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Herring vs Frampton: Boxing pros react to Carl Frampton retirement after TKO loss

Carl Frampton is hanging up the gloves, and the boxing world has nothing but respect for the legacy of the fighter and man.

By Scott Christ
D4G Promotions Fight Night In Dubai Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images

Carl Frampton’s boxing career came to an end on Saturday in Dubai, where he was beaten inside of six rounds when making a challenge for Jamel Herring’s WBO junior lightweight title.

The fight Frampton goes out on was an ambitious bid to win a world title in a third weight class, to add something more to his legacy in the ring, to put something more on his résumé. He was fighting small at 130 lbs; Carl frankly fought small even at 126, as he was a thickly-built but not tall guy at 122, where he was at his very best.

He was beaten soundly by a better fighter on the night against Herring, and he made no bones and no excuses about that.

“I just got beat by the better man. I really struggled to get inside him. He was sharpshooting from a distance, perfect game plan,” he said. “Zero excuses, I had an amazing camp, I was coming into this fight to win it. I was just beaten by the better man.”

Frampton then showed something else people will remember about him beyond his accomplishments in the ring: his class, his humble nature, and his gentlemanly respect for everyone else.

“I feel like you should be interviewing the champion,” Frampton said. “I lost the fight, he’s the champion.”

That led to Herring — also known for his gentlemanly nature — coming over and embracing his foe, sharing words with Frampton and calling it “an honor” to have shared the ring with him. The respect between the two sides was very clear and also very clearly sincere, and if you need any extra proof of that, this came from Jennifer Herring, Jamel’s wife, on Friday:

Boxing has always had its trash talkers and always will. But the sport, too, has always had and always will have its gentlemen warriors. Jamel Herring is one of them. Carl Frampton is another.

And with Frampton, who retires at 28-3 (16 KO) and a two-weight world champion, stepping away from the ring, here are some thoughts that were shared from the boxing world on Twitter yesterday:

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