The new WBA World featherweight champion of the world made quite the splash Stateside with a stunning 'upset' victory over Mexican Santa Cruz, and now Carl Frampton - already a multi-millionaire - is receiving his just rewards in boxing terms.
Victory for Belfast's Frampton has landed the 29-year-old in two of the most influential pound-for-pound rankings in the sport - that of RING Magazine and the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board.
Considered 'The Bible Of Boxing' since it was first published in 1922, RING have dropped 'The Jackal' straight in at no. 10 in their P4P list, just behind Mexican superstar Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez and WBC bantamweight champion Shinsuke Yamanaka.
The Transnational Boxing Rankings Board is considered by many in the sport to be the most impartial rankings system. It is composed of 47 members from 18 countries - all boxing writers - including Irish journalists (and friends of Balls) Paulie Gibson of The Guardian and Kevin Byrne of the Irish Sun.
The TBRB have listed Frampton at no.7 in their updated P4P list in Canelo Alvarez's stead, explaining:
Carl Frampton climbs four pounds from Jr. featherweight to Featherweight and applies advanced science to defeat the number-one volume puncher in the sport –Leo Santa Cruz. Volume punchers are never easy to deal with, especially one with stamina to spare like Santa Cruz. The best among them don’t give you a chance to think, never mind breathe. With this win, Frampton overcame his toughest opponent to date, preserved his undefeated record, and enters at the top of his new division. Santa Cruz is bumped down to #5 with Frampton’s entry’s; his record is no longer perfect, but in a combat sport like boxing that usually only means he accepts real challenges.
Frampton also caused a lively debate for our P4P List as well. A consensus on the board agreed that he should enter over a few on the list whose grand accomplishments are retreating too far in the past. Frampton is now #7.
Not just anyone who's lost his Top10 slot either - @RealCFrampton replaces @Canelo. 1st Irish fighter to make list https://t.co/eoJoMv0ELS
— Kevin Byrne (@KevByrneBox) August 3, 2016
The TBRB was founded in 2012 with the intention of providing competition for RING Magazine's rankings system, which many fans of the sweet science believed had been compromised by RING's ties to Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions.
In any case, Frampton has gatecrashed both P4P lists, and will be looking upwards when he defends his WBA strap for the first time in the coming months.
