JOSH WARRINGTON RETAINED his IBF featherweight title with a unanimous points victory over Carl Frampton after 12 gripping rounds in Manchester.
The undefeated Yorkshireman started fast and finished strongly to make sure he held on to the belt he claimed from Lee Selby in May, in the process ruining Frampton’s hopes of becoming a three-time world champion.
Warrington had won the belt via a split-decision verdict against Selby at Elland Road – the home of his beloved Leeds United — but was rightly a landslide winner on the cards on this occasion.
Frampton fought valiantly but could have few complaints about the outcome, Warrington getting the nod 116-112 from two judges with the other score reading 116-113.
The Northern Irishman battled bravely but was too often beaten to the punch in a bout that saw both men willing to stand toe to toe at times, much to the delight of the raucous crowd.
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Any suggestion the pair may take their time to feel each other out was dismissed in a pulsating opening six minutes that saw Warrington jump all over his opponent.
Frampton somehow withstood the onslaught and appeared to be working his way back into the contest beyond the halfway stage, demonstrating the skills that helped him win major titles previously at super-bantam and featherweight.
Yet the non-stop Warrington was relentless throughout, moving through the gears again to demonstrate his stamina and hand speed down the stretch.
He produced a barrage in the 10th to increase his advantage on the cards and while unable to force a knockdown, let alone a stoppage, his work-rate rightly saw him awarded the victor by a comfortable margin.
Speaking to BT Sport afterwards, Frampton said: “He won the fight fair and square. I came here, had trained hard and was sharp but the better man won and I hope he goes on to unify the division.
“It was just not my night, I was fit and strong but Josh was fitter and stronger. I was hurt a number of times. When people say Josh cannot punch, I don’t know what they are talking about. I didn’t estimate but he was even better than I thought – he can punch hard.”
When asked about his future, the 31-year-old added: “I will have to sit down with my team. I’ve got a young family at home and I’ve been in this game a long time. I have to sit down with my team and figure out the next move.”
Murray Kinsella, Gavan Casey and Andy Dunne preview another big weekend of rugby action and dissect the week’s main talking points.
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Warrington's relentless onslaught inflicts defeat on Frampton in Manchester
JOSH WARRINGTON RETAINED his IBF featherweight title with a unanimous points victory over Carl Frampton after 12 gripping rounds in Manchester.
The undefeated Yorkshireman started fast and finished strongly to make sure he held on to the belt he claimed from Lee Selby in May, in the process ruining Frampton’s hopes of becoming a three-time world champion.
Warrington had won the belt via a split-decision verdict against Selby at Elland Road – the home of his beloved Leeds United — but was rightly a landslide winner on the cards on this occasion.
Frampton fought valiantly but could have few complaints about the outcome, Warrington getting the nod 116-112 from two judges with the other score reading 116-113.
The Northern Irishman battled bravely but was too often beaten to the punch in a bout that saw both men willing to stand toe to toe at times, much to the delight of the raucous crowd.
Any suggestion the pair may take their time to feel each other out was dismissed in a pulsating opening six minutes that saw Warrington jump all over his opponent.
Frampton somehow withstood the onslaught and appeared to be working his way back into the contest beyond the halfway stage, demonstrating the skills that helped him win major titles previously at super-bantam and featherweight.
Yet the non-stop Warrington was relentless throughout, moving through the gears again to demonstrate his stamina and hand speed down the stretch.
He produced a barrage in the 10th to increase his advantage on the cards and while unable to force a knockdown, let alone a stoppage, his work-rate rightly saw him awarded the victor by a comfortable margin.
Speaking to BT Sport afterwards, Frampton said: “He won the fight fair and square. I came here, had trained hard and was sharp but the better man won and I hope he goes on to unify the division.
“It was just not my night, I was fit and strong but Josh was fitter and stronger. I was hurt a number of times. When people say Josh cannot punch, I don’t know what they are talking about. I didn’t estimate but he was even better than I thought – he can punch hard.”
When asked about his future, the 31-year-old added: “I will have to sit down with my team. I’ve got a young family at home and I’ve been in this game a long time. I have to sit down with my team and figure out the next move.”
Murray Kinsella, Gavan Casey and Andy Dunne preview another big weekend of rugby action and dissect the week’s main talking points.
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Boxing Carl Frampton Josh Warrington the jackal