell has world titles in his sights after keeping up his unbeaten run.
The Doncaster super bantamweight featured as part of the chief support contest to the world title unification showdown between Carl Frampton and Scott Quigg, exclusively live on Sky Sports Box Office, as he picked up the WBC Silver title.
‘Mac’, whose world champion brother Jamie was in attendance at the Manchester Arena to show his support, ended the challenge of durable Panamanian Jorge Sanchez.
It was laborious and much ado about nothing, to be honest, as –– other than a knockdown, which came from a right hook followed by the exact same shot upstairs that resulted in the visitor touching down on the canvas for the first and only time in the fight –– McDonnell had the upper hand and boxed well until the final bell.
All three judges saw the contest in favour of the Englishman, meaning that he is in pole position for a shot at the world title, which is currently held by Julio Ceja, after winning the final eliminator.
Ryan Burnett set himself up for a spring homecoming by picking up a third title in his past three fights.
The British bantamweight champion added the WBC International crown to his haul with a victory over Anthony Settoul at the Manchester Arena as part of the undercard to the world super bantamweight title unification showdown between fellow Ulsterman Carl Frampton and Scott Quigg of Bury.
Burnett, who beat Jason Booth to clinch the Lonsdale belt in his last fight in November, knocked his man down in the fifth round, exclusively live on Sky Sports Box Office, but otherwise laboured to a points decision of 100-89 twice and 100-90.
He is now scheduled to headline a bill in Belfast on April 30, live on Sky Sports at a venue to be confirmed.
And Isaac Lowe claimed the vacant Commonwealth featherweight title with a victory over Marco McCullough.
The Morecambe man took on the former European title challenger in a Matchroom vs. Cyclone collision.
It turned out to be, no pun intended, a titanic battle, with both fighters giving it their all.
But as it wore on, the cousin of world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury –– Lowe –– began to tee off somewhat at will and after McCullough took just about enough, the referee was having a good look but was saved from doing his job by the Belfast man’s corner, who threw in the towel to withdraw their man from any further punishment.