Carl Frampton defied the odds and the predictions of the US media with a stunning decision victory over Leo Santa Cruz on Saturday, becoming Ireland's second ever two-weight world champion as he ripped the WBA World featherweight title from his formidable opponent.
'The Jackal' and 'El Terremoto' combined to produce one of the leading contenders for Fight Of The Year, with the former three-weight world champion Santa Cruz of Mexico forfeiting his own undefeated record to the sensational Northern Irishman, who in 12 rounds became a bona fide star in the USA.
The championship rounds were, considering what had come before, incredible; the final stanza alone saw 200 punches thrown, bringing the fight total to 1,670 shots, with Santa Cruz landing 255 and his Belfast counterpart finding the target on 242 occasions.
It perhaps was lost to the general sense of feverish entertainment throughout the fight as a whole, but for a final round to silence a Showtime commentary team of Mauro Ranallo, Paulie Malignaggi and Al Bernstein it has to be special.
This one truly was, with Olé Olé Olé naturally taking the roof off Brooklyn's Barclays Centre as Frampton warred his way back into a round he was initially trailing, eventually taking it on two of the three judges' scorecards.
The embrace at the end was one synonymous with a boxing classic, as the pair once more displayed the mutual respect which had dominated the build-up to an unforgettable night for Irish boxing.
