Carl Frampton happy about Santa Cruz rematch

“It looks like there is going to be a rematch and I am happy about that.”

Those are not the words of pundits, but of Carl Frampton himself regarding what is next for the two weight World champion.

‘The Jackal’ is not only open to a return with Leo Santa Cruz, the fighter he took the WBA featherweight World title off late last month, he welcomes it.

Indeed, he has reconfirmed that it looks set to take place before Christmas and is confident he can get the job done in more convincing fashion when the pair trade leather again.

“It was a good fight last time and I feel like I won it and I do feel I can win a rematch more convincingly – if I box with my head a bit more than my heart,” Frampton told Sky Sports.

“But it’s potentially going to be my next fight. I’d like to get out before the end of the year, in December. I just want the Christmas off but there are no injuries, Santa Cruz hasn’t got any, nor have I, so why not?”

Santa Cruz immediately called for a return after Frampton broke his duck egg via a majority points win in New York on July 30th, but asked for it to take place in his base city of Los Angeles.

However, Frampton wants to bring the fight back to Belfast, although that looks unlikely. The pound-for-pound #7 fighter is open to returning to America, and Las Vegas is heavily tipped to be the location, but insists he isn’t going to Santa Cruz’s back yard.

“The Odyssey Arena is the biggest indoor arena we could do it in in Belfast but it holds 9,000 and this fight probably requires a bit more.”

“I would love to bring him to Belfast. I would love to show the people of Belfast a fight with a World class fighter like Santa Cruz. Hopefully we will bring it to Belfast but it might be New York again, or Las Vegas. One thing for sure is it’s not going to be in Los Angeles where he wants it, because I am the champion.”