Big year for Belfast boy Carl Frampton, first up Chris Avalos

Big year for Belfast boy Carl Frampton, first up Chris Avalos

Barry McGuigan and Cyclone Promotions have announced that Carl Frampton will defend his recently acquired IBF super bantamweight title in either February or March of 2015 against mandatory challenger, Chris Avalos, at home in Belfast.

The 27-year-old Tigers Bay native claimed the red belt in September by outclassing and outpointing the hard punching Kiko Martinez, having already scored a knockout against the same man in February of 2013.

Frampton (19-0, 13KO’s) originally had 90 days to make his maiden mandatory defence against the highly rated Avalos (25-2, 19KO’s), but a hand injury sustained in the Martinez match-up forced the Irishman to request an extension from the IBF, a request that was granted.

Avalos is a highly rated, heavy-handed fighter with a good engine. He attacks to the head and body with powerful combinations and he is most effective when on the front foot. The 25-year-old Mexican-American is a dangerous foe for anybody at 122-pounds who is willing to stand in front of him and exchange. However, he has been soundly outsmarted and outboxed for sustained periods by Chris Martin and Jhonatan Romero, showing defensive deficiencies and a lack of ring intelligence.

All of Avalos’ professional outings have taken place in the United States of America, so boxing in Belfast against the local hero will be a completely alien experience to him. The Irish crowd is a raucous and partisan one and they create a hostile atmosphere for the man in the opposite corner to their idol.

Frampton is a world-class boxer, who has proven that he is capable of anything inside the squared circle. He can command the center of the ring and push his opposition back to the ropes, or he can box to orders on the back foot. The new champion also possesses stunning one punch knockout power in both hands. Not to mention his slashing hand speed and ability to absorb a heavy blow (if and when it is necessary to do so).

Avalos will try to impose his will on the Belfast Boy, which is exactly what he has to do to stand a chance of winning. Nevertheless, Frampton will likely exploit the gaping holes in the defence of the visitor and end proceedings inside the distance.

Assuming that Frampton successfully steers his way past the hungry Avalos, and it is hard to see any other outcome, British boxing fans will start to hope for a unification bout with the WBA Regular belt holder, Scott Quigg. The domestic duo share a respectful rivalry and they have expressed the desire to meet in the ring for the last few years, with the nation seemingly split on who would prove the better man.

– Stevie Adams Jr / @stevieadamsjr

– Contributor to www.BehindtheGloves.com