Frampton’s last five fights

“This is my second fight at featherweight, so I think I’m getting more used to the weight”, Frampton added. Me and my brother, we train hard and everything.

Even though the rivalry between Frampton and Santa Cruz is rapidly developing into one of the most exciting in the lower weight divisions in professional boxing, the respect which the protagonists hold for each other is as unusual as it is striking.

Santa Cruz, who has his father and trainer Jose back in his corner for this fight after a cancer diagnosis limited his participation in the first fight, said Wednesday he might retire if he loses again. I don’t know why. Santa Cruz refused to seek blame and was a delight in defeat; since the loss he has admitted he took Frampton lightly and that his father’s illness, which almost forced him to withdraw, had affected his training. I think he lost both fights to Quigg and Santa Cruz, and showed no improvement with his terrible stamina.

‘But so many of my fans sent messages telling me I won. It will be interesting to see how many people travel to see Frampton from Ireland and whether Santa Cruz is able to draw from his nearby California base.

“I’m excited and feel I am going to win”.

Despite that, Dunne still envisages Santa Cruz being a “hell of a challenge” to overcome. Frampton has proven in big fights that he can adapt and this has left some of his opponents bewildered; Santa Cruz and his people will be foolish to expect the same Frampton on fight night.

And it looks as if up to 5,000 of Frampton’s supporters will be inside the MGM Grand hoping their man can emerge victorious again. “So I said, ‘I’m going to stay there with him, too, ‘ but I never thought he was going to counterpunch that good or move that good”.

“You know, it does concern me a little bit because he’s saying that he wants to kick out all the Mexicans, the Latin people and the people that are immigrants”, he said.

Frampton says the crowd is his “motivation”.

“I don’t think he should do that. But this is a business and if I see any chance to take him out and get the job done, I’m going to take it”.

Irish legend and former 126-pound world champion Barry McGuigan, who now works as Frampton’s manager, agreed that his fighter’s lackluster performance against the late Gonzalez ultimately proved to be a blessing.

“Crown jewel of the Olympic class … fought and won twice against current [WBO] heavyweight champion Joseph Parker in the amateurs, he’s 6-foot-7, very athletic, bilingual”, Schaefer said. The stamina just isn’t there with Frampton.

The primary beneficiary of a Carl Frampton victory Saturday night would be England’s International Boxing Federation featherweight champion Lee Selby.

The last fight was excellent, and it’s hard to envision this one being anything less.

Santa Cruz conceded he would have to do some things differently in the rematch. “I want to entertain the fans”, said the Mexican-American who has a seven-inch reach advantage over Frampton.

But there will be one, another one, Saturday night between two fighters who seem to like each other nearly much as they like to fight. “No matter, as long as it happens, I’ll be happy to give it to him”.

“I think I’m going to get another win”, said Frampton.