Carl Frampton loses title to Leo Santa Cruz in Las Vegas

Carl Frampton has lost his WBA featherweight title.

The Jackal took on Leo Santa Cruz in a rematch at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, but would be on the wrong end of a majority points decision.

When the pair first met in New York last Summer it was a titanic twelve round tussle, this time round it was a more tactical affair, however there was plenty of fire-fights in an engrossing clash which most felt was won by Santa Cruz.

5,000 members of ‘The Jackal Army’ had made the long journey across the Atlantic Ocean and eight time zones for the fight, and were in fine voice – indeed the Belfast man’s ring walk, to Freed From Desire/Frampton’s on Fire, will surely go down as perhaps the greatest entrance in Irish boxing history.

Santa Cruz began behind the jab, and seemed to find his range immediately. The pair would trade in spurts in the second half of the round, Frampton perhaps landing the heavier, but it was Santa Cruz who shaded the opener

The Mexican-American was definitely taking a more tentative approach and stayed behind the jab in the second, where he would again prevail over Frampton in the fencing.

A closer and cagier third saw Frampton finish the stronger and perhaps nick it as the bout continued to smoulder rather than blaze.

The caginess continued into the even fourth which would explode in the final minute, before Frampton hit the canvas at the bell – which was correctly ruled a trip by referee Kenny Bayless.

While Santa Cruz would finish the fifth well, the stanza saw Frampton seem to find his grove well, improving his timing and landing single shots well.

The sixth was another what-you-like sort of round, with Santa Cruz going to the body very well, while Frampton landed the more eye-catching shots when the traded on the inside – which was beginning to occur with greater frequency.

Santa Cruz’s body focus continued as the bout entered it’s second half, however Frampton twice landed big buzzing shots may have snuck the round for the Ulsterman.

Frampton had spoke of his strength advantage beforehand and it seemed to tell in the eight as he began to march down Santa Cruz. While the pressure wasn’t always resulting in clean landed shots, the pace seemed to be telling for ‘El Terremoto.’

Going into the ninth McGuigan had told Frampton he was a round down, but it would be a quieter three minutes which followed – bar a frenzied finish which seemed to be edged by the challenger.

A close tenth saw, like many rounds, Santa Cruz landed with greater frequency, but the more jarring shots came from the champion

Santa Cruz would have a very strong eleventh, landing combinations early on for the first real time in the fight, Frampton would end the round with a huge hook but there was a feeling going into the last round that ‘The Jackal’ may have needed something big.

Showing serious guts, Frampton came out aggressive in the final round, outlanding Santa Cruz with thudding shots as he emptied the tank

going to the judges, like in the first fight, it again ended in a majority decision – however this time would be in favour of Santa Cruz with the 115-113 scores of Dave Moretti and Glenn Feldman over-ruling Burt A. Clements’ 114-114 drawn card.

The first career defeat means that Frampton’s record now reads 23(14)-1(0), while new champion Santa Cruz moves to 33(18)-1(0)-1.

The result now sets us up for third bout, something both boxers stated their desire for afterwards.

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Eric Donovan joins Gavan Casey and Joe O’Neill on Episode 2 of the Irish Boxing Show: