Frampton reveals “dark days” following Santa Cruz defeat

It was a response that won him a host of new fans and helped cement The Jackal Army’s belief that they support not just a talented fighter but a good man.

Carl Frampton was extremely gracious after his first career defeat to Leo Santa Cruz in Las Vegas back in January.

However, the fact Belfast fighter took the reverse on the chin, doesn’t mean he didn’t take it to heart.

In public The Jackal seemed content enough in the knowledge his duck egg had been cracked by an elite fighter he already proved he could get the better of.

The fact the bout was close and played out on the biggest stage along with how a rematch looked inevitable seemed like it had softened the blow.

However, although the former two-weight world champion appeared fine, he admits he was hurting bad on the inside.

Indeed, argueably Ireland’s greatest ever champion claims he felt like a failure.

“After losing to Santa Cruz I felt pretty low, I felt like a failure because I just thought I’d let down all those fans who had travelled to watch me and all the people of Northern Ireland whose support continues to be very humbling.”

“I got really upset I hadn’t performed the way I wanted and it was melting my head a bit.,” Frampton wrote in his column for the Sunday Life.

Frampton admits there were dark days following the reverse and while victory over Andres Gutierrez in Belfast this weekend will see him return to winning ways and will almost certainly prove a stepping stone to another World title shot, Frampton claims it was his wife that really got him through the bad time.

It seems it was a case of Christine the Redeemer as Mr Frampton got ‘The Jackal’ back on track.

“I guess I’ve never given her enough credit for the support she has been to me right back from amateur days until now,”

“I have to give enormous credit to my wife Christine for getting me through some tough, dark days.”

“I felt I was taking it out on Christine a bit and that was wrong, it was just the way I was feeling — it wasn’t me and she knew it.”

“Christine got me through that, she got me to pick my head up and helped me to get my head straight and realise that I had lost to a great champion, I hadn’t been at my best, but it wasn’t the end,” he added before revealing the support of the fans played a part.

“And I must, genuinely, say that the support of the fans was amazing and they helped me get over the first loss of my professional career as well.”

“Boxers are complex characters, especially after a loss, and instead of just two children I’m sure that Christine feels at times she has three children in the house.”