IT was a bruising night in a part of the city where steel was once hammered, crafted and held aloft for the world to see.
Carl Frampton - Belfast’s special cargo - was sent deep into the Titanic Quarter and long before the arena trembled in anticipation the expectation was that he too would emerge as someone worthy of world celebration.
Thousands of stamping feet made a ring walk from the city on a still night that crackled with energy and expectation of battle.
It was certainly that.
The venue creaked when Frampton made his ring walk to the soundtrack of Say My Name - a statement of intent to the world beyond Belfast.
Then came Kiko Martinez and when the champion entered the ring he was battered with the sort of hostile welcome everyone expected. Despite it he would go on to produce the kind of resilience that few might have - even in defeat.
He was tough, always, like teak at times, particularly through Round 5 when felled by a right hook.
The Spaniard was blindsided and possibly felt duped after shrugging off a series of straight rights through earlier rounds.
That was Frampton’s most effective punch as the Tigers Bay fighter countered sharply off the back foot, picking, plotting and punishing often.
Sensing blood, the arena rose in anticipation expecting the finish but the bell saved Martinez who was to grow stronger, not weaker, quelling the crowd.
If Frampton’s punches continued to maintain their sting, then the burning energy of the arena had by now grown chilly. Long gone was the warmth of the collective pre-fight chorus of American Pie and Sweet Caroline as the sweet science got sticky for a time.
As the rounds skipped by, Frampton continued to draw the champion on but the pop up venue was always faced the threat of a collapse from a Martinez overhand right.
The challenger gave him more opportunity than was comfortable, that fact most obvious in the tortured expression of Barry McGuigan whose face was a picture of punishment at ringside.
But by the late rounds, the championship rounds, Frampton was boxing with more evasion and landing punches in bunches on the champions chin that was proving every ounce the anvil.
Martinez’s steely presence was bending under the strain but by now it appeared he was unlikely to be broken by way of knockout.
Sure he buckled late on, yet he remained and earned much respect after taking plenty.
A knockout would have provided the replay moment on which to hang the night but it was a bit harder than that.
World title fights in steely parts of town tend to be.
See More: Barry McGuigan, Boxing, Carl Frampton
