CARL Frampton could be set for a world title rematch with Scott Quigg this summer.
Two years after he was out-pointed by Frampton in a super-bantamweight unification grudge match at the MEN Arena, Quigg has fought his way back to the top and he’ll return to Frampton’s radar if he dethrones WBO featherweight champion Oscar Valdez in Carson City, USA next month.
Frampton faces Nonito Donaire in Belfast on April 21 and if he comes through that fight he’ll seek a world title shot at Windsor Park in August. Quigg, Valdez, Josh Warrington and Lee Selby (who clash at Elland Road Leeds on May 19) are all names in the frame for the other corner.
“It’s one fight at a time,” cautioned ‘the Jackal’.
“I need to beat Donaire and look good doing it and then we can look at Windsor Park.”
However, Frampton has all but given up on enticing Leo Santa Cruz to Belfast for a third meeting. Frampton beat the LA-based Mexican in New York back in 2016 before losing a rematch in Las Vegas in January last year.
“I doubt it’s going to be Santa Cruz ,” he said.
“I don’t think he’s going to come here, I don’t feel he’s throwing out any sort of vibes that he wants to come here. Anyway he’s fighting Abner Mares in June and I’m looking to fight in August so that would rule him out.”
Warrington and Selby (the IBF champion) do battle in Leeds in late May in what looks certain to be a tough night’s work for the winner. That could leave both struggling to be ready for Windsor Park in August so, with Santa Cruz out of the frame and WBC champ Gary Russell jr out of the picture, the winner of Valdez-Quigg could be Frampton’s next opponent - if he gets past Donaire.
“It’ll be a big name, it’ll be a big opponent and it’ll be for a world title at Windsor,” Frampton pledged.
“It could be the winner of Selby and Warrington, or even the winner of Oscar Valdez and Scott Quigg.
“Without being disrespectful to Scott – obviously he has a chance against Valdez because he’s a puncher and he is easy enough to hit – but I believe Valdez is going to come out on top so he’s another potential opponent.
“It’s strange how this boxing game works because Quigg was completely off my radar and he still is, but if he wins a world title then it becomes a different kettle of fish. I doubt he’ll beat Valdez to be honest.
“I won the first fight in second gear and unless Quigg has something that I want or need, I won’t be crying out for that fight and I don’t think the public are either.”
Frampton is well aware that losing to Donaire on April 21 will puncture the chances of a summer spectacular at Windsor Park and could well deal a mortal blow to his career. At 36, Donaire remains dangerous and will be determined to show he still has the tools to return to world title level.
“He’s a four-weight world champion and he has loads of experience and loads of ringcraft,” said Frampton.
“He’s one of the better fighters of my generation at any weight. He knows how to fight and people talk about his left hook as if that’s all he’s got and if you take that away you’ve won the fight but I don’t see it like that.
“He’s a bit of an all-rounder, he can do a bit of everything. Obviously the left hook is a very dangerous shot and something I’ll be aware of but there’s a lot of strings to his bow and he can definitely fight so I’ll need to come in with two, maybe three, gameplans to win the fight and I’ve been working today on the second one.”
