There’s already been discussions with Leo
Carl Frampton has confirmed that he has held discussions over a trilogy fight with Mexican boxer Leo Santa Cruz.
Discussing his options for his next fight on the first episode of TKO, JOE's new boxing hosted by Frampton and Chris Lloyd, the Northern Irish boxer revealed that contact has been made over the fight.
"There’s already been discussions with Leo. There’s already been discussions with Oscar Valdez, so these are potential opponents," Frampton told Lloyd on
TKO.
"I sat down with Frank (Warren) a couple of weeks ago. I’ve sat down with MTK as well, and I kind of told them what I want, which is big fights. The last thing I want is to have a scenario where you have to have three fights to get a shot again at a world title, because if that was the case, I think I would pack it in right now. So they know what I want, and everyone’s all on board."
Frampton also revealed that his recent loss to Josh Warrington may actually work in his favour in terms of securing another bout in the near future.
"And I still believe, you know, I lost my last fight, not an ideal scenario, but I’m still a big name in the division. And sometimes, when you lose a fight, other fights can be easier to be made. And that’s happened in my career before, where I was... I didn’t lose a fight, but I was dropped in Texas twice in the first round, I got the (Scott) Quigg fight and the (Leo) Santa Cruz fight," he said.
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"Off the back of that, so they see a vulnerability, and they think, ‘We’ll take advantage of that now.’ There’s already been discussions with Leo. There’s already been discussions with Oscar Valdez, so these are potential opponents."
The two fighters first took the ring at New York's Barclays Centre on July 30, 2016, when Frampton took home the WBA featherweight after a 12-round majority decision.
Their second fight, on January 28, 2017, saw Santa Cruz take the title, again on majority decision. Both fighters had stated they were open for a third match up, but until now discussions had not been confirmed.
When asked which of the fights - Valdez or Santa Cruz - he would opt for if given a choice, Frampton confirmed he'd plump for the trilogy but that he'd be happy for either.
"Probably, because it’s one each, and a trilogy makes a lot of sense, and it’s a tough fight, as is the Valdes fight, as is any fight with a World Champion in the division. But do you know what? If you give me a coin, I’ll flick it now, and I would take any one of them."
For the avoidance of any doubt, Lloyd then asked: "So just to confirm, so the negotiations, and certainly contact has been made with Oscar Valdes and Leo Santa Cruz’s camps?"
Frampton's answer? A definitive "Yeah".
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