Carl Frampton shakes of ring rust to defeat Darren Traynor but knows there’s still improvement needed

Former two-weight world champion is targeting a shot at the WBO super-featherwight title later this year and came through his first bout since December unscathed

Carl Frampton defeated Darren Traynor on his return to the ring (Getty)

Carl Frampton made a triumphant return to the ring with a seventh-round stoppage of Darren Traynor.

The 33-year-old floored his opponent with body shots in the sixth round and ended the fight in the next in his first bout since he required surgery on both hands in December following his win over Tyler McCreary.

Frampton is targeting a fight with WBO super-featherweight champ Jamel Herring later this year, after their proposed meeting in June was shelved due to the coronavirus pandemic, so he needed to come through his tune-up against Aberdeen's Traynor at an empty York Hall on Saturday.

Traynor was a late stand-in after Frampton's original opponent Armenian Vahram Vardanyan suffered visa problems.

And, despite a sluggish start, Frampton was far superior in every department as he shook off the lockdown ring rust.

He showed his class with a couple of big hooks to the body late in the sixth round which floored his opponent.

Traynor just beat the count and the bell immediately saved him from further punishment, but he decided he had had enough 60 seconds into the seventh round following another left hook to the body.

Frampton told BT Sport: "I was happy to win, but I was far from my best.

"Once I started landing my jab, I hurt him a few times with the jab and then the body shots in the second half of the fight.

"I know I need to be a lot better but it was good to get the rounds in. My hands are fine, no issues there, so onwards and upwards."

PA