Everybody realizes that Avalos wasn't Frampton's best win, right?

...like not even top 5. Probably the #5 opponent faced.

Jackal's top results, in order:

1. Martinez II (obviously a better W beating him while IBF world champ than while Euro champ, although UD was maybe a 'downgrade' result from TKO9...still a great performance, and Kiko was coming off a fine run of form)
2. Martinez I (this is when it first became apparent Frampton was special - breaking down and stopping a tough Euro champ)
3. Cazares (past it but still dangerous, coming off a nice W over Pingo, going back six years to his Calderon losses had only been defeated once by SD in a super flyweight title bout...wiped out early)
4. Molitor (two fights removed from being IBF champ, had at that point beaten every opponent he shared the ring with except Caballero)
5. Hirales (had three of his 4 best wins - Gonzalez, Vargas, Leal - all but Huerta - after Carl fought him; those stand up to Avalos' 4 best: Francisco, Vicente, Ishimoto, & Suleymanov)
6. Avalos (developed parallel to a couple of IMO similar fellow Mexican-American knockout artists: John Molina Jr. from the other side of Angeles Forest just an hour's drive from Avalos' home, and Omar Figueroa of Texas who is Avalos' same exact age - both of whom debuted at 140lbs but have made their living mostly boiling down and roughing up lightweights. All three built up their records on raw power and have improved to varying degrees in technique. Figueroa >>> Molina >> Avalos, who already had been exposed twice before he flew over to Belfast in both of his encounters with slick counter-punchers as opposed to made-to-order come-forward victims)

It was a decent title defense, and dominating every second and knocking Avalos out while barely taking a lick himself is very impressive - but it wasn't as though it was the high water mark of Frampton's career so far. :? I don't understand why now all of a sudden people are ready to accept Frampton as world class if they weren't already based on his previous run of half a dozen wins since he graduated from domestic level following his Commonwealth title reign. Avalos was a step down from (and is a poor man's) Kiko. It wasn't like this was some game changer or Frampton taking a step up in class. He did exactly what I expected him to do based on Avalos' CV and past form, and his own.

 

:huh I'm not entirely sure you understood where I was coming from...

He did. :yep

 

:good

Just wanted to make clear I wasn't bashing him and only downplay the Avalos win because the hype around it makes it seem like he never did anything before that (which, sadly, to many of my fellow AAmericans probably does seem the case)

 

Right now i have super bantam shaping up:

El Chacal
The Jackal
LSC
Quigg
Kiko

h2h, each beats the guy directly behind them probably 7-8 times of ten.

Hot on their heels is Rey Vargas, whom I think is almost ready to compete for a world title and could be top 4-5 in a very short time.


I hear you with Rigondeaux being faced with a different look in a crisp boxer-puncher with nice movement, but at the same time Frampton has never seen anything like Rigondeaux's movement and economical rhythm-breaking countering. It would be a fascinating match-up as both generally land a high clip but also both have very good defense.

 

I'd be more excited about Rigondeaux vs. Frampton than I am for Mayweather vs. Pacquiao, to be honest.

 

...and do check out Rey. :nod

http://www.boxingforum24.com/showthread.php?p=16816887

 

Now, if the big-money domestic showdown with Quigg happens - will that be his best opponent yet? :think Or still behind Martinez?

I'd favor Quigg to beat Avalos, probably Cazares, and maybe Hirales - but I honestly don't know that he'd beat Kiko. I might have the Spaniard a slight fave based on styles.