Family and fans of the north Belfast fighter packed the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, yesterday for the weigh-in as excitement mounted in the run-up to the WBA featherweight battle between Frampton and Leo Santa Cruz in the early hours of Sunday morning.
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A triumph would undoubtedly rank as the finest of his career and provide another marquee evening for British boxing, yet when he faces Léo Santa Cruz, the unbeaten WBA champion, there will be more on his mind than boxing immortality.
Santa Cruz isn’t exactly a giant that Frampton can get under – the Mexican is just over 5-foot-7, and Frampton is 5-foot-5 – though his reach is seven inches longer (69 inches to 62), which gives Santa Cruz an advantage from an attacking standpoint. In a sport that leaves many protagonists utterly broken once the final bell sounds, “The Jackal” knows the glare… “I am expecting it to be noisy on the night”, Frampton, who has won all 22 of his professional fights, told BBC Radio 5 live.
“I’m faster, and I think that I can definitely punch faster”.
“These are the big fights I’ve wanted”. It’s probably better for me now that it’s happening at featherweight.
“But I promise you when I start hitting him hard, he’ll think twice about coming in”. “But when you’ve got a big puncher standing in front of you, you won’t be as keen to come forward, and I think that that might be the case”. I’m going to win.
“But now, up at 126lb, my energy levels are good, my weight is flawless and mentally I feel good”. We’ve got a plan, we believe that “Plan A” will work.
“My punching power will play a big part in it. This is the best I have ever felt and I am coming home with the title”.
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Frampton, who tipped the scales at 125.25lbs for the contest – 0.25lbs less than Santa Cruz – says making the weight for this fight was no issue for him, insisting he is in the best shape of his life.
