Carl Frampton has insisted that he is capable of winning a world title this year after powering past Kiko Martinez in Belfast last night.
Frampton overcame the toughest test of his career to stop Martinez at the Odyssey Arena and claim the European super-bantamweight crown with an impressive knockout in the ninth round.
The 'Jackal' believes that he proved his worth at a higher level by becoming the first man to stop a spirited Martinez and extend his unbeaten record to 16 fights.
He told reporters: "I can't remember much about the [knockout] punch. It was a decent shot.
"I proved I've got a good chin. I could feel his power but he didn't hurt me. He didn't make my legs wobble but you can see from face that he hits hard. He's not been wobbled before but I took him out. The plan was to box from the outside but when we traded, I felt I got the better of him.
"I want to be a world champion. I feel the buzz and its getting better. The best man won on the night but he's a tough man. I was hitting him and he was coming back."
Frampton now has the option of trying to secure a world-title eliminator on May 11 or chase a domestic clash with rival Scott Quigg.
