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Carl Frampton tops off remarkable 2016 as he's crowned ESPN Fighter of the Year

The 29-year-old became only the second European boxer to win the award.

CARL FRAMPTON WAS named ESPN’s Fighter of the Year last night.

Sports Personality of the Year PA Wire / PA Images PA Wire / PA Images / PA Images

Just the second European boxer to achieve the feat, the Belfast man joins the likes of Floyd Mayweather Jr., Manny Pacquiao and Bernard Hopkins as winners of the US based global broadcaster’s award.

He beat three-time winner Pacquiao to the title, as well as Vasyl Lomachenko and 2014 winner Terence Crawford.

The 29-year-old posted on his Instagram account that he was “privileged and honoured” to win the award.

“Being even considered as a fighter of the year is a huge honour for me and very humbling,” Frampton said, who is undefeated in 23 contests.

“But the thing is, I’m kicking off 2017 with a bang and it has the potential to be even better than ‘16.”

Frampton had a 2016 to remember, making history to become a two-weight world champion.

‘The Jackal” defeated the previously unbeaten Leo Santa Cruz in July to win the WBA featherweight title, following up his super-bantamweight title win over England’s Scott Quigg in February.

Subsequently, Frampton etched his name into history as he became the first Northern Ireland fighter to win world titles at two weights.

Frampton is set for a rematch with Santa Cruz in Las Vegas next month.

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