CARL FRAMPTON’S iconic career was ended without a third-weight world title by ruthless US Marine Jamel Herring.
Belfast’s former super-bantam and featherweight king went up one weight too high, bidding for Herring’s WBO super-feather crown in Dubai, to become Ireland’s greatest ever fighter.
And the American champion defended his title by dropping the challenger in the fifth and sixth before Frampton’s corner rightly threw in the towel.
The fans’ favourite vowed he could not afford to rebuild at the age of 34, with two children at home, so his legion of fans had to wave him off from a painful distance.
“I am deeply upset,” Frampton said. “I said I would retire if I lost and I am. I dedicate my life and career to my kids.
“I have missed them growing up so I am giving the rest of my life to my kids and wife now.”
Herring, 35, landed with a left hand to Frampton’s head in the opener and later tagged his gut with the same fist.
The Tigers Bay icon was also stumbled backward by another arrowlike left to the torso at the end of the session that any sane judge would have scored to the defending champion.
Frampton tried to bob and weave past Herring’s seven-inch reach advantage in the second but his jab was long and busy.
A rasping one-two cracked Frampton’s face as soon as the third started and rocked the brave boy back.
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The once-brilliant Brit kept piling forward and then clipped the champ with his best dig of the fight so far.
But when he rushed in for another barrage, Herring landed a check right hook to score back.
Frampton’s close friend Josh Taylor confirmed from the Channel 5 studio that he had his pal three rounds down just before the fourth started.
And he roared back into the contest by opening up a gash on the corner of Herring’s right eyelid with his best round of the fight.
A crisp one-two from Herring was the perfect way to start the fifth but Frampton retaliated with a spiteful left hook in the clinch.
But he then walked right on to a clubbing left hand and was dropped for a count and a 10-8 round.
Herring’s pipe-cleaner arms kept throwing shots and Frampton was battered into the canvas again by a vicious uppercut in the sixth.
The little bruiser bounced up and carried on but was taking a shellacking and trainer Jamie Moore threw in the towel to save him from his own bravery.
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
