Photo: Esther Lin/Showtime
“This is a big fight against Frampton, who is a very skilled fighter. Carl Frampton is one of the best,” Santa Cruz told Fightnews.com®. “I’m excited to be fighting in New York, fighting in front of new fans. It’s a new experience for me. There will be a lot of Frampton fans also but it will be only me and him in the ring.”
Training at the Who’s Next Boxing Gym in Industry, California, Santa Cruz has been working with his brother Antonio Santa Cruz along with his other brother, former world champion Jose Armando Santa Cruz. But camp has been somewhat quiet without the demanding presence of head trainer/father Jose Santa Cruz. The family patriarch was recently diagnosed with cancer and is currently in the process of receiving treatment for his illness, limiting his role.
“Everything is going great, even with my dad not being here,” Santa Cruz said. “I come here to the gym and train hard just like he tells me to. I have been getting good sparring for this camp. My brother Antonio has been training me in the gym and my dad tells my brother at home what to work on in the gym. It has been different without my dad here screaming at us and telling us what to do, when he does it’s for our best.
“My dad is strong, he already had surgery and the next day he tried to walk because he’s mentally strong. One thing my dad always said is ‘if you are weak in the head, you won’t achieve anything.’ Right now he’s undergoing all his therapy. My dad will be at the fight in my corner, they’re giving him treatment now so he can be with me the day of the fight. The only thing I want is for my dad to be there.”
Santa Cruz is coming off a fifth round stoppage of former world champion Kiko Martinez this past February in Anaheim, California, defending his WBA featherweight title for the first time.
“I always go out there to please the fans. That’s why I got him in the first round, dropped him twice, and I thought I was going to finish him but he got stronger. The next couple of rounds we were going toe-to-toe while it lasted till I got him in the fifth.” Santa Cruz said.
Earlier that day, across the pond, Carl Frampton unified the WBA and IBF super bantamweight titles with a dominant performance winning a decision over previously undefeated Scott Quigg and breaking his jaw in the process at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England.
“He has great skills and moves a lot. If he has to, he stays in there and punches. He has great power in that right hand and the left hook. He beat Scott Quigg, he said he could beat me but I will just do my training and work hard in the gym,” Santa Cruz said. “I wanted to watch that fight, but I was focusing on my fight. I was reading on it though. I won’t be the same as Scott Quigg, I will go out there and throw a lot of punches.”
Last year Frampton made his U.S debut winning a unanimous decision over Mexico’s Alejandro “Cobrita” Gonzalez Jr. in El Paso, Texas. In that fight Frampton survived two, first round knockdowns as he rallied to win a decision. Seated at ringside that day was Leo Santa Cruz and his father as he gave us his thoughts on that performance.
“We were at the fight when he got dropped, I was like ‘if I landed those punches he won’t get up,’ but it’s different being ringside and being in the ring,” Santa Cruz said. “I think he had never fought a Mexican fighter. I think it was the first time. It was also the first time he fought in the U.S. maybe the time difference affected him.”
In addition to his training camp and preparations for Frampton, Santa Cruz is pulling double duties. This Saturday, his promotional company “Last Round Promotions” will be hosting their second fight card in Los Angeles at the Commerce Casino in Commerce, California headlined by former world champion Giovanni Segura.
“Giovanni Segura, a former world champion, great fighter and puncher, will be the main event. We also have up-and-coming fighters that will be fighting on the card. Hopefully all the fans come support us. I invite everyone to come watch the fights this Saturday. I will be there,” Santa Cruz said.
Santa Cruz vs. Frampton will be a scheduled twelve round championship bout for Santa Cruz’s WBA featherweight title.
“We are going to fight a smart fight, be patient and stay on the outside. If the knockout comes, it comes,” Santa Cruz said. “Expect an action fight, a war. We’re going to go toe-to-toe and exchange power punches. We’ll give an action packed fight, may the best man win!”
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