WBA featherweight champion Carl Frampton discusses who’s next

Carl Frampton has made it abundantly clear in the aftermath of his sensational WBA featherweight title-winning display last night that there will be no pushover mandatory defences.

Speaking at the post fight press conference at the Barclays Centre, ‘The Jackal’ earmarked future fights with three of his fellow Al Haymon-advised fighters – WBC champ Gary Russell Jr, IBF champ Lee Selby, and vanquished WBA champ Leo Santa Cruz.

The Belfast man explained that “I don’t want to fight no-marks.”

“I just want big names. Selby is a big name, Santa Cruz is a big name, Gary Russell Jr is a big name. All these guys, that’s what I want.”

Someone said to me yesterday ‘real fighters fight’ and that’s just what I want to do.

With their clash last night in New York being a close Fight of the Year contender, calls for a rematch between Frampton and Santa Cruz have been widespread, and the Tigers Bay boxer isn’t shying from the challenge, claiming that “I would love to bring him over to Belfast.”

“You could sell out a stadium.”

However, the second Irish multi-weight champion (after Steve Collins) is keeping his options open for the time being, and also noted that “I see Lee Selby is here, a great fighter, so I’m going to have respect. I’ve been singing his praises for a very long time. That’s a fight that interest me. Gary Russell. All these guys. I just want to be in big fights.

“I’m happy to fight anyone.”

Outlining the rationale between his ‘major fights only’ mantra, Frampton described how “you know, I’m 29 now, approaching 30.”

“I’m not the youngest guy in the world now. I want to have a bit of security for my family.”

“The fights that are big names and financially rewarding, that’s what I want.”