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Irish super bantam phenom Carl Frampton continued his climb to the world stage with a shattering ninth round stoppage of Spain’s Kiko Martinez to annex the European title last night at Odyssey Arena in Belfast.
Despite the end result, the bout was difficult, as expected, for the rising Belfast native as the hard-punching Martinez sought to break Frampton’s resolve under the force of constant pressure.
The approach of Martinez, already famous on the emerald isle for having annihilating Dublin’s Bernard Dunne six years ago, paid dividends in the early rounds as the experienced Alicante man showed why he was a two-time Continental champion.
Frampton was outfought has he initially tried to stem the Spaniard’s tide but that changed in the third as the local man switched tactics and began to use skill rather than strength to blunt the aims of his antagonist.
By the fourth Martinez was no longer in control and Frampton was able to time his counters to good effect, making Martinez pay for missed opportunities.
The champion refused to acknowledge this shift in the balance of power and continued his forward progression, catching Frampton with heavy shots at times but steadily losing rounds to his more active foe.
The middle frames saw Martinez cut and beginning to show the effects of the punishment but the visitor mounted a comeback in the eighth, getting the better of Frampton during some spirited action.
It proved to be the last stand of Martinez, who entered the ninth a tired fighter who could not evade a stepped up assault by Frampton, who decked Martinez heavily with a perfect short right hand.
Martinez managed to beat the count but was judged to be in no shape to continue by referee Anssi Perajoki, who called time on the contest at 2:46 of the ninth.
Frampton improves to 16-0 (11) and adds the European title to his trophy cabinet, which already includes the Commonwealth and IBF International crowns.
The 25 year old Ulster man has proved capable thus far but isn’t yet ready to face the top men of the 122 pound division so more experience building fights are to be expected before Frampton is thrown in with the likes of Abner Mares, Nonito Donaire or Guillermo Rogondeaux.
The loss snaps the seven fight win streak of Martinez, who falls to 27-4 (19).
The undercard featured British and Commonwealth featherweight king Lee Selby, 14-1 (5), of Wales widely outpointing local man and former British champ Martin Lindsay, 20-2 (7).
Ex-WBC middleweight title challenger Andy Lee, 29-2 (20), posted a ten round win over Anthony Fitzgerald, 13-4 (14), by a score of 98-94.
