Carl Frampton vs. Scott Quigg: A Breakdown Ahead of Next Year's Big Fight

If the fight comes close to being as complex and unpredictable as the negotiations, boxing fans are in for a real treat when Carl Frampton and Scott Quigg clash next year.

The bout between the two super bantamweights has been a long time in the making.

Now, finally, a contract has been signed. Put the date in your diary: February 27, 2016.

There is still a long wait until the duo climb into the ring, but there is already a sense of anticipation over what might happen.

Gareth A. Davies wrote in the Telegraph: "Styles make fights, and Quigg-Frampton has nuance in power, precision, movement and self-belief. It also has two unbeaten fighters, 53 fights between them, just approaching the peak of their powers, eager to assert themselves as the No 1 in the division."

The rivalry has simmered for years, stemming back to a time when they were just building their reputations at domestic level.

Now, though, both hold world titles.

Quigg has hold of the WBA belt, at least one version of it. Guillermo Rigondeaux is now champion in recess, plus the governing body also makes Moises Flores the interim titleholder.

There’s not so much confusion when it comes to Frampton’s crown. The Northern Irishman is the undisputed owner of the IBF strap.

The Jackal has agreed to give up home advantage to face Quigg, with the Manchester Arena in England staging the contest.

Here, Bleacher Report breaks down the two fighters, looking at their careers to date as well as their strengths and weaknesses in the ring.

Record: 31-0-2 (23 KOs)

Scott Quigg didn’t need to speak to a guidance counsellor to know what he wanted to do when he left school.

In fact, the boy from Bury cut short his education to start his career, leaving a year early so he could focus all his efforts on boxing.

He explained to Martin Domin of the Mail in 2012:

My teachers asked what I’d do without an education, and what I’d do if boxing didn’t work out, because I had nothing to fall back on. But I was so focused on becoming a boxer and fulfilling my dreams, I was determined to leave and in the end I proved them wrong.

They accepted that it was what I wanted to do and that I felt so strongly about it. I wasn’t a horrible student, I just didn’t like going to lessons. They knew my mind wasn’t going to be changed, and I thank them for letting me leave.

The decision has paid off. Quigg had a short amateur career before turning pro in 2007.

He had a spell under the tutelage of Ricky Hatton in the early years, but he now works with trainer Joe Gallagher.

If Quigg didn’t enjoy lessons at school, he has shown a willingness to listen and learn in the gym.

The British title arrived in 2011, courtesy of a seventh-round stoppage of Jason Booth, and the following year he was crowned interim WBA champion after beating Rendall Munroe in a rematch.

Their first bout had finished in a technical draw, Munroe being in no fit state to continue after an accidental clash of heads left him with a nasty cut.

The other draw on Quigg’s record came against Yoandris Salinas, though the former told Sky Sports afterwards, "I feel I won the fight."

The 27-year-old has not stopped winning since. He has reeled off five victories on the spin, with only Hidenori Otake taking him the distance during the streak.

After a points triumph over Hidenori Otake late in 2014, Quigg was forced to undergo hand surgery to repair ligament damage.

The spell on the sidelines must have been frustrating for a man so dedicated to his trade.

Promoter Eddie Hearn didn’t schedule an easy return for his fighter. Quigg was booked to face Kiko Martinez on July 18 in Manchester, England.

That bout only happened after Hearn made a very public offer to Frampton.

He appeared live on television with a cheque written out to the Northern Irishman for the sum of £1.5 million. Quigg told his rival “to put his money where his mouth is,” per Sky Sports.

Frampton branded the offer a publicity stunt, so instead, Quigg faced a man who his rival had beaten twice.

Spaniard Kiko Martinez had lost the IBF title on points to Frampton in their second meeting.

However, Martinez barely made it past four minutes with Quigg. After a cagey first round, the Englishman landed a sumptuous uppercut that proved to be the beginning of the end.

While the challenger managed to get up from a first knockdown, he was in no fit state to continue when he made a second trip to the canvas soon after.

It was the best win of Quigg’s career to date. His timing couldn’t have been any better either, as Frampton was finding the going much tougher against a lesser-named opponent at exactly the same time.

Quigg will not lose due to poor preparation.

He is known for his dedication to his profession and is tough to keep out of the gym. To that extent, making weight won’t be an issue for the WBA champion.

His dedication to the cause means the Bury fighter has a tremendous motor. He will be ready to go for the full 12 rounds.

Quigg is good at fighting on the inside, targeting both body and head when he can go to work at close range.

However, against Martinez, he showed an ability to work on the counter. The uppercut that led to the Spaniard being knocked down for the first time was a thing of boxing beauty.

But the first round of that fight should not be completely forgotten.

Martinez’s aggressive approach caused Quigg a few problems in the opening three minutes. The Englishman is not the toughest target to locate.

If he is too aggressive against Frampton, too eager to get up close to do his best work, there is a chance he could be picked off from a distance.

Record: 21-0 (14 KOs)

Born in Tiger’s Bay, Belfast, Frampton competed for Ireland as an amateur.

He won the silver medal at the European Union Amateur Championships in 2007 and had over 100 bouts before moving into the paid ranks.

His pro debut came in the summer of 2009, and he went on a tour of the United Kingdom in the early years.

The McGuigan family have guided Frampton's pro career. Barry, the former featherweight world champion, is his manager and mentor.

Barry’s son Shane, meanwhile, is the trainer. He is younger than Frampton, but the partnership has blossomed. As well as technical work, the team also focuses on sports science and nutrition.

Frampton yearned for a shot at Scott Quigg back when the latter was the reigning British champion, but the fight never materialised at the time.

Instead, The Jackal claimed the vacant Commonwealth belt by stopping Mark Quon in 2011.

He has twice beaten Kiko Martinez to claim titles, stopping the Spaniard in 2013 to win the European belt before then triumphing on points the following year, securing the IBF strap in the process.

Frampton has successfully defended the world title twice since dethroning Martinez.

Chris Avalos was blitzed in Belfast, but the champion’s debut on American soil saw him survive a scare before beating Alejandro Gonzalez Jr. on points in Texas.

"I want to become a star in the USA and this is my first step on that journey." Those were Frampton's words ahead of his American debut against Alejandro Gonzalez Jr., per Tom Gray of Ring Magazine.

However, the dream of becoming a big name across the Atlantic, helped by signing a promotional deal with Al Haymon, nearly turned into a nightmare.

Mexican Gonzalez Jr. didn’t seem to be an opponent to be too worried about.

He had never fought in a 12-rounder before and had only once competed outside of his homeland.

Yet the heavy underdog threatened to cause an upset when he dropped the champion twice in a stunning first round.

The first was a flash knockdown, coming when a left hand caught Frampton cold. He wasn’t badly hurt on that occasion. The second time, however, he definitely felt an overhand right.

The second trip to the canvas came in the closing stages of the first, meaning Frampton had the chance to regain his senses during the break.

He did exactly that, going on to take control of the contest.

Gonzalez Jr. helped his opponent out by being deducted two points for low blows, and the final scores of 116-108 (twice) and 115-109 showed how impressively Frampton had turned things around after a shoddy start.

Frampton is a powerful puncher for a man who fights at the 122-pound limit.

The Northern Irishman has 14 knockouts in 21 bouts. He is all about controlled aggression, rather than a reckless approach to the task at hand.

He dismantled the wild but dangerous Chris Avalos in February, countering beautifully to take control before then moving in for the finish in the fifth round.

So, what are the concerns for The Jackal?

There was a red flag with Frampton’s performance against Gonzalez Jr.

The two knockdowns were a shock, even if he did regain his composure to come out on top. There had been no signs of any issues with his punch resistance in the past.

Frampton said after the bout that weight was an issue, telling ITV Sport (h/t the Guardian), "I have to seriously consider whether to stay at this weight or go to featherweight, I had a lot of weight to take off during the last few days before the fight."

Shane McGuigan is not a trainer to leave things to chance. He must make sure his man is in excellent condition to cope with Quigg.

This is a tough fight to call. That, though, is the way it should be at the very highest level.

Boxing is guilty of serving up far too many title fights that are mismatches, bouts where the result is known long before the first bell sounds.

Michelle Joy Phelps, correspondent for the Behind The Gloves website, ran a Twitter poll over the outcome: Frampton received 56 per cent of the vote.

That number might have been greater before the IBF champion’s difficult night in July against Alejandro Gonzalez Jr.

In contrast, Quigg’s reputation received a real boost with the manner of his victory over Kiko Martinez.

The needle between the two camps only heightens the rivalry. Negotiations have been complicated, and as recently as July, the chances of the fight happening seemed remote at best.

As renowned boxing journalist Steve Bunce pointed out in his recent blog for ESPN:

The pair have been circling each other, threatening and swapping mild insults for a long time. The impasse at the negotiating table was infuriating to fans and both boxers showed their anger in various interviews—they each hated the idea that people thought they were the one that was stopping the fight from happening.

Now, the fighters will get what they always wanted. They will be handsomely rewarded for it too.

Who wins? That’s a tough call when still this far out. The buildup may give us a better indication over who holds the psychological advantage before a punch is even thrown.

Right now, Frampton seems the most likely.

However, a compelling case can be made for Quigg, showing just why this bout will be so intriguing to watch. February 27 cannot come around soon enough.

Who do you think will win the Frampton-Quigg showdown? Have your say by using the comments section.