Big-time boxing will make a welcome return to terrestrial television when ITV broadcast Carl Frampton’s defence of his world title in Belfast on February 28. The hard old game has been striving for a way to reclaim its huge free-to-air box office appeal for five years. There has been a strong feeling that a powerful renaissance of the sport has been failing to capitalise on the massive cross-over audience available on terrestrial network television. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Carl Frampton: ITV coverage is huge for me and for boxing . Carl Frampton will defend his world super bantamweight title live on ITV on February 28 . Frampton will take on mandatory challenger Chris Avalos at the Odyssey Arena in Belfast . Ali vs Frazier (BBC, 1971) Over 27million watched the unbeaten Muhammad Ali surrender his record after 15 rounds with Joe Frazier. McGuigan vs Pedroza (BBC, 1985) Barry McGuigan’s defeat of reigning WBA featherweight champion Eusebio Pedroza drew 18m viewers. Benn vs Eubank (ITV, 1993) After Chris Eubank beat Nigel Benn three years earlier, 16.3m watched the rematch end in a draw. ITV are answering that call by screening Frampton’s IBF super bantamweight championship battle with mandatory challenger Chris Avalos at what will be a wildly atmospheric Odyssey Arena in Belfast. The Northern Irishman’s legendary mentor, manager and promoter Barry McGuigan said when making the ITV announcement: ‘This is as crucial for boxing as it is important for Carl. ‘This is a great showcase for Carl to show the whole of Britain and much of the world what an exciting fighter he is. But on top of that our sport has been needing major exposure on terrestrial television.’ This will be the first world championship fight on one of the major networks since Carl Froch beat Jean Pascal for the super middleweight title seven years ago. Frampton beat Kiko Martinez in Belfast in September to win the IBF super bantamweight title . Frampton's mentor and manager Barry McGuigan said that this is crucial for boxing and important for Carl . The last live terrestrial broadcast featured Amir Khan’s non-title bout against Paulie Malignaggi in New York in 2010. ITV executive Niall Sloane said: ‘This is a first step back into boxing for us and it is very exciting. It used to be that fighters were built up on terrestrial television before going on to pay-per-view with the likes of Sky. ‘But lately the wider public have been deprived of the chance of seeing brilliant youngsters like Carl.’ Carl Froch's victory over Jean Pascal in December 2008 was the last world title bout on terrestrial TV . Amir Khan beat Paulie Malignaggi at Madison Square Garden in New York  in May 2010 live on ITV . ITV’s re-entry into the prize ring may push back plans for a title-unifying Battle of Britain between Frampton and Scott Quigg, who is committed to Sky through his promoter Eddie Hearn. However, assuming he sees off Avalos as expected, Frampton will be looking first at other huge multi-belt duels with Leo Santa Cruz and Guillermo Rigondeaux, the brilliant Cuban who is generally regarded as the Floyd Mayweather of the super bantamweight division. For a fight against Rigondeaux, for example, it is not inconceivable that McGuigan, now as shrewd in his negotiating as he was when a world champion in his own right, can pull together a multi-channel deal like those being discussed by US networks HBO and Showtime for Mayweather vs Manny Pacquiao. The undercard in Belfast will be aired on ITV4, followed by Frampton v Avalos on the main ITV channel.
Carl Frampton to fight Chris Avalos in Belfast on February 28 .
Super bantamweight world title showdown will be shown live on ITV .
Fight will be first world championship duel on terrestrial TV in seven years .
Last terrestrial broadcast featured Amir Khan in 2010 .
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Big-time boxing will make a welcome return to terrestrial television when ITV broadcast Carl Frampton’s defence of his world title in Belfast on February 28. The hard old game has been striving for a way to reclaim its huge free-to-air box office appeal for five years. There has been a strong feeling that a powerful renaissance of the sport has been failing to capitalise on the massive cross-over audience available on terrestrial network television. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Carl Frampton: ITV coverage is huge for me and for boxing . Carl Frampton will defend his world super bantamweight title live on ITV on February 28 . Frampton will take on mandatory challenger Chris Avalos at the Odyssey Arena in Belfast . Ali vs Frazier (BBC, 1971) Over 27million watched the unbeaten Muhammad Ali surrender his record after 15 rounds with Joe Frazier. McGuigan vs Pedroza (BBC, 1985) Barry McGuigan’s defeat of reigning WBA featherweight champion Eusebio Pedroza drew 18m viewers. Benn vs Eubank (ITV, 1993) After Chris Eubank beat Nigel Benn three years earlier, 16.3m watched the rematch end in a draw. ITV are answering that call by screening Frampton’s IBF super bantamweight championship battle with mandatory challenger Chris Avalos at what will be a wildly atmospheric Odyssey Arena in Belfast. The Northern Irishman’s legendary mentor, manager and promoter Barry McGuigan said when making the ITV announcement: ‘This is as crucial for boxing as it is important for Carl. ‘This is a great showcase for Carl to show the whole of Britain and much of the world what an exciting fighter he is. But on top of that our sport has been needing major exposure on terrestrial television.’ This will be the first world championship fight on one of the major networks since Carl Froch beat Jean Pascal for the super middleweight title seven years ago. Frampton beat Kiko Martinez in Belfast in September to win the IBF super bantamweight title . Frampton's mentor and manager Barry McGuigan said that this is crucial for boxing and important for Carl . The last live terrestrial broadcast featured Amir Khan’s non-title bout against Paulie Malignaggi in New York in 2010. ITV executive Niall Sloane said: ‘This is a first step back into boxing for us and it is very exciting. It used to be that fighters were built up on terrestrial television before going on to pay-per-view with the likes of Sky. ‘But lately the wider public have been deprived of the chance of seeing brilliant youngsters like Carl.’ Carl Froch's victory over Jean Pascal in December 2008 was the last world title bout on terrestrial TV . Amir Khan beat Paulie Malignaggi at Madison Square Garden in New York  in May 2010 live on ITV . ITV’s re-entry into the prize ring may push back plans for a title-unifying Battle of Britain between Frampton and Scott Quigg, who is committed to Sky through his promoter Eddie Hearn. However, assuming he sees off Avalos as expected, Frampton will be looking first at other huge multi-belt duels with Leo Santa Cruz and Guillermo Rigondeaux, the brilliant Cuban who is generally regarded as the Floyd Mayweather of the super bantamweight division. For a fight against Rigondeaux, for example, it is not inconceivable that McGuigan, now as shrewd in his negotiating as he was when a world champion in his own right, can pull together a multi-channel deal like those being discussed by US networks HBO and Showtime for Mayweather vs Manny Pacquiao. The undercard in Belfast will be aired on ITV4, followed by Frampton v Avalos on the main ITV channel.
VIDEO Scroll down to watch Carl Frampton: ITV title live on ITV on February 28 . Frampton will mandatory challenger Chris Avalos at what will be will be the first world championship fight on one years ago. Frampton beat Kiko Martinez in Belfast broadcast featured Amir Khan’s non-title bout was the last world title bout on terrestrial TV .