He won The Ring's, BWAA's, and ESPN's fighter of the year in 2016, was a P4P entrant at one point, and was a two-weight champion. How good was Frampton overall?
He was very good. Never the best SBW in the world because Rigo owned the division back then. But at the point when he beat LSC I did think he was the best FW in the world and had finally broke through. But then he somehow lost the rematch in a result which surprises me to this day. He looked really good against Donaire but then poor against Warrington. But 2016 was a great year for him.
7/10, well rounded and does everything quite well Big fan, watched him live many many times edit maybe 7 is harsh, a solid 8
LSC is a very likeable guy but he should've rematched Frampton in Ireland like he gave Frampton his word he would instead of expecting Frampton to fight him twice in his backyard. Even if he didn't give him his word it would've been the right thing to do. You pay for dinner this time, the next time it's on me
Though Shane by his own admission got things wrong for the Leo Santa Cruz rematch, then again young trainers can get it wrong and get better for the experience.
I know you are big on this type of chivalry but it does not always work like that in boxing. Ultimately Frampton won the 1st fair and square and he lost the rematch fair and square. I believe Shane McGuigan admitted he got things wrong tactically in the rematch but sometimes you have to forgive a young trainer however good. Experience is a great teacher.
I wasn't implying LSC didn't win it fair and square, Olu. I just think it was a female dog move for him to give Frampton his word he would rematch him on his soil after Frampton was man enough to fight him on his in the first fight. The truth is he lacked the cojones to fight Frampton on a deck stacked in Frampton's favour after Frampton fought him on one stacked against him and I think that loss took something out of Frampton and was the beginning of the end for him. I might even be remembering wrong. It might be the trilogy fight which never materialised which LSC refused to travel to Belfast for Meaning Frampton fought him in the US x 2 with a full set of home officials both times IIRC but he couldn't travel to Frampton's backyard once where the officials would've very likely come from neutral countries or at worst there might have been one British official Shameful and, as said, you can't help but like LSC and I don't dislike him at all. But I just cannot respect that and rightly so
Very good fighter. I don't consider him a HOFer, but he was a very neat, tidy SBW and featherweight. He wasn't as naturally gifted as Rigo, whom I consider the best of that particular era, but he was plenty talented (not merely a hardhat and lunchbox kind of fighter).
I hear you Bro. I was not trying to suggest you inferred LSC did not win the rematch fairly. I don’t think LSC lacked the balls to come and fight him in Belfast/the UK, rather I suspect it was LSC’s promoter and management that would not countenance it and perhaps the economic pot was bigger in the US. They really should have had a 3rd fight. I learned in life that you don’t get what you deserve rather you get what you negotiate.