New York to honour Carl Frampton following Santa Cruz win
Belfast’s Carl Frampton [23(14)-0] certainly made an impression in the Big Apple during the Summer.
‘The Jackal’ defied most US pundits’s predictions to grab Leo Santa Cruz’s WBA featherweight title after a pulsating performance at the Barclays Centre in Brooklyn, New York, at the end of July.
The win instantly catapulted Frampton into the consciousness of US boxing fans as well as securing him the #7 spot on the pound-for-pound list – and now Frampton has been given a prestigious award by the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame.
Ring 8, a non-profit organisation for boxers in need of professional assistance, operate the yearly awards, and have named Frampton their ‘International Fighter of the Year’ for the 30th edition of the ceremony.
Not only will Frampton be honoured at the gala on December 11th, his promoters Cyclone Promotions have been named the ‘International Promoter of the Year,’ while Barry McGuigan, who once held the WBA belt now in the possession of Frampton, will be given an ‘International Fighter Achievement’ award.
Other winners for 2016 include ‘The Irish Bomber’ Joe Smith Jr whose shock first round stoppage of Andrzej Fonfara has been named the ‘Knockout of the Year,’ while Olympic silver medalist, and future Mick Conlan rival, Shakur Stevenson will be given an award for services to his country.
