He’s hoping it’ll be a real knockout.
The boxing world will turn its focus to Barclays Center on July 30 as Showtime Championship Boxing descends on Brooklyn. The night’s main event pits undefeated Irish star Carl “The Jackal” Frampton against World Boxing Association featherweight world champion Leo “El Terremoto” Santa Cruz. It’s a top-tier fight and one that Frampton has been preparing for since he arrived in New York several weeks ago.
“I want to be in big fights, and I kind of went through the apprenticeship phase of my career and all the fights now from here on until the end of my career have got to be big,” Frampton said. “That’s what I want. There’s no bigger than Santa Cruz.”
Frampton has a chance to make history with a victory in the ring — becoming the first Northern Ireland fighter to win world titles at two weights.
The 29-year-old is a former unified World Boxing Association and International Boxing Federation super-bantamweight champion, but the challenge of moving up to 126 pounds was simply too good for Frampton to pass up.
He’s spent the last few months preparing to fight against those extra four pounds, even bring in sparring partners with a similar stature to Santa Cruz.
“It’s not easy for me to make 122, but I said I wouldn’t move to 126 unless it was a big fight and what bigger fight than Santa Cruz?” Frampton said. “I wanted to fight him. I thought I would get the chance to fight him at 122. The fight didn’t materialize for whatever reason, but it’s here now. It’s right on my doorstep and I can’t wait to get going.”
Frampton will be fighting at a different weight in his Brooklyn bout, but he’s not lacking for confidence.
He boasts a 22–0 record with 14 knockouts and is fresh off a split-decision victory over previously undefeated World Boxing Association super-bantamweight champion Scott Quigg in February.
Frampton dominated much of the fight, but he’s certain he can be even better and he isn’t taking Santa Cruz for granted.
“Any fighter with gloves on can be dangerous,” Frampton said. “There’s much more to come. It’ll have to be a better performance, [Santa Cruz] is a better fighter.”
Frampton’s workout routine over the last few weeks has been nothing short of intense. He has allowed himself a few minutes to take in the city, but he’s spent most of his time in a gym.
“Things have been good in camp so far,” Frampton said. “I feel like I’ve been performing in the gym so I can bring that into fight night.”
Santa Cruz is a challenge, something Frampton is well aware of. After all, that’s why he wanted to fight him in the first place.
Santa Cruz isn’t just a reigning champion, he’s an undefeated fighter and a victory over him would be the metaphorical feather in Frampton’s fighting hat.
Of course, the opportunity to secure another championship — and a place in boxing history — has its own appeal as well. Frampton wants to cement his legacy and that’s exactly what he plans on doing in Brooklyn.
“This is the chance for me to kind of put my name down in history,” Frampton said. “To be up there along with all of the great Irish fighters, that’s what I want to do.”
