CARL Frampton announced he was retiring in the ring after being stopped by Jamel Herring in the sixth round of their WBO super-featherweight competition last Saturday night.
The Belfast man was bidding to become Ireland’s first three-weight world champion.
Frampton’s herring, 34, dropped a round earlier before another senior left-hander in the sixth sent Frampton to the canvas.
Amid a plethora of shots and little defense, Frampton’s corner threw in the towel.
“I said before I would retire if I lost this fight and that’s exactly what I’m going to do,” said an emotional Frampton at the ring.
“I want to dedicate my life to my family now. Boxing has been good for me, it has also been bad for me.
“The last few years with these boys [trainers Jamie Moore and Nigel Travis], has been the best of my career.
“I want to go home to my beautiful wife and kids and that’s it.”
Defeat draws a curtain on Frampton’s career
After losing to Josh Warrington in December 2018, Frampton seriously considered retiring but chose to continue to pursue another world title, firmly in the belief that he still has that level of performance in him.
The nature of the loss to Herring, given his pre-fight assertion that such an outcome would mark the end of his career, has left Frampton in no doubt that the time is right to hang up his gloves.
Prior to the first fall, Herring was firmly in control of the fight after using his seven-inch injection and advantage to capture the first three rounds.
Although not rocked, Frampton already had a lot of ground to compensate for and was able to work in the fourth as a fracture formed over Herring’s right eye.
However, just as the Irishman from the North looked to be working his way back to the match he walked left hand midway through the fifth as the pendulum swung back in favor of Herring.
A stunning left uppercut from Herring in the next round saw Frampton go down again, and although he got back up, he couldn’t stop Herring closing in and securing the win.
Coach Moore’s decision to throw in the towel came as little shock, with a scary Frampton having stopped for the first time in a 31-fight professional career.
For Herring, it was an impressive third title defense he has held since May 2019. The de-dirt was far more impressive in Dubai than it was in his last outing, where his lukewarm performance galvanized Frampton fans looking forward to their long-awaited prospect. showdown. (BBC Sport)