By Scott Gilfoid: Super featherweight fighter Mitchell Smith had the opportunity to spar with #2 IBF, #2 WBC, Carl Frampton (17-0, 12 KO’s) recently and he came away from the experience incredibly impressed with Frampton’s talent and power.
Smith was so impressed with Frampton that he now believes that he has the talent to beat WBA/WBO super bantamweight champion Guillermo Rigondeaux (13-0, 8 KO’s) if the two were to fight, which at this point doesn’t seem likely to happen anytime soon due to Frampton’s management not showing a great deal of interest in putting the 26-year-old in with the Cuban fighter.
“I genuinely believe he can beat every fighter at super bantamweight in the world and that includes Rigondeaux as well,” Smith said to Sky Sports. “Rigondeaux is clearly a very, very good fighter, but I don’t think he has boxed anyone with the punching power of Frampton. He beat [Nonito] Donaire who was extremely good but did he have that genuine knockout power?”
This is kind of funny. Smith’s trying to say that little 5’5″ Carl Frampton has more power than Nonito Donaire? Funny and yet sad as well, because it shows how much in the dark Smith is about Donaire’s power. Anyway, Frampton does not have Donaire’s power, and Rigondeaux whipped Donaire in their fight. Heck, Frampton doesn’t even have the power of Robert Marroquin. Those are two guys that Rigondeaux beat with better power than Frampton.
The reality is that Frampton would get beaten to a pulp if he were to ever agree to fight Rigondeaux, and believe me, Frampton isn’t beating down Rigondeaux’x door demanding a fight with him. The guys that Frampton is interested in fighting are guys like Scott Quigg, Kiko Martinez and Leo Santa Cruz. I see Frampton-Quigg as a toss-up fight, but Santa Cruz would destroy Frampton in easy fashion and leave him in a bloody heap on the canvas wondering what happened. And, of course, Rigondeax would totally clown Frampton to the point where even Frampton’s own British fans would likely leave the arena early just so that they wouldn’t have to see the bitter end for Frampton.
If Frampton fancied his chances against Rigondeaux then don’t you think he’d be pushing for the fight with him? The fact that Frampton is staying clear of Rigondeaux tells you all you need to know about how Frampton sees himself doing against the Cuban fighter.
I think Frampton would be a step down for Rigondeaux from his last opponent Joseph Agbeko. It would be an easier fight for Rigondeaux.
Comments are closed.