Boxing at any level but particularly at the top is about ability but also about ‘belief’.
Most professional boxers have this ‘belief’ in spades but only a few ‘walk the walk’ after ‘talking the talk’.
Newly crowned world champion, Carl Frampton did this recently in his epic battle with Leo Santa Cruz.
I knew that the ‘Jackal’ was fighting at his proper weight this time and that would make him a very powerful opponent but I felt he would have to knock Santa Cruz out to win.
Over the distance I thought that the endurance and longer reach of Santa Cruz would prove significant.
How delighted I was to be wrong and not only was it a great fight to watch but totally sporting and devoid of the hatefulness and bad grace that permeates so much of professional boxing today.
I think both men would have had their trainers tearing their hair out as pre-fight tactics were abandoned as they went toe-to-toe and blow for blow.
From the first decent punch that Frampton threw you could see the surprise on Santa Cruz’s face and after that it was game-on.
A wonderful sporting spectacle that will do much to repair the damaged image of professional boxing around the world.
