Frampton Stops Former World Champ Cazares In Belfast

Belfast’s favorite son was back in the ring this evening as super bantamweight Carl Frampton won his biggest fight to date by impressively halting Mexico’s Hugo Fidel Cazares at the Odyssey Arena.

Two-time former super flyweight world champion Cazares came into the clash on the strength of five straight wins after losing the WBA super fly crown in 2011, most recently capturing the WBC International Silver super bantam strap with a decision over Julio Cesar Miranda in December.

Ex-Commonwealth king Frampton was coming off two consecutive European title wins, most recently a fifth round body shot stoppage of Jeremy Parodi in October.

At stake for the winner was a chance at the WBC super bantam crown of Leo Santa Cruz, but for Frampton, the switch-hitting Mexican southpaw Cazares represented a massive step up in competition.

Frampton started the contest well, scoring with a couple of left hooks and right hands that seemed to surprise Cazares, who, despite the impressive resume, looked every bit a 36 year old fighter who had bitten off more than he could chew against the 27 year old local man.

Cazares seemed to find his footing in the second, landing some shots and appeared to be getting his offense in gear until Frampton stepped to the side and scored with a massive left hook that caught the visitor flush.

Cazares wobbled down the ropes to the canvas and made it up as far as one knee, where he was counted out by referee Victor Loguhlin at 1:38 of the second round.

The Los Mochis man protested, possibly that he had intended to rise to his feet but misjudged the count, but the bout was over as an official KO.

Frampton improves to 18-0 (13) while Cazares drops to 40-8-2 (27).

Given the circumstances of the fight’s ending, there could be a rematch but with a world title challenge on the horizon for Frampton, Cazares is almost certainly out of luck.

WBC champ Santa Cruz, 27-0-1 (15), who previously held the IBF bantam belt, is coming off a dominant points verdict over former two-time super flyweight world titlist Cristian Mijares last month and would be a very high hurdle for Frampton to attempt to jump after just 18 bouts, none of which have come against a word class opponent in his prime.

On the undercard in Belfast, Dublin based lightweight Stephen Ormond, 17-1 (8), stopped Spain’s Karim El Quazghari, 16-5-2 (4), with two flush right hands at 2:09 of the fifth in defense of the WBO European strap.

Irish Middleweight Eamonn O’Kane, 12-1 (4), claimed the vacant WBC International belt after disposing of Mexico’s Alvaro Gaona, 13-4 (8), with a perfectly timed overhand right at 2:42 of the first round while local man Jamie Conlan, 11-0 (7), dropped Belgium’s Benjamin Smoes, 9-3-1 (1), twice enroute to a seventh round stoppage victory for the vacant WBO European super flyweight title.