Carl Frampton became a two-weight world champion with a majority decision victory over Leo Santa Cruz in their WBA featherweight title bout in New York.
Former super-bamtamweight champion Frampton, fighting for the first time at 122lbs, gave an assured, composed performance to stun his unbeaten Mexican opponent and score a 23rd professional success.
"It's a dream come true," Frampton said. "I had the dream of winning a world title and I won it. It was a tough fight. I wanted it to be a tough fight because I wanted a fight the people could remember."
Judge Guido Cavalleri scored the contest 114-114 but Frank Lombardi (116-112) and Tom Schreck (117-111) ruled in favour of the Northern Irishman, giving him the belt his manager Barry McGuigan won in 1985.
Frampton was well drilled from the start, producing the sharper punches to lead on all three judges' cards by the end of the third round. However, Santa Cruz - who won the title in August last year and was making his second defence on Saturday night at the Barclays Centre - settled down and had a productive sixth round.
Frampton, roared on by the majority of the supporters inside the Brooklyn venue, did absorb some punishment against a man well known for his intense work-rate.
Yet the Belfast fighter continued to look assured until the closing stages of the fight, when he was particularly tested by a right hand over the top from Santa Cruz in the penultimate round.
Both men seemed to tire in an even final round - but the verdict went to Frampton, giving him a title McGuigan won more than 31 years previously at Loftus Road when he defeated Eusebio Pedroza.
"I had a good game plan, Frampton said. "I won it with my heart, not with my head and I got my hand raised. 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."
Almost immediately after the fight both Frampton and Santa Cruz spoke about rematch.
"We'll go back to the gym, we'll get the rematch and we'll win," Santa Cruz said. "And that loss will mean nothing. I want to have a rematch in Los Angeles, but I'll go to Belfast, too."
In order to land the fight with Santa Cruz, Frampton forfeited his IBF super bantamweight title in April.
EmoticonEmoticon