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“The f**ker won’t fight me’ – Frampton ready to give up on Santa Cruz

Carl Frampton looks ready to give up all hope of a third fight with Leo Santa Cruz.

The pair traded wins in two entertaining world featherweight world title fights and have been linked ever since.

Frampton handed Santa Cruz the first loss of his career with a decision win at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn back in July 2016 and Santa Cruz returned the favour and regained the WBA world title at the MGM Grand the following January. 

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‘The Jackal’ has been quite vocal about a third fight ever since, while Mexican Santa Cruz publicly welcomed the advances, but always passed responsibility to his team.

A third installment was talked about by both early this year, but any hopes of a trilogy fight seemed to go up in smoke when the Belfast fighter signed a deal a deal with Top Rank and ESPN.

Santa Cruz is aligned with Premier Boxing Champions and their deals with Showtime and Fox Sports make the clash less likely.

The former two weight world champion now looks more likely to face new stable mate Oscar Valdez and points out he could no longer wait for Santa Cruz.

“It could have happened with me and Leo Santa Cruz but the f****er won’t fight me for a third time,” Frampton said during the TKO Podcast on joe.co.uk.

“I’ve been trying for long enough. I’m giving up! I don’t know [if that fight will happen.] I’ve signed with Top Rank now so the Oscar Valdez is probably the more realistic one but I can’t wait on Leo Santa Cruz and let him dictate my career.

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Jonny Stapleton

Irish-boxing.com contributor for 15 years and editor for the past decade. Have been covering boxing for over 16 years and writing about sports for a living for over 20 years. Former Assistant Sports editor for the Gazette News Paper Group and former Tallaght Voice Sports Editor. Have had work published in publications around the world when working as a freelance journalist. Also co-founder of Junior Sports Media and Leinster Rugby PRO of the Year winner. email: editoririshboxing@gmail.com

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