Who is the true world champion?
Thursday 5 March 2015 18:24, UK
Carl Frampton's possible showdown with Scott Quigg moved a step closer after his Saturday stoppage, but Johnny Nelson believes there's another super-bantamweight who rules the roost.
He looked like a world champion. Chris Avalos didn’t come to lay down. I liked his control, his calmness and his punch picking. He found his range for the right hand excellently and took advantage of the left hook which he knew Avalos was vulnerable to. He wasn’t trigger happy, he was patient and cautious. It was a very mature – physically and emotionally – performance.
The straight right that he landed, he didn’t go mad with it, because it wasn’t a lucky shot. He meant to throw it, he planned it and set it up. He was calculated, even when he finished the job he looked like ‘what did you expect?’
Only a handful of fighters with world titles truly believe they are the best in the world. Does Deontay Wilder? No, he knows Wladimir Klitschko is out there. Frampton believes he is the best.
I’m not disrespecting him, or undermining what he’s achieved, but I’m still looking for his defining fight.
Frampton is Premier League and Quigg is just getting into that division but needs a big match. That match might be against Frampton. His style is completely different but it’s effective otherwise he wouldn’t be world champion.
It’s frustrating because you’d like to see Quigg have the opportunity to prove he’s as good as Frampton. Quigg is constantly stepping up and proving us wrong, he’s not as polished or refined as Frampton but keeps surprising us.
This is the one you need to watch out for. The others look at Rigondeaux thinking ‘that’s the gold standard’. Everyone who’s watched him knows that he’s the man. Once you beat him, there’s no doubt you’re the best in the world. If you beat Santa Cruz you’re still looking over your shoulder at Rigondeaux.
He was down twice in his last fight but it’s about getting back up and winning. It shows he‘s vulnerable and can be beaten, but he’s still the best. Rigondeaux is the best of the four, then Carl Frampton – it’s very close but Rigondeaux has been there longer and boxed a better class.
He is very beatable. He doesn’t have the power or boxing ability of Frampton. If you’re not tight and on point, if you have a leak in your defence then Frampton will pick you apart like he did to Avalos. You have seen the shots that Santa Cruz is hit with – you can’t let Frampton have those shots, he’ll put you away with one.
I need to mention Kid, he's my boy. He fancies it against Frampton and Quigg. He can give them both hell-fire. I think he is lacking the strength of Frampton but, technique-wise, he’d box the ears off Quigg.
