Cruz: Frampton has defects I want to expose them after I beat Mares

Leo Santa Cruz says he wants to beat Carl Frampton if he over comes the challenge of Abner Mares on August 29.

Team Frampton have criticised the Mexican for avoiding ‘The Jackal’ over the past two years and indeed the undefeated WBC super bantamweight World champion has received flak for cherry picking opponents.

Mares, who Santa Cruz fights at featherweight, certainly represents a step up in class and if he over comes that challenge he wants Frampton.

Speaking via fighthubtv, Santa Cruz insisted he wants to lose his “cherry-picker” reptation and has requested no soft touches – meaning a fight with Frampton is more than likely, especially given that both are with influential adviser Al Haymon.

“He’s a good fighter. (Vs Alejandro Gonzalez). I think what affected him was the change (of country). You know, he’s from Ireland, first fight in the USA. I think that is the difference but he looked great, (even though) he got caught good.

“They say when you move from one state to another it makes a difference, so if he’s here for a while he can get used to it, (he can) make one more fight so he won’t make excuses and stuff.

“Then hopefully if everything goes good in my fight against Mares and then a possible fight with me and him is very possible because I think we can beat him. He has many defects that we could catch him with.

“If he wants me to go down (to 122lb) I can go down, if he wants to move up, whatever he wants to make that fight, I’ll do it.”

Frampton has spoken of his desire to settle his differences with Scott Quigg next, but Santa Cruz could bring another World title to the table, is a bigger worldwide name and, as he too works with Al Haymon, the clash is easy to make.