On Feb. 28th, The Odyssey Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland will host an IBF World Super Bantmweight title defense for Carl Frampton, as he faces Chris Avalos. Right now, Frampton is favored (-625) at the books over Avalos, who returns at (+475). There is no over/under set, and though a major card is expected, the promotion has not announced any of the other bouts on the card.
Frampton has become a big draw in Belfast, as evidenced by his September unanimous decision win over Spaniard Kiko Martinez that drew 16,000 plus people to the Titanic Quarter. The win gave Frampton the IBF belt and a perfect 19-0 record.
Avalos is a solid 25-2 overall, and he has built up a nice six-fight winning streak that included winning a title eliminator for the IBF against Japan’s Yasutaka Ishimoto on Top Rank’s May 31st, 2014 event in Macao, China. Avalos has 19 stoppage wins to his name and the trip to China to earn this shot shows he can fight on the road.
But Frampton is already a commodity, and the circumstances of going to Ireland and fighting him will be one of the top issues for Avalos to contend with. Frampton has a rabid following, and the atmosphere they generate from a fight was credited with being a huge factor in Frampton’s win over Martinez.
The Spaniard did not handle the overall pressure of the fight well, avoiding eye contact at the weigh-ins was a possible tell tale sign, and Frampton himself has commented on the environment Martinez faced.
Now with a world title around his belt and a huge match with countryman and WBA World Super Bantamweight champion Scott Quigg being talked about down the line, Avalos is just a stepping stone. Additionally, with Guillermo Rigondeaux and Leo Santa Cruz in the weight class, Quigg and his promoter Barry McGuigan are looking forward to bigger and more lucrative things.
For Avalos, he has been on a strong run and has a sharp game. If he can remain unaffected by the pressure of a world championship fight, he has a chance at providing a test for Frampton.
