Carl Frampton defeated Horacio Garcia via a unanimous points decision at the SSE Arena, Belfast, on Saturday night after 10 months out of the ring.
Frampton, 30, last fought when he lost his WBA title to Leo Santa Cruz in January and since then has split from trainer Shane McGuigan and Cyclone Promotions and joined up with Frank Warren Promotions and trainer Jamie Moore.
Frampton began well, dominating the early rounds but his Mexican opponent began to find his feet and got back into the fight. What looked a slip in the seventh round was judged to have been a punch that took Frampton off his feet, according to referee Victor Loughlin, and Frampton was held to a standing count.
As the fight went on into the latter rounds, Frampton was clearly tiring but was able to do enough to secure a points decision, earning him his 24th win from 25 professional fights.
Garcia, 27, had his fourth career defeat to the hands of the ‘Jackal’ but did put up a stern display to battle to the end.
After the fight, Frampton said, “I thought it was a good fight and everyone would have enjoyed that more than me. I was boxing lovely at the start then I let him drag me into a fight.”
“I wanted it to be a hard fight, that has got the rust off, the cobwebs have gone and I want one of the big boys. I will let the team decide who I fight next.”
Frampton hopes to fight again in the spring and then for a title fight next summer, at Windsor Park.
