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Unfortunately, I have to be as clichéd as everyone else in looking forward to this bout by saying the obvious, it’s a 50/50 contest, a ‘pick-em’ fight.
And whilst it is a fantastic, intriguing matchup, the fighters have different strengths and weaknesses, which will play a big part in who loses their unbeaten record tonight, I am just glad that I have not heard anyone mention the phrase ‘Hagler/Hearns’ yet.
Scott Quigg (31-0-2) is the bigger man in height and reach by a couple of inches; he has a 70% KO ratio, and has defended his WBA belt six times against reasonable opposition, notably Kiko Martinez, who has also shared a ring twice with Frampton.
Quigg’s best asset is, in my opinion, not his punching power, which recently people have revered, it is his engine.
A long time before this fight was even mentioned, he was known to be obsessive about boxing and training and being an athlete of the highest degree. He lives a clean life and all he does is train, apparently very, very hard.
He can be one dimensional however, as he is not the most technically gifted boxer out there. He has been dropped twice in his career by journeymen, but has always showed heart in getting up and getting the win.
Frampton (21-0-0) is easily the better boxer, as he has shown adaptability and natural clever counterpunching in previous performances. He has a 67% KO ratio, and has defended his IBF belt twice against reasonable opposition.
He can sometimes switch off, and was dropped in his last outing in the states against Alejandro Gonzalez Jr; he too showed good determination and heart, got up and outboxed Gonzalez to get the victory.
It looks to be a fight where Frampton will be on the back foot trying to pick Quigg off with counterpunches and Quigg will be marching forward, applying pressure.
I don’t think you can compare the Martinez victories of Frampton and Quigg. When Frampton fought the Spaniard for the first time, it was in 2013 and Martinez had never been stopped before. That to me is a bigger statement than Quigg facing Martinez in mid-2015 and stopping him.
Quigg blew Martinez away sure enough, I wonder what he gained from that other than a reputation as a fearsome finisher, which I have to add I have no doubt he is.
My point is, although Frampton has not had as many fights, sharing all those rounds with Martinez, who in his own right is a great pressure fighter and that really gave Frampton something to think about, will have been a much better experience than blowing Martinez away in a few rounds.
If Frampton can keep Quigg at bay all night then I think he wins on points, the question is whether he can pull that off, as Quigg will no doubt be relentless in his approach. He doesn’t need pressure alone; it needs to be educated, he needs to use his size and bully Frampton.
It is a tough call but I have to go with Frampton, simply as a lover of the sweet science I have to think that Frampton’s boxing ability will win him the fight.
