When Carl Frampton beat Kiko Martinez to claim the European super bantamweight title back in 2013, he set his sights on challenging Jhonatan Romero, who at the time was the IBF super bantamweight world title holder.

However, the Spaniard got there first as the Colombian elected to a voluntary defence before facing the #1 contender.

Martinez knocked out the previously undefeated champion and went on to defend the title twice before he was dethroned by ‘The Jackal’ in Belfast in September of 2014.

It now seems Martinez, who shares a mutual respect with Frampton and is well known to Irish fight fans, will get a shot at another Jackal target.

Rumours are rife that the fighter known in Ireland as ‘Mini Tyson’ will challenge Leo Santa Cruz for his WBC featherweight strap on the same weekend as Frampton puts his IBF super bantamweight strap on the line against Scott Quigg in Manchester.

Frampton has been chasing Cruz, who some argue is a protected operator, and wanted his WBC super bantamweight belt. The Golden Boy fighter had claimed he was open to a unification clash, but the fight never materailsed.

Now Martinez, who fight fans might be surprised to hear is just 29, looks set to challenge the Mexican.

Martinez has claimed three knock out victories since he was stopped by Scott Quigg in July and ‘La Sensacion’ certainly has upset potential. Frampton has super batamweight unification ambitions, but has talked about a move up to featherweight and no doubt when that happens he will be open to a Santa Cruz clash – if Martinez doesn’t dethrone him first.