Frampton, Santa Cruz post-fight press conference

By Miguel Maravilla
Photos: Darryl Cobb Jr./dcobbjr.com

Carl Frampton: “I don’t know what to say, I don’t think it has sunk in yet. I wanted to win. It was the toughest fight of my career. I think I hurt him in the second round, once I hit him hard he backed off. I don’t think there is a rematch clause but I don’t know. I would love to take him to Belfast…there is Lee Selby and Gary Russell here too.”

Leo Santa Cruz: “It was a great fight, it was a tough fight, it could have gone either way. I don’t take nothing from Frampton, we just want the rematch…I want a rematch in LA or in Belfast. All I am thinking of is the rematch against Carl Frampton. Hopefully we get it.”

Promoter Lou DiBella: “These guys fought a war at a tremendous level. Two great fighters fought and we saw a great fight. I thought it was a close fight. The 117-111 card does not represent what the fight was like, there were some close rounds, if anything Santa Cruz caught up at the end…if you are a boxing fan and didn’t like that, something is wrong with you.”

Mikey Garcia: “I’m happy with my performance. I showed everyone I’m back and I’m ready to go after the champions. It felt really good getting back to do what I love most. Two-and-a-half-years of litigation and politics kept me from that. It felt good to show everybody what I can do. I would like to win a title at 135. One name that comes to mind is WBO champ Terry Flanagan, I would love to add the WBO 135 to my collection. I want to make my stand at 135. I really don’t want to skip the division. I think I can compete at 135 or 140. I am willing to fight anybody.”

Paul Malignaggi: “I really didn’t anticipate anything overall. I felt it was a good fight for me. I have had better nights, not sure how I will progress. I do have some thinking to do on what I do. I have to go home and think of a lot of stuff. When the time comes to walk away you don’t accept it. It’s something I am wrestling with.”