Carl Frampton vs. Scott Quigg
When Carl Frampton and Scott Quigg enter the ring this Saturday on Showtime Extreme it will be the culmination of a dance last has lasted a few years. Two of the better junior featherweights in the sport, Frampton and Quigg have been circling each other and now will finally face off in the squared circle. The fight is scheduled to go 12 rounds and will be an IBF and WBA unification fight with Frampton putting up his IBF belt and Quigg bringing his WBA strap to the table. The winner could also possibly face the man at the top of the division, Guillermo Rigondeaux, if the Cuban defensive wizard has his way.
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| Frampton has no blemishes on his resume |
Frampton is an aggressive orthodox fighter who doesn't like taking any backwards steps. His has quick hands and with them a nice jab. Frampton whose nickname is "The Jackal" also has a sturdy straight right hand but at times he reaches with that punch and gets out of position. However, when he throws the straight right from the proper distance it is a dangerous punch. His best punch though is probably his left hook and he does a tremendous job of banging it to the body. Frampton's aggression is both a blessing and a curse. He is able to win fights in part because he is so aggressive and never backs off his opponent while still maintaining a high level of boxing skill. Other times though Frampton can get too aggressive and get off balance which leaves him open to be dropped like he was twice in his last bout.
That last bout came against Alejandro Gonzalez Jr. who has shown himself to be a great first round fighter and an average fighter in every round after that. Frampton made his U.S. debut against Gonzalez last year and was shockingly knocked down twice in the opening round, although both were flash knockdowns. Frampton easily controlled the rest of the fight but those knockdowns to a fighter far from elite did raise some concerns. "The Jackal" does have nice wins on his resume though, including two wins over Kiko Martinez. As a professional Frampton has been perfect, putting together a record of 21-0 with 14 knockouts. While Frampton is more of a boxer than a puncher he does have enough power to put opponents away.
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| Quigg is coming off an impressive knockout |
Quigg is also an orthodox fighter and he will have the heavier hands come Saturday night, but not overwhelmingly so. Quigg has an awkward style and doesn't move around the ring as gracefully as Frampton does but he will be the bigger man between the two standing 2-inches taller than his opponent and being naturally larger. While Quigg's jab comes in a bit slower than Frampton's he does have a very nice overhand right that is very quick and can't catch an opponent by surprise. Because he doesn't move extremely well in the ring Quigg can be forced to fight backing up but because of his power he is usually able to sit down and make a stand when necessary. Quigg's left hook is a good weapon but his best punch is his massive right hand and that is the punch he knocked out Martinez with in his last fight.
Like Frampton, Quigg has also done battle with Martinez. Frampton fought his twice, going 2-0 with one knockout while Quigg fought him once, knocking him out in the second round. Quigg's record isn't as clean as Frampton's though because he has had two draws. The first came against Rendall Munroe when an accidental headbutt left Munroe able to continue and the second was against Yoandris Salinas in a fight that went the distance and was ruled a majority draw. Quigg's record to date is 31-0-2 with 23 knockouts and Saturday's fight against Frampton will be the biggest of both of their careers.
There aren't many true 50/50 fights in boxing anymore but this one certainly is. Frampton is the more polished boxer but Quigg comes equipped with heavier hands. The fact that Frampton was dropped twice in his last fight by a fighter without a ton of power may not bode well for him against the powerful Quigg. However, Quigg doesn't move all that well and the quicker Frampton could outbox him as long as he isn't overly aggressive and gets walked into something by Quigg. The winner of this fight will be considered the second best fighter in the junior featherweight division behind Rigondeaux but they will also win U.K. bragging rights.
PREDICTION: Scott Quigg is taller and naturally larger than Carl Frampton. Along with that he is more powerful so if Frampton gets too aggressive and tries to trade punches he may get knocked out. However, Frampton is the better boxer and not only has quicker hands but also better footwork. As long as Frampton plays it relatively safe he will outbox Quigg and win the fight by the way of unanimous decision.
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