Overall, 2016 is off to a strong start for the Belfast-born Carl Frampton.
Fresh off of his 122-pound title unification win over Scott Quigg on February 27, Irish world champion Carl Frampton was awarded an MBE on Tuesday for his "services to boxing.”
Let's check off the list of Frampton's accomplishments thus far: The 122-pound world champion beat Scott Quigg in the fight of his career in front of an electric British crowd on February 27. He's got another blockbuster fight in the works with Leo Santa Cruz slated for sometime this summer. Today is St. Patrick's Day.
The only day of the year everyone pretends they like Guinness pic.twitter.com/ptpxkHDncK
— Carl Frampton MBE (@RealCFrampton) March 17, 2016
Oh, and Frampton picked up a Member of the British Empire (MBE) on Tuesday, designating him as a Member of the Order of the British Empire. He was presented the honor by Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge and second in line behind his father, Prince Charles, to inherit the throne from Queen Elizabeth. So quite possibly, Frampton is now BFF's with the potential future king. Not a bad run through the first quarter of the year, no?
Very proud day for me. MBE pic.twitter.com/e7RQlgNyRu
— Carl Frampton MBE (@RealCFrampton) March 15, 2016
The Order of the British Empire "recognizes distinguished service to the arts and sciences, public services outside the Civil Service and work with charitable and welfare organisations of all kinds." It was founded in 1917 by King George V, and is organized into five classes.
The highest level of the Order is the Knight Grand Cross or Dame Grand Cross which, as you may have figured out, confers knighthood or damehood. All four Beatles were awarded with the MBE in 1965, and Paul McCartney was later elevated to knighthood. How often, though, does a fighter get to say he shares equal footing with the Beatles? Other than Muhammad Ali, of course.
