Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Carl Frampton!
Frampton has been named
The Ring magazine Fighter of the Year for 2016 and joined some pretty stellar company in the process.
The honour is one of the most prestigious accolades that can be bestowed upon a fighter and one would do well to find a more worthy winner of this year's prize than 'The Jackal'.
https://twitter.com/ringmagazine/status/821435343471865857
In 2016, Frampton stretched his perfect professional record to 23-0 thanks to a pair of decisions over Scott Quigg and Leo Santa Cruz.
Against Quigg, Belfast's Frampton retained his IBF super-bantamweight title and added his English opponent's WBA (Super) super-bantamweight belt to his collection.
Then the 29-year-old made the decision to test his abilities in an entirely new weight class as he moved up to featherweight to meet fellow undefeated fighter, Santa Cruz.
After one of the most entertaining bouts of the year, Frampton's hand was raised and his legacy boosted as he became a champion in another division.
It was a stellar year for Frampton and it will come as no surprise to him that his unforgettable 12 months were marked by 'The Bible of Boxing.'
https://www.instagram.com/p/BPX8kyHgHQ4/
"Obviously it’s a huge honour,"
Frampton said of the award. "Toward the end of the year I picked up fighter of the year on some websites but THE RING Magazine, that’s the one. I’ve very, very proud of that."
No Irish fighter has ever received this honour before but, when it comes to Frampton, we should stop being surprised by his achievements.
Catch up with this week's episode of Football Friday Live:
