Carl Frampton:  Super-bantamweight World Champion

Matters of the Day – in the Northern Ireland Assembly at 12:30 pm on 8 September 2014.

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Photo of Mitchel McLaughlin Mitchel McLaughlin Sinn Féin 12:30, 8 September 2014

Mr William Humphrey has been given leave to make a statement on Carl Frampton becoming the super-bantamweight world champion, which fulfils the criteria set out in Standing Order 24.  If other Members wish to be called, they should rise in their place and continue to do so.  All Members who are called will have up to three minutes to speak on the subject. I remind Members that I will not take any points of order on this or any other matter until the item of business has finished.  I will, Mr Allister, return to your earlier point of order when this item is finished.

Photo of William Humphrey William Humphrey DUP 12:45, 8 September 2014

On the back of the Commonwealth Games and Rory McIlroy's exploits over the summer, Northern Ireland has had a terrific weekend in sport: Ulster's last-minute securing of a point away to Scarlets; the Shankill's own Marc McCullough winning his fight easily on Saturday night; the green and white army having a great victory in Budapest last evening; and, of course, on Saturday night, Carl Frampton, north Belfast's own, becoming the world champion.  I congratulate Carl on behalf of the people of north Belfast on a great win.  He certainly caught the mood of the people of the city and the country — all the people — with over 1,000 people attending the weigh-in at the Ulster Hall

 

Carl started his career as a young boy of seven.  He was guided and moulded as an amateur boxer by Billy McKee MBE, as so many boxers in north Belfast have been.  On Saturday evening, at the purpose-built stadium beside the Titanic Quarter, some 16,000 people went along to the bout.  I suggest that Saturday evening was almost a throwback to the 1980s and McGuigan's great fights in this city.  I commend Barry McGuigan and his wife Sandra for the way that they have managed Carl since he turned to professional boxing.  They have managed his career and promoted him, Belfast and Northern Ireland in such a positive way.  Carl was at a training camp for 16 weeks: four months of hard work and dedication.  The hard work, dedication, commitment and professionalism have now paid off, with Carl becoming our latest world champion. 

As I said at the start, I congratulate Carl, a young man who started his career at seven years old and progressed to be a world champion.  I think that we should all, in this city and across the country, be immensely proud of his achievement.  I also congratulate his family, who have been there to support him through the years: his mother and father, Flo and Craig; his wife, Christine; and, of course, his young daughter, Carla.  Their love and support will have been invaluable to him throughout his career, particularly his professional career. 

When you listen to Carl being interviewed on the TV or radio, you are left in no doubt that he has very much gained the love and interest of the people of our wee country.  For me, he is a great athlete, a great sportsman and a great role model for any young person, particularly a young person growing up in working-class north Belfast, and he is now a great world champion.  As I said, we in north Belfast are hugely proud of his achievements.  His success is now there for the world to see.  This young man spent his childhood in Tigers Bay, and, now, across north Belfast, this country, this kingdom and the world, we talk about Carl Frampton, the world champion.  I wish him well in the future as he defends his title and, as he may well do, fights to merge other titles with it.

Photo of Carál Ní Chuilín Carál Ní Chuilín Sinn Féin

Go raibh maith agat, a Phríomh-LeasCheann Comhairle.  I join my north Belfast colleague William Humphrey in congratulating Carl Frampton and, indeed, all the boxers on the ticket on Saturday evening: Marco McCullough, Jamie, Eamonn, Conrad, Anthony and Matthew.  Each one of them did us proud, but today is about Carl Frampton, the Frampton family and the McGuigans.  Kiko Martinez put up 12 rounds to give us an excellent boxing match, as did the rest of the opponents.  They are all very worthy.  Carl Frampton, as the many of us here who have met him on occasion will know — some of you will know him better than I do — is an excellent role model for young people involved in sport, whether that is at an amateur or professional level.  Carl Frampton is now the world champion bantamweight.  That in itself will provide great inspiration and aspiration for young people, particularly those in north Belfast who are coming behind him. 

William mentioned the role that Billy McKee, Gerry Storey and many others had in Carl's illustrious career as an amateur boxer.  Certainly, the McGuigans, Cyclone Promotions and others were involved in giving us what was a boxing treat on Saturday evening.  We have been told that 120 countries had television rights to the boxing matches, with an estimated 250 million people watching what we in Belfast already know was an absolutely brilliant display of boxing on Saturday evening.  That was against the magnificent backdrop of the Titanic building.  I had the privilege of being there, representing the Executive, and what I saw was a city in concert in support of Carl Frampton and the other boxers.  For me, that is another success story. 

As we all know, boxing, to use an old but well-trodden phrase, like the nine medals that we had in the Commonwealth Games, punches well above its weight in this part of the island and, indeed, in the whole of the island.  Carl Frampton — for his mother Flo, father Craig, wife Christine, daughter Carla and, indeed, all the family and the entire north Belfast community — is one of our own.  We are all extremely proud of him and will continue to be proud not just of his achievements as a professional boxer but, indeed, of the achievements that our boxers on the ticket on Saturday night brought to us all.  We wish him all the best, and it is appropriate that he is mentioned in the House today as a Matter of the Day.  On behalf of everyone — I am sure that everyone will have an opportunity to speak — we are all absolutely delighted for Carl and extremely proud of him and the rest. Well done.

Photo of Alban Maginness Alban Maginness Social Democratic and Labour Party

We are a very talented lot in north Belfast, and that is not just the politicians.  It includes Mr Carl Frampton, and, of course, we are all delighted at his wonderful achievement.  There is something in the air in north Belfast that produces very fine boxers — as well as politicians.  Carl really proved himself and united the community in popular support right across the divide.  He is a champion — a world champion — and that is something for all of us to be exceptionally proud of.  I hope that he does well in the future.  He has put Belfast on the map once again in sporting terms.  We have had quite a number of boxers from north Belfast: Michael Conlon and Paddy Barnes, and, of course, we also have Michaela Walsh.  That is a great tribute to those people and to those who are involved in the sport in north Belfast and throughout Belfast.

I wish Carl well.  It is good to see a Tigers Bay man doing well, and it is good to see someone from a humble background doing well.  He is a charismatic and modest individual, but he has shown his worth to all of us.  He is a tremendous role model, I think, for many young people here in Northern Ireland. I look forward to his civic reception in Belfast, where the Lord Mayor, Nichola Mallon, will welcome him in due course.  I hope that I get an invitation.

Photo of Mike Nesbitt Mike Nesbitt UUP

Excellence in boxing is in our sporting DNA, possibly in a way that does not apply in any other sport. As a young sports reporter, I was brought up on the legends of Rinty Monaghan in the 1940s, Johnny Caldwell and Freddie Gilroy in the 1950s and 1960s, Charlie Nash in the 1970s, right through to more modern world champions like Wayne McCullough and Dave "Boy" McAuley.  Even in listing those names, there will be those who love boxing who will be screaming out, "You have forgotten Hugh Russell, Brian Magee, Eamonn McGee and Jim McCourt". So it goes.  Excellence in boxing truly is in our DNA, and Carl Frampton is the latest example.

There is something else about boxing: it unites our society in a unique way.  In the 1980s, I was lucky and privileged to follow Barry McGuigan's story.  Innumerous times, I drove down to Clones to interview Barry or his father or to speak to his mum, who was working in the shop.  I followed Barry all the way to Loftus Road in 1985, where he beat Pedroza and brought a world title back to Belfast.

I suggest that seldom has Northern Ireland and its people been more united than they were that night around Barry McGuigan's success.  For him to recreate that, 29 years later, not in London or in Dublin but in the Titanic Quarter in Belfast, is a huge testament to himself and to Carl Frampton.  It was a magnificent achievement in sporting, social and cultural terms.  I congratulate him on behalf of the Ulster Unionist Party, without reservation.

The late Gerry Anderson used to tease Dave "Boy" McAuley, a world champion, on Radio Ulster that if he was on 'University Challenge' or 'Mastermind', his specialist subject would be the lights and the ceiling of the King's Hall because he had spent so much time on his backside on the canvas looking at them, which was not true, of course.  Well, I can guarantee you, Carl Frampton will never be an expert on the lights and the ceiling of the King's Hall, but I hope that he defends his title here in Belfast.  I also hope, Mr Principal Deputy Speaker, that the Assembly invites Carl Frampton and his family and Barry McGuigan and his family to a reception here to celebrate his success, because we have some rather fine lights and lamps out in the Great Hall.

Photo of Chris Lyttle Chris Lyttle Alliance

I rise on behalf of the Alliance Party to extend our wholehearted congratulations to Carl Frampton, his family, his team and the McGuigans.  I was not able to be at the fight, but I listened to the atmosphere on the radio, and I have seen the plethora of videos that have been posted, showcasing what was truly a spectacular event for Belfast and Northern Ireland — one that we can be proud of.  Indeed, it was a spectacular achievement by Carl and his team. 

As many MLAs have said here this morning, it is not just about the dedication, skill and belief that Carl has as a world champion boxer now, but the dignity with which he performs, the respect with which he treats his opponents and the love that he shows for his family, his friends and the people of Northern Ireland, regardless of their community background. He absolutely has achieved what many people have failed to do and united our city and our community.  I think that he is a shining example of what can be achieved with dedication, hard work and ability. 

We should also say that he is an example for the many people who are involved at grassroots level in boxing across our community.  I congratulate them on the hard work that goes on at that level in our boxing community.  However, Mr Principal Deputy Speaker, it is not enough that we as elected representatives congratulate and respect the hard work of our world champions and grassroots volunteers:  we need to show the investment and the support that they deserve in order to develop our boxers and our community so far as possible.  We extend our congratulations to Carl, and we wish him well for future success.

Photo of Jim Allister Jim Allister Traditional Unionist Voice

Thank you.  I am delighted to join in the very well-deserved congratulations to Carl Frampton.  He has brought great pride, I am sure, not only to his close family, Tigers Bay, north Belfast and the rest of Belfast but to all of Northern Ireland.  I think that we all feel pride in the fact that we have another world champion from our midst, and we want to salute him and congratulate him in all of that.

It would be remiss not also to congratulate the sporting fraternity on the achievements reached during the recess:  the success of Rory McIlroy, and the success of many of our sportspeople at the Commonwealth Games.  Northern Ireland has done itself tremendously proud in sport over the summer months, and this has been the crowning jewel in respect of all of that.

Photo of Nelson McCausland Nelson McCausland DUP

Thank you, Mr Principal Deputy Speaker.  May I join with others in giving my congratulations to Carl Frampton in the wake of his success, on Saturday night, in the centre of Belfast on bringing back to Belfast, and to Northern Ireland, the IBF super-bantamweight title?  We have a rich history of boxing in Northern Ireland, particularly, I have to say, in north Belfast.  As has been mentioned, a long line of boxers have come from that part of the city.

In congratulating Carl, we pay tribute to the role that his family have played.  He was brought up in a very good family and had a good start in life, and that is hugely important.  He has also been well managed and looked after by Barry McGuigan during his career.

I am glad that my colleague William Humphrey mentioned the start that Carl had all those years ago in Midland Boxing Club in Tigers Bay in the Duncairn area of north Belfast.  In that context, I pay tribute to Billy McKee, who has given, I think, 40 years of voluntary service to that little boxing club where Carl started his boxing life.  It was right and proper that Billy was acknowledged with the BEM earlier this year.

Carl has shown great talent in the ring and shown by his manner outside the ring that he is a responsible and good citizen.  He is a good example to others and is, in many ways, a role model for young people.  We can be truly proud of him.  The city can be proud of him and so can the country.

As has been said, there is a wealth of boxing talent in Northern Ireland, but it goes wider than that.  As has been pointed out, we have had great success in golf and at the Commonwealth Games, and we also note the successes once again this year in the World Pipe Band Championships.  So, at world level, Northern Ireland is, to borrow a phrase from boxing, certainly punching above its weight.

Photo of Karen McKevitt Karen McKevitt Social Democratic and Labour Party 1:00, 8 September 2014

I, too, put on record my sincere congratulations to Carl Frampton and Kiko Martinez for a fantastic fight on Saturday night.  Our focus is rightly on our new world champion, but it is right to recognise the achievements of both boxers during what was a gruelling and well-contested match. 

Like many others, I was ecstatic to see Carl crowned world champion on Saturday night.  It was a nail-biting fight at times, but, from the moment that Carl knocked Martinez down in the fifth round, I think that we were all confident that he was a hero in the making.  I am only sorry that not all people from across the North were able to watch the match, because it costs so much to rent.  I therefore appeal to our local broadcasters to think about how they can make all sports more accessible to everyone in the future.

I am so pleased and glad to hear that my party colleague the Mayor of Belfast, Nichola Mallon, is already planning a civic reception for Carl.  That will allow the people who did not see the match to contribute, take part and congratulate him.  I support the calls here this afternoon for there to be an event in Parliament Buildings, which would be a very fitting tribute to him.

Aside from his boxing, Carl has become a unifying figure in Belfast and beyond.  His success has brought people from every community together to celebrate a local champion.  He and other sports stars have set a positive example that continues to inspire our young people and to wear down the barriers between our communities.  If that alone happens, we will be absolutely delighted.

Again, I congratulate Carl and the team.  We wish them all the very best for the future.