Carl Frampton may have failed in his bid to become a three-weight world champion, Ireland’s first-ever, but “The Jackal” certainly had a great career all the same. In fact, though Frampton, stopped for the first time by Jamel Herring in Dubai (and the last time, as Frampton has now retired, this looking like one retirement that will actually stick), goes out a loser, he scaled great heights during his thrilling 12 year pro career.
A champion at 122 pounds, where he defeated fine fighters Kiko Martinez (twice, once in a world title fight, once in a European title fight), Steve Molitor, Alejandro Gonzalez Jr and Scott Quigg, Frampton also ruled the world at 126 pounds, where he defeated likely future Hall of Famers, Leo Santa Cruz and Nonito Donaire. There is no denying the fact that Frampton, who goes out at 28-3(16) overall and 7-3(2) in world title fights, has a fine and impressive resume.
But is Frampton Hall of Fame worthy?
That peak win over a peak Santa Cruz (in what was arguably 2016’s best action fight), earns Frampton major points, as does that win over the excellent Nonito Donaire (who, at the time of the points loss to Frampton was felt to be all but done, only for the Filipino to show otherwise by becoming champion again later on in 2018, Donaire then giving Naoya Inoue sheer hell in their 2019 FOTY battle). But the losses to Santa Cruz (the Mexican switching tactics, this time outboxing Frampton), to Josh Warrington and to Herring may well hurt Frampton’s chances.
So will Frampton go in when the time comes, or not? Jeff Powell, writing for MailOnline, says the Herring defeat will not prevent Frampton from being elected into The Hall of Fame: “Those five-and-a-half rounds of precision punishment do not damage Frampton’s claim to eventual election into boxing’s Hall of Fame, as a former super-bantamweight and featherweight champion,” Powell writes.
So what do you guys think – does “The Jackal” go in or not? For what it’s worth, I’d give him a yes vote.
