Watch the moment Carl Frampton became WBA world featherweight champion

He’s done it!

The bookmakers didn’t think he would do it but Carl Frampton and his team had no doubt that he would claim featherweight gold when he met the bigger, stronger Leo Santa Cruz in New York on Saturday night.

In a tightly contested match-up – Frampton’s first at 126lbs – ‘The Jackal’ banked enough rounds early on to pay dividends on the scorecards as he claimed a majority decision over his Mexican opponent.

With one judge scoring it as a draw, the other two were in no doubt as the Northern Irishman took the title thanks to scores of 116-112 and 117-111.

And you could see just how much it meant to him.

https://twitter.com/BoxingBritain1/status/759599337479503872

From start to finish, it was a fascinating affair and here’s exactly how it played out in the eyes of fight fans from all over the world.

Round 1

Santa Cruz has a 7-inch reach advantage and it showed in that 1st round #santacruzframpton

— Mark Kriegel (@MarkKriegel) July 31, 2016

Great 1st round,both happy to let their hands go. #SantaCruzFrampton

— AE64 (@AndrewLeeEvans) July 31, 2016

Round 2 

https://twitter.com/tqbr/status/759585121016176640

The ropes keep LSC up in 2nd. Big breakthrough for Frampton

— David Mohan (@DavidMohan99) July 31, 2016

Frampton almost drops Santa Cruz with a left hook in 2nd #SantaCruzFrampton

— Mark Kriegel (@MarkKriegel) July 31, 2016

Round 3

2nd and 3rd to Frampton. #santacruzframpton

— Sam Farley (@FarleyWrites) July 31, 2016

Frampton switched up brilliantly in the 3rd, picked can't miss (for the judges) punches brilliantly. #SantaCruzFrampton

— Ismail (@IML91) July 31, 2016

Frampton is the matador tonight. Likely up 30-27, maybe 29-28. I still worry if he can keep this pace up for 12 rounds.

— S.W. Junkball (@Junk_Baller) July 31, 2016

Round 4

Very well contested fight. Santa Cruz had a good 4th round. #SantaCruzFrampton

— Ray Poplawski (@RPopBox) July 31, 2016

#LSC had a good 4th round in my book. He was tagging #Frampton. Can he hold up? #SantaCruzFrampton #boxing

— Christopher Chilton (@ChrisChilton81) July 31, 2016

Round 5

https://twitter.com/Xavier9281/status/759588455017885696

https://twitter.com/GaryDriscoll84/status/759588283915636737

Round 6

Here's come Santa Cruz now… Turning up the pressure and finding success in the 6th #SantaCruzFrampton #Boxing

— BOXINGWOOD (@Boxingwood) July 31, 2016

Frampton decides to stand and trade in the sixth, and it was to his detriment. Leo's round. 4-2 Frampton through six. #SantaCruzFrampton

— Nick | Standing Ten Boxing (@StandingTen) July 31, 2016

https://twitter.com/baskincase/status/759589196642344960

Round 7

Santa Cruz landed a good shot to the body followed by hook upstairs near end of 7th, wins the round. 5-2 Frampton. #SantaCruzFrampton

— Mark Ortega (@MarkEOrtega) July 31, 2016

https://twitter.com/tqbr/status/759590219356180482

Gave the 7th to LSC. Have him up 4-3 over the Jackal #SantaCruzFrampton

— Bob Velin (@BobVelin) July 31, 2016

Round 8

Had a very close round 8th but gave it to Frampton who picked off great shots and landed well on the inside. #boxing #SantaCruzFrampton

— chrispy (@chrispycrittr) July 31, 2016

Big last minute of the 8th for Frampton. 77-75 for Carl. #SantaCruzFrampton

— Joe DePaolo (@joe_depaolo) July 31, 2016

8th rd to Frampton. 75 – 77 Frampton. #SantaCruzFrampton

— hctroubador (@hctroubador) July 31, 2016

Round 9

Frampton landing up the middle in 9th. Round to Frampton. 87-84 Frampton. Guaranteed one judge has that score other way #SantaCruzFrampton

— Jorge Hernández (@JorgeDeBurque) July 31, 2016

https://twitter.com/JH12th_Final/status/759592444384030721

Round 10

Leo takes the 10th but will need to take the 11th and 12th for the draw #SantaCruzFrampton

— Unified Champion (@unifiedchampbox) July 31, 2016

The 10th was not close..that was a santa cruz round. #SantaCruzFrampton

— Luis Alvarez Serrano (@peso__completo) July 31, 2016

Round 11

Santa Cruz tags Frampton w a solid Rights in the 11th here at the Barclays Center @ShowtimeBoxing #SantaCruzFrampton #boxing #boxeo

— MiguelAngelMaravilla (@MigMaravilla) July 31, 2016

But Santa Cruz looking good in the 11th #SantaCruzFrampton

— Cheeky DeBarge (@RFifton) July 31, 2016

Round 12

Hell of a 12th round! #SantaCruzFrampton

— TRTBoxing (@TRTBoxing) July 31, 2016

What a 12th round!!! Savage, savage stuff. I gave the final rd to LSC and have it a draw, 114-114. #SantaCruzFrampton

— Mike Coppinger (@MikeCoppinger) July 31, 2016

Great 12th. Frampton should get the decision #SantaCruzFrampton

— Michael A Rodriguez (@_HeyMike) July 31, 2016

GREAT last round. Solid fight. Leo takes the 12th for me, and… what do you know, I have it a draw at the last bell. #SantaCruzFrampton

— Nick | Standing Ten Boxing (@StandingTen) July 31, 2016

I scored #SantaCruzFrampton 115-113 for Frampton… Those 116-112 & 117-111 scores were kind of a stretch. Fight was much closer than that

— ELOH STACKz (@ELOHSTACKz) July 31, 2016

In the end, Frampton was the deserved winner and the Belfast man is now the first Northern Ireland fighter to win a world title in two weight divisions.

Considering how exciting Saturday night’s fight was, we wouldn’t rule out a rematch just yet…