That’s all for now. Thanks for following along with us and be sure to check back later for a full fight report.
“It was a tough fight from the beginning,” says Santa Cruz. “We knew it was going to be a tough fight, but I thought it was close when I’m in there throwing. Maybe the judges were hearing the crowd and thought that every little punch was scoring.
“He has a difficult style, but we know his style and we’ll get him in the rematch. The crowd was cheering, and I think the judges saw that. And maybe, without that, we would have had a draw or maybe a decision.
“It’s hard to get your first loss, but now we’ll go back to the gym, we’ll get the rematch and we’ll win. And that loss will mean nothing. I want to have a rematch in Los Angeles, but I’ll go to Belfast too.”
“It’s a dream come true,” says Frampton. “I had the dream of winning a world title and I won it, but I never thought I’d win in two divisions. It was a tough fight, I wanted it to be a tough fight because I wanted a fight the people could remember. I respect him a lot. He was a true warrior.
“I had a good game plan. Shane [McGuigan] was an unbelievable coach. He told me every time I came back into the corner that we could win this a lot easier. But I won it with my heart, not with my head and I got my hand raised.
“Distance control and hitting hard. I won the fight because I didn’t lose control. I earned his respect early in the fight with my distance control and hard punching. I would love to take this man to Belfast for a rematch and show the people there what a great fighter he is.”
Santa Cruz landed 225 of a whopping 1,002 total punches thrown (25.4%). That included 64 of 451 jabs (14.2%) and 191 of 551 power shots (34.7%).
Frampton landed 242 of 668 total punches (36.2%). That included 36 of 205 jabs (17.6%) and 206 of 463 power shots (44.5%).
A total of 402 of their 497 combined landed punches were power shots.
The official scorecards
Here’s a look at the scorecards from tonight’s main event.
Carl Frampton wins by majority decision!
And he’s done it! Guido Cavalleri scored it 114-114, but Frank Lombardi (116-112) and Tom Schreck (117-111) both had it for Frampton. This place is going crazy! Carl Frampton is the new WBA featherweight champion, capturing the very belt his manager Barry McGuigan won three decades ago.
Round 12
Now they’re just brawling – fans on their feet, screaming and chanting – and it seems Santa Cruz is getting the best of it. Frampton fires back with a stinging left hook! But now it’s Santa Cruz really overwhelming Frampton with flurries of punches. Frampton looks completely spent but somehow finds something within to fire back and stay on his feet. An easy round to score for Santa Cruz as the bell rings but both men have been elevated by this fight. The Guardian has scored it a draw. Let’s see what the arbiters who matter have to say.
Guardian’s unofficial score: Santa Cruz 10-9 Frampton (Santa Cruz 114-114 Frampton)
Round 11
Into the championship rounds we go and the two-way action continues. Frampton continues to score with the left. But Santa Cruz has thrown his already high volume into overdrive, seemingly answering every Frampton punch with two or three of his own. Got to give it to Santa Cruz. Also, these punch stats.
#ShoStats: Total Punches Landed/Thrown
— SHO Stats (@SHOStats) July 31, 2016
thru 11
Santa Cruz [227/888, 25%]
Frampton [207/585, 35%]
Guardian’s unofficial score: Santa Cruz 10-9 Frampton (Santa Cruz 104-105 Frampton)
Round 10
Santa Cruz seems to have gotten the message about mixing in shots to the body. Frampton misses a lunging shot and Santa Cruz makes him pay with a combination downstairs. Now it’s Santa Cruz who’s counter-punching a bit. “There’s only onnne Carl Frampton!” the Irish fans chant. Frampton continues to score with the left hand, but better work overall from Santa Cruz.
Guardian’s unofficial score: Santa Cruz 10-9 Frampton (Santa Cruz 94-96 Frampton)
Round 9
Through eight rounds Frampton has a 126-125 advantage in power punches. That pretty much sums it up. Frampton has slowed a bit but he’s head movement is still giving Santa Cruz trouble, making the Californian look mechanical at times. Same story as the previous rounds. Santa Cruz impressing with work rate and aggression but Frampton landing the shots that impress the judges. Another for Carl.
Guardian’s unofficial score: Santa Cruz 9-10 Frampton (Santa Cruz 84-87 Frampton)
Round 8
Now it’s Santa Cruz fighting off the back foot and Frampton moving forward. The Irishman throws a rapid-fire combo that lands cleanly but doesn’t seems to hurt the American. Now the fighters resume their roles of Santa Cruz’s bull to Frampton’s matador. A thudding left by Frampton! Another very close round but Frampton might have swayed the judges with that big shot late in the frame.
Guardian’s unofficial score: Santa Cruz 9-10 Frampton (Santa Cruz 75-77 Frampton)
Round 7
Santa Cruz picking up where he left off in the sixth: letting his hands go and really scaling up the pressure on Frampton, who is slowing down ever so slightly. A slower round by the outrageous standards they’ve established in the first six. Santa Cruz nicks it, but he’d do better to recommit to the body rather than headhunt.
Guardian’s unofficial score: Santa Cruz 10-9 Frampton (Santa Cruz 66-67 Frampton)
Round 6
Early on both fighters are standing near Santa Cruz’s corner trading shots. Unclear who’s getting better of the exchanges but they are shots thrown with the worst intentions. Frampton loads up on one and misses and Santa Cruz unloads with a combination. That hurt Frampton. Now chants of Leo! Leo! from corners of the arena. Santa Cruz landed the heavier shots in that round and more of them.
Guardian’s unofficial score: Santa Cruz 10-9 Frampton (Santa Cruz 56-58 Frampton)
Round 5
Santa Cruz continues to be more aggressive, but Frampton is more accurate and slicker defensively. Only this round Frampton isn’t countering as frequently. Santa Cruz doesn’t seem particularly interested in going to the body, where he’s punished so many opponents in the past, but he’s keeping Frampton occupied with a steady barrage of punches upstairs. A tough round to score, that. Giving it to Santa Cruz on aggression and work rate.
Guardian’s unofficial score: Santa Cruz 10-9 Frampton (Santa Cruz 46-49 Frampton)
Round 4
Santa Cruz keeps moving forward, stalking and pressuring and walking Frampton down. So far Frampton has chosen to either step aside and counter or occasionally step in and fight fire with fire – and seemingly every choice has been the right one. Frampton continues to use Santa Cruz’s aggression against him, luring him in and snapping him with short counters. Very slick work. This was the closest round yet, but still Frampton did the better work. Four rounds to none.
Guardian’s unofficial score: Santa Cruz 9-10 Frampton (Santa Cruz 36-40 Frampton)
Round 3
Frampton tags Santa Cruz early but Santa Cruz fires back with a stinging right hand that snaps Frampton’s head back. A chopping body shot by Frampton and he escapes safely out of range, showing excellent foot movement. An uppercut, educated combinations by Frampton. This is excellent stuff. Santa Cruz’s work rate, true to form, is high – but Frampton is the more accurate – and the better – of the two fighters at the moment.
Guardian’s unofficial score: Santa Cruz 9-10 Frampton (Santa Cruz 27-30 Frampton)
Round 2
Olé! chants ring through the arena and the fighters are winging punches wildly at one another! A firefight has broken out early in the second round and it seems Frampton is getting the better of the exchanges. And now Frampton rocks Santa Cruz, sending the Californian careening into the ropes with a left hook. He’s staggered but still in the fight. They combined for 160 punches in that round. The noise in the room is deafening. This could be a special one.
Guardian’s unofficial score: Santa Cruz 9-10 Frampton (Santa Cruz 18-20 Frampton)
Round 1
What noise in the arena as the opening bell sounds! Frampton tags Santa Cruz with a pair of left hands early, sending the partisan crowd into hysterics. Frampton fighting mostly on the back foot as Santa Cruz moves forward, the more aggressive of the two. But Frampton is quick and is picking his spots and hitting Santa Cruz with the better shots. A close round to call but Frampton takes it.
Guardian’s unofficial score: Santa Cruz 9-10 Frampton (Santa Cruz 9-10 Frampton)
Frampton makes his ringwalk to Gala’s Freed From Desire as the overwhelmingly Irish crowd sings along. The cheers turn to boos as the champion’s name is called and Santa Cruz makes his way to the squared circle. A very hostile crowd for the Californian!
Also at ringside: Frank Lampard. The New York City FC midfielder made it here after scoring a hat trick in today’s 5-1 win over Colorado at Yankee Stadium.
Massive cheers around the arena when Carl Frampton on the Jumbotron warming up in his locker room. He told the Guardian earlier this week that he expected an advantage in crowd support tonight.
“We’ll do about 1,200 here from back home, the UK and Ireland. Obviously, it’ll feel like a lot more than that. But we’ve picked up a lot of fans here in New York pretty early,” he said. “There’s a place called Woodlawn in the Bronx: you’d swear you’re walking down a street in Belfast or Dublin. It’s crazy. I didn’t hear an American accent and I was there for about two hours.”
The PGA Championship is taking place this weekend at Baltusrol Golf Club in nearby Springfield, New Jersey. A perfect excuse for a few of the Irish players on the tour to make the 20-mile trip to support their countryman in the main event. Rory McIlroy, Darren Clarke, Shane Lowry and Danny Willett are all here. The first three missed the cut but Willett’s got a 9.15am tee time tomorrow!
There is never a good time to miss a cut but.....come on @RealCFrampton https://t.co/s29V5559bX
— Darren Clarke (@DarrenClarke60) July 30, 2016
Off to New York for a meal for 2!!! Then to watch the boxing!!! @Nicolewillett88 💪🏼💪🏼 pic.twitter.com/OBlMOm4Ba3
— Danny Willett (@Danny_Willett) July 30, 2016
Can't wait for this. @RealCFrampton @McGuigans_Gym 👊🏻👊🏻👊🏻 #thejackal pic.twitter.com/XGwTJCA5u6
— Shane Lowry (@ShaneLowryGolf) July 30, 2016
Mikey Garcia wins by TKO in the fifth round!
Garcia drops Rojas twice more and referee Eddie Claudio puts a stop to it at 2.02 of the fifth round.
Garcia keeps it going in the fourth round. Rojas, who appears to be bleeding out of his nose, more or less just surviving on wits as Garcia stalks. Garcia leading 38-36 on my card.
And there it is: Garcia drops Rojas with a thudding left hook early in the third. Rojas beats the count and Garcia comes in for the finish. Garcia drops Rojas again, this time with the right hand. Rojas makes it to his feet and is saved by the bell. A massive third round for Garcia, who’s ahead 28-27 on my card after the 10-7 frame.
Garcia looks a bit rusty through the first two rounds. Early days but Rojas has done enough to win the first two rounds: the Dominican is ahead 20-18 on my card. Seems like Garcia is waiting on the big shot.
Mikey Garcia is about to make his way to the ring for his first fight in two and a half years. When we last saw the former featherweight and junior lightweight champion, he’d established himself as a HBO headliner and a staple on pound-for-pound lists. But he’s gone more than 30 months without a fight due to a legal battle with former promoter Top Rank, only recently settling out of court to become a free agent. He’s finally back in the saddle tonight in a 10-round super lightweight fight against Elio Rojas of the Dominican Republic, who briefly held the WBC featherweight title in 2009-10. Can Garcia pick up where he left off?
Updated
Undercard results
The last fight of tonight’s nine-bout undercard will get underway shortly. Here’s a look at the earlier preliminary results.
- Tony Harrison TKO 9 Sergey Rabchenko (IBF junior middleweight eliminator)
- Paulie Malignaggi UD 10 Gabriel Bracero (welterweights)
- Tevin Farmer UD 10 Ivan Redkach (lightweights)
- Amanda Serrano TKO 1 Calixta Silgado (for the WBO world featherweight title)
- Conrad Cummings UD 6 Dante Moore (middleweights)
- Josh Taylor TKO 2 Evincii Dixon (junior welterweights)
- Min-Wook Kim TKO 1 Louis Cruz (junior welterweights)
- Jose Gomez TKO 1 Josh Crespo (featherweights)
Hello and welcome to Brooklyn for tonight’s WBA featherweight title fight between Léo Santa Cruz and Carl Frampton. We’re ringside at Barclays Center a little more than an hour from the main event with plenty to catch you up on. Let’s get right to it!
Bryan will be here shortly. In the meantime why not have a look at his preview of tonight’s main event.
Surely Carl Frampton knew what he was getting into when he surrendered his super-bantamweight titles and immediately targeted the biggest, baddest opponent at 126lb: the undefeated three-division champion Léo Santa Cruz.
However, the gravity of the task before the Irishman was never more stark than when the fighters came together for the traditional stare-down at the Dream Downtown hotel in Manhattan’s posh Chelsea neighbourhood. As Frampton’s eyes slowly craned upwards the scale of Santa Cruz’s physical advantages – three inches in height, seven inches in reach – was laid bare. Yet vital statistics are only part of the reason why the unbeaten Frampton, fresh off a points win over Scott Quigg to unify the 122lb titles in February, is a 2-1 underdog entering Saturday’s delicious featherweight title fight at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center.
The wiry Santa Cruz (32-0-1, 18 KOs), a 27-year-old Mexican turned southern Californian who held belts at bantamweight and super-bantamweight before outpointing Abner Mares in a thrilling scrap for the vacant featherweight strap last August, has relied on extraordinary punch volume, a granite chin and seemingly limitless reserves of stamina to overwhelm allcomers and emerge as one of boxing’s most exciting small men over the past few years.
Yet Frampton (22-0, 14 KOs), who can become the first Northern Irishman to win world titles in two weight classes, is confident he is endowed with the power and tactical aptitude that will force the thresher before him to reconsider his standard operating procedure. “I’m preparing for Santa Cruz to come all night and throw a hundred punches a round,” he said this week. “But I promise you when I start hitting him hard, he’ll think twice about coming in.
