Frampton would have had Santa Cruz rubber match in Windsor Park claims McGuigan

Carl Frampton could have had a massive rubber match with Leo Santa Cruz at Windsor Park Stadium if he had of retained Barry McGuigan as his manager, McGuigan claimed in court on Thursday.

The former world champion also alleged his fellow Irish boxing legend was in negotiations to leave Cyclone Promotions before he officially left the company.

On the last of six days in the witness box, the Monaghan native told the court that he planned to get Frampton back to winning ways against Andres Gutierrez – a fight that was called off due to the Mexican falling in the shower after the weigh in – and then hunt down the rubber match with Santa Cruz.

Asked by his barrister, Liam McCollum QC, if he had any plans to sever ties with Mr Frampton at the time, Mr McGuigan replied: “No.”

McGuigan said, the intention was to rearrange a fight against the Mexican in November before a massive encouther with Santa Cruz in spring.

“We would have tried to put that on in Windsor, it would have been April-May time, that would have been an open air show, that would have been the objective.”

“I’m pretty sure Carl would have beaten this [Gutierrez], would have looked good in doing so, and then would have had an opportunity to fight Leo Santa Cruz a third time, either at home in Windsor, or in New York or in Las Vegas,” he said.

Part of Mr McGuigan’s counter-claim involves an alleged loss of commission for the cancelled Gutierrez fight.

Counsel for Frampton pressed him on how the boxer was liable for a contest that was called off. “Because he walked out on his contract.” McGuigan said before telling the Court he believed ‘The Jackal’ was already plotting an exit.

“I believe that he was negotiating leaving, and he was in the throes of walking away from us.

“He broke a contract where we had worked very hard for him for a long time, and did a magnificent job with him.”

McGuigan was also quizzed again about the purse disparity between Frampton and Kiko Martinez in their second world title fight.

Marintez came to Belfast in September of 2014 to put his IBF world title on the line against the home town fighter.

The Spaniard received in the region of £400,000 for a fight that played out in a purpose built venue, while Frampton received
£145,000.

After insisting it was a ‘very good purse, McGuigan explained using big purses to tempt the champion to come to your home town was common practice.

Indeed, he used his own world title winning fight with Eusebio Pedroza as a prime example.

“I fought for the world title, 27,000 people in Loftus Road, got £90,000 and Pedroza got £600,000.

“That regularly happens, the champion comes to the challenger’s back yard, he gets paid lots of money and the challenger, for the opportunity to fight at home and a big chance of winning, gets paid considerably less.”

Frampton brought a case against his former manager for loss of earnings of up to £6 million.

In a counter-suit, Mr McGuigan is claiming against the Belfast-born boxer for breach of contract.

Both men deny the respective allegations against them.

The case continues.