A LUCRATIVE fight with Leo Santa Cruz could be on the cards for Carl Frampton if he gets past Scott Quigg on Saturday night, with Los Angeles-based middleweight star Jason Quigley insisting ‘the Jackal’ can still conquer America.
Frampton faces the biggest test of his career when he steps between the ropes to face fellow super-bantamweight world champion Quigg at the Manchester Arena, seven months after his US debut ended in an unconvincing decision win over the unheralded Alejandro Gonzalez jnr.
Santa Cruz was ringside in El Paso as the Tigers Bay man bounced back from being dropped twice in the first round to win. But events in Manchester will be far from the California-based Mexican’s mind this Saturday night as, just hours after the dust has settled in England’s north-west, Santa Cruz puts his WBA featherweight title on the line against none other than Kiko Martinez – vanquished foe of both Frampton (twice) and Quigg in recent years.
Ballybofey native Quigley (left) was an interested observer when Frampton made his US bow last summer and believes he should have another stab at cracking America - provided he gets past Quigg first.
“He needs to come out here and make a statement. For people to say ‘jeez, that would be a good fight for Santa Cruz’, because that’s what makes money,” said Quigley, who has been with Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy stable since 2014.
“The people over here, they hear of Frampton, [Lee] Selby and all, they hear they’re doing well over there but they want them to come here to prove themselves. It’s kinda like ‘sure he’s over there, who’s he fighting?’ That sort of attitude. But that’s people that are sitting on their laptops just watching it. Boxing people will understand that was a big move for Carl, a big step. He wanted to make a statement - there was a lot of pressure on that fight.”
Watch: Holy Trinity Boxing Club's Harry Hawkins gives his verdict on the Frampton v Quigg clash
Undefeated Quigley, who will take on an as-yet-unnamed opponent in his 10th professional bout in California on March 25, knows a bit about adapting to life Stateside, and understands the American psyche when it comes to boxing.
And he admits the interest in Frampton-Quigg across the pond “isn’t massive”: “I’m surprised I haven’t heard more about it,” he said.
“Before I came back out here, a lot of people back home were looking tickets and that because it is going to be a massive fight. But Frampton has only fought over here once, Quigg not at all, so people don’t really know them as well.”
It may not be box office on the west coast but Quigley, who only returned to America last week after three weeks back home, is all too aware of how big a deal Saturday night’s fight is on this side of the world.
And he is expecting to see fireworks when he tunes into Showtime’s coverage on Saturday: “Carl’s a very good boxer, he’s definitely talented - I think he’s a lot more talented than Scott Quigg is. Carl’s amateur background is definitely going to stand to him earlier in the fight, but Scott’s very dangerous, he can leave a man on his ass very handy as well.
“I don’t think Frampton will take the fight to him early - he knows he’s more skilful, more talented than Scott. I think he’ll try and box and move early on, pick him off, be smart and then, if the fight’s going well, they might step up the pressure on Scott, and that’s where it could get dangerous.
“My money would be on Frampton on points but if Quigg’s going to do it, he’ll do it with a late stoppage.”
