Top Rank Boxing is bringing the sport back to North America after an extended break due to the coronavirus pandemic. Most of its June cards have been at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, but on Saturday, the company and Zanfer Promotions will be putting on a show from TV Azteca Studios in Mexico City.
The headlining bout is an on-paper mismatch between two Mexican fighters, Emanuel Navarrete and Uriel Lopez.
Navarrete is the WBO world junior featherweight champion, but the fight against Lopez is a 10-round, non-title fight at featherweight (126 pounds).
The fights at TV Azteca Studios can be seen on ESPN starting at 8 p.m. ET, with live-stream viewing available on ESPN+ (ESPN+ or ESPN cable subscription required).
Here's what to look for Saturday night.
Fight Card
Emanuel Navarrete (31-1, 27 KOs) vs. Uriel Lopez (13-13-1, 6 KOs): Featherweight, 10 rounds
Carlos Ornelas (25-2, 14 KOs) vs. Edwin Palomares (12-3-1, 3 KOs): Featherweight, 10 rounds
Sergio Chirino Sanchez (14-1, 8 KOs) vs. Gustavo Pina (8-2, 5 KOs): Featherweight, 8 rounds
Ivan Armando Garcia (5-0, 3 KOs) vs. Roberto Palomares (5-4-1, 1 KO): Flyweight, 6 rounds
Full information available at TopRank.com.
Odds (via Oddschecker as of Friday)
Navarrete -8075 (bet $8,075 to win $100), Lopez +2000 (bet $100 to win $2,000)
Main Event Preview
Navarrete's claim to fame is that he's one of the busiest champions around.
After winning the WBO world title from Isaac Dogboe in December 2018, he defended the belt four times in 2019, and then a fifth time in February of this year. All of those wins came by stoppage.
Casual fight fans might remember him from his most recent scrap on the undercard of the Deontay Wilder-Tyson Fury rematch. He stopped Jeo Santisima in the 11th round of a one-sided beating, per ESPN Ringside:
In an era where many titleholders enter the ring maybe two or three times a year, five defenses in a span of 10 months is admirable, especially in a sport where so many things can easily go wrong and knock you off your pedestal.
That said, Navarrete's opponents in 2019 were fairly underwhelming and not deemed serious threats, save for perhaps the rematch against Dogboe. Fans looking for him to take a step up in quality are going to have to wait well past Saturday night.
Lopez is simply a way for Navarrete to stay busy and adjust to a higher weight class. He has won 13 of 27 career fights, been knocked out three times and is on a three-fight losing streak.
Navarrete is an overwhelming favorite, and if the fight is anything other than an early- or mid-round stoppage for "Vaquero," it will be a surprise.
If we do see the bout go into the late rounds, it might simply be that the 25-year-old wants to get in some extra work as he looks toward a future at featherweight.
"We are thinking about maybe fighting this year at 122, then in 2021, going to 126," Navarrete said via a translator, per ESPN.com's Steve Kim. "As each fight passes, I feel that it's getting more and more difficult for me to make 122, because I'm still developing and growing physically."
Assuming the pandemic doesn't complicate the booking of fights over the next few months, we might see Navarrete defend his title a couple more times.
One opponent who would tempt him to keep off the few extra pounds is Naoya Inoue, an undefeated bantamweight champion and one of the top pound-for-pound boxers in the world.
According to Kim, Navarrete would be interested in meeting the Japanese fighter at 122 pounds but said "it has to happen soon."
So if you tune in on Saturday night, you'll see a handful of bouts featuring up-and-comers in boxing's smaller divisions and the potential for a rout in the headliner.
Navarrete's opponents may be underwhelming at times, but as his stoppage streak demonstrates, he doesn't take them lightly and is liable to deliver some fireworks.
With his arms raised in victory and the jeers raining down on this April night at Madison Square Garden, Shakur Stevenson knows the crowd isn't happy. He just picked apart former title contender Christopher Diaz in a unanimous victory.
He flashes a smile brighter than the gold bandana reading "Newark" atop his head, shushes the crowd with one finger raised to his mouth and then takes the mic.
"I'm the smartest fighter in boxing," he tells ESPN's Bernardo Osuna from inside the ring. "My defense is the best in boxing."
His words don't satisfy a carnivorous crowd that expected to see carnage. Nor does his style, one predicated on great footwork and defense.
Boastful words and technical precision don't win crowds. Stevenson, 22, knows that, but he doesn't care. Why would he? He's been dubbed "the new man to beat" in the featherweight division by former world champion-turned-ESPN analyst Timothy Bradley Jr. He's 11-0 with six knockouts as a professional. And this Saturday, he'll fight Alberto Guevara in his hometown of Newark, New Jersey.
Still, before he exits the Madison Square Garden ring, he can't resist responding to the boos.
"I'm the next Floyd," Stevenson says. "I'm the next Sugar Ray. Y'all can hate me if y'all want."
Whether it's from fans or rival fighters he once considered friends, Stevenson hears the hate. As he navigates life as a budding celebrity, he's realizing those he can trust are few and far between. He'll handle the rest in the ring.
Still, Stevenson is getting tired of waiting to prove it.
Should any of Stevenson's doubters venture across the Hudson River for his bout with former title challenger Alberto Guevara (27-4, 12 KOs) at Newark's Prudential Center on July 13, they'd be well-served to stew in silence.
The 10-round main event is being billed as a homecoming for Stevenson and a celebration for the city that threw him a victory parade after he won a silver medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics. There will be no booing Brick City's prince in the Prudential Center.
However, Stevenson's elite skills and early success have him feeling unsatisfied. The way he sees it, his next fight should be for Oscar Valdez's WBO featherweight belt or against a top-five divisional foe.
"There's no point in waiting when I can already beat the world champions," he says. "I'll ask for Valdez next, but I think he's moving up [to super featherweight]. I'd love for it to be [Carl] Frampton. I don't mind sending him into retirement."
Stevenson understands how to play the game. It's all he knows, really. His brash self-promotion and callouts of divisional foes contrast with the contagiously earnest smile that he never seems to shake.
"Not everyone's gonna love me, but I can make them believe in me," Stevenson says.
A world champion-turned-Olympic medalist, he's been groomed for this. His mentor and co-manager, Andre Ward, was an undefeated world champion who some disliked because of the same stylistic flourishes Stevenson is hearing about now. Fans will find a way to pick every fighter apart, but Stevenson believes authenticity and aggressive self-promotion will make him Top Rank's biggest star.
Ward, who manages Stevenson along with Josh Dubin and music executive J. Prince, has been preaching patience.
There's little doubt that Stevenson could win a title now. But Ward and Top Rank CEO Bob Arum are in the business of steering their pupil toward longevity. Read: retaining titles.
To do that, their golden boy, the No. 1 contender in the WBO featherweight rankings and No. 3 in the IBF, must be prepared for every situation. Against a heavy-handed former world champion with nothing to lose like Frampton (26-2, 15 KOs), one mistake could ground a career before it ever truly takes flight.
"Shakur's skillful enough to beat anyone in the division," Ward says. "But once you win the belt, you've got to be man enough to keep it. There's a big difference.
"He's not trying to hear it."
The oldest of Malikah Stevenson's nine children, Shakur spent most days with his grandfather, Wali Moses, while Malikah worked. The pair developed a ritual: breakfast accompanied by reruns of the fights that had aired on cable that week. One morning, two-year-old Shakur started punching the air—a baby's version of shadowboxing. Months later, Moses placed a baseball bat at one end of the living room and boxing gloves at the other. Guess which way his toddler grandson waddled?
By age five, Shakur was shadowboxing everywhere he went. The community took notice.
"People in Newark look out for each other," says Moses, who, along with USA National Boxing Team assistant Kay Koroma, still coaches Shakur. "There's a lot of people who have been on this journey with us. A lot of people helped make sure that Shakur was what we like to call a house cat, not a street cat."
Stevenson's rise through the amateur ranks was methodical. While many top American prospects avoided tournaments in foreign countries, Stevenson and Moses chased opportunities to face the best wherever they were. At 14, Stevenson traveled to Russia and won the Veles Cup. He moved to Virginia to train with Koroma at 16 and won the AIBA Youth World Championships and the Summer Youth Olympics in 2014.
By the time the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro arrived, Stevenson knew he would turn pro after the tournament. Ultimately, he lost to Robeisy Ramirez by split decision as the older Cuban captured his second Olympic gold medal. After the fight, a close contest between two fighters with similarly slick southpaw styles, Stevenson broke down in tears while coming to grips with his first—and last—international amateur loss.
Meanwhile, Floyd Mayweather, who flew to Brazil in hopes of recruiting Stevenson to sign with his Mayweather Promotions roster, was putting on a full-court press. However, Stevenson ultimately signed with Top Rank in part because of its history of building stars (such as Oscar De La Hoya, Mayweather and Miguel Cotto) and because Arum had a history working with Stevenson's management team.
Details of the deal weren't made public, but it's safe to say that he's doing well financially. After a decade of promising that he would one day take care of the family, life quickly pivoted for all of them.
"It's been really different with him taking over the household bills," Malikah says. "Sometimes he acts like he's the dad now. But he's doing what he always said he was going to do."
For the kid who fell in love with boxing in front of the kitchen television, superstardom has always been a means, not the end.
"I don't ever want my brothers and sisters to want for anything," Stevenson says. "When I'm getting up early to train, that's all I think about. Making sure they're healthy and feeling good."
In Newark, the noise hasn't stopped since news of Stevenson's upcoming bout broke.
Malikah and Shakur's father, Shahid Guyton, now live double lives as ticket agents, directing friends and family to where they can purchase tickets online. New Jersey natives Karl-Anthony Towns of the Minnesota Timberwolves and New York Giants safety Jabrill Peppers have asked to walk Shakur out to the ring. And the city of Newark is banking on Stevenson to become a repeat attraction that could bring title fights—and commerce—back to Brick City.
Top Rank knows distractions will only continue to mount for its young star, especially since Stevenson wants to fight at home frequently.
"It's not just about winning a world title," Top Rank vice president Carl Moretti says. "Shakur wants to go to the Hall of Fame. We've got to keep him focused and on the right track."
During a brief interview following an early June press conference, staying focused was far from easy. Not a minute went by without someone approaching Stevenson for a photo. He handled each request like a seasoned pro, posing for the camera with one fist up while continuing to answer questions between snaps. Soon, he was whisked away for a photo shoot at the Prudential Center, then to the airport to begin training in Las Vegas.
Not all of the attention surrounding Stevenson's rise has been positive.
In the early hours of July 1, 2018, after celebrating his 21st birthday on South Beach—and posting an Instagram photo with Drake—Stevenson and fellow boxer David Grayton were arrested following a brawl inside a Miami parking garage. According to Local10.com's Tim Swift, the police report said the boxers "made comments to a group of people in the garage, including two women to whom they directed sexual innuendo, which sparked the fight."
Video footage released in April shows a brutal scene in which Stevenson ducks around a woman to punch a man in the head. When one of the women begins hitting Grayton, he pummels her before he and Stevenson finish fighting the man in their group.
Stevenson was sentenced in mid-June to one year of probation and 50 hours of community service. He called the night a learning experience that he regrets but declined to speak about it further.
"I tore into him just like a big brother is supposed to," Ward says. "I think he felt the sting of having his mugshot posted everywhere the most. He's still dealing with the fallout."
Ward adds that he, Dubin and Prince had noticed some behavior from Stevenson leading up to the Miami brawl that worried them.
"We had a few conversations with Shakur," Ward says. "Unfortunately, sometimes young men have to learn lessons the hard way.
"Having this fame and money at his age, coming from where he came from, you have to move delicately. Overall, I think he's done a great job. I don't expect to see him in that position ever again."
After Stevenson's arrest, the boxing community rushed to determine whether he is more like the clean-cut Ward or a fighter with a long arrest record like Adrien Broner.
While Stevenson has been a model citizen beyond the arrest, there still are signs of a young man grappling with the burden of newfound fame.
"As a mother, it's scary," Malikah says. "He has all this attention on him, and you never know people's true intentions."
Stevenson is fond of tweeting cryptic messages that give an insight into his psyche each day. Themes of loyalty and trust come up often, and the consensus seems to be that he believes in self-reliance. Stevenson laughs off his social media posts as "just tweeting my feelings in the moment" while acknowledging that rising fame has made it difficult to forge relationships in the business.
Nowhere is that more apparent than Stevenson's occasional feuds with other fighters.
There was a time in 2017 and 2018 when Stevenson and super featherweight two-time world champion Gervonta Davis were sparring partners. They bonded over shared hardships growing up in Newark and Baltimore, respectively. Stevenson says they were friends. But after getting into a back-and-forth through the media and on Twitter, those days are done.
"I don't know what it is from his standpoint, but I know that sooner than later, we have to get in the ring," Stevenson explains. "I got no beef with Tank [Davis], but once I conquer 126 [pounds], I'm moving up to 130. ... I think it's just knowing that we gotta fight."
Stevenson says he wouldn't call many of his peers friends.
"I ain't cool with a lot boxers," he says. "We don't click. A lot of dudes you thought was cool turn out to be weird."
As Stevenson matures, critics will undoubtedly want to see more knockout power. Regardless of whether he notches his seventh KO Saturday, a dominant performance may not be enough to ensure that Stevenson's title shot comes next. That's probably for the best.
Stevenson's technical proficiency makes him a contender against any featherweight, but he still hasn't faced top professional competition. Even Diaz had an inflated reputation when they met.
It's easy to understand what Bradley saw when he anointed Stevenson as the best fighter in the featherweight division, but it's impossible to know how Stevenson will react against savvy champions who can apply immense pressure like Leo Santa Cruz, Josh Warrington and Gary Russell Jr.
"When it comes to a title shot, I tend to prefer one fight too late than one fight too early," Ward says.
Those instincts are well-founded, but Top Rank's promotional deals with Warrington, Frampton and Valdez mean that Stevenson may make a huge step up in competition soon. A report from BoxingScene.com's Keith Idec noted a win by Stevenson on Saturday night would kick off negotiations for a date with Valdez.
For years, the featherweight division has failed to produce the star-studded fights fans hope for. Those opportunities are now emerging, and if Stevenson does eventually unify the division, no one will question his greatness.
When Stevenson takes to the ring this weekend for the 12th time as a professional, his pursuit of that status could take another step forward.
Like any fighter, he has plenty of reasons to stress. But don't expect a frown.
"When I'm smiling and having fun, I'm at my best," Stevenson says. "That's when you know I'm 'bout to show the world what Brick City is about."
Matt Foley is a writer based in New York. His freelance work has been featured in SLAM, the New York Times, Ozy and theScore. Follow him on Twitter: @mattyfoles.
Leo Santa Cruz (35-1-1, 19 KOs) will return to the ring after eight months away on Saturday when he puts his WBA super world featherweight championship on the line against late-replacement Rafael Rivera (26-2-2, 17 KOs).
Santa Cruz was originally set to face Miguel Flores, but the latter suffered an ankle injury last month and had to pull out of the fight, per ESPN.com's Dan Rafael.
The 30-year-old Santa Cruz has established himself as a must-see fighter and one of the best featherweights in the world. He loves to force the action and is willing to take punches if it means ripping off a devastating combination on his opponent.
Rivera, 24, stands little chance in this one. He's only had a couple weeks to prepare, and his two losses in his career have come against arguably the toughest guys he's faced. Look for "El Terremoto" to put on a show in front of what should be a fantastic hometown crowd at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
Santa Cruz vs. Rivera Fight Info
When: Saturday, Feb. 16 at 8 p.m. ET
Where: Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles
TV: Fox
Live Stream: FoxSportsGo
Odds: Santa Cruz -10000 (bet $10,000 to win $100), Rivera +1600 (bet $100 to win $1600)
This will be Santa Cruz's third defense of his WBA title since he lost the belt to Carl Frampton via majority decision in July 2016.
He immediately won the title back in a thrilling rematch with Frampton, then he took care of Chris Avalos with a KO win before meeting crosstown rival Abner Mares for the second time, earning a unanimous-decision win in a nonstop, action-packed bout.
With just one title in the featherweight division, Santa Cruz should be on the hunt for more. This bout with Rivera will likely serve as a tuneup fight for a potential unification clash. Last month, Santa Cruz told RingTV.com's Mike Coppinger he's eyeing a bout with WBC world titleholder Gary Russell Jr.
"A lot of people consider Gary Russell one of the best in the division, maybe the best, maybe even better than me," said, Santa Cruz, per Coppinger "I think it could be the best fight that could happen."
According to sources for Coppinger, Russell Jr. and Frampton are potential opponents for Santa Cruz later this calendar year.
Either fight would be welcome news for boxing fans. A rubber match with Frampton would give the winner ultimate bragging rights, while a fight with Russell Jr. would figure to be a crowd-pleaser. Santa Cruz is likely hoping he can make quick work of Rivera on Saturday night so that he can get down to the business of setting up the bouts everyone wants to see.
Odds are courtesy of OddsShark and updated as of Thursday, Feb. 14, at 7 a.m. ET.
Bragging rights in Los Angeles are up for grabs once again when Leo Santa Cruz and Abner Mares face off on Saturday night at the Staples Center.
The first "battle for Los Angeles" took place last August and drew plenty of viewers, no doubt enticed by the two fighters' high-octane styles and a storyline perfect for boxing, two Mexican fighters duking it out for the right to call themselves king of a sprawling metropolis with a deep appreciation for the sport.
Santa Cruz ended up winning a thrilling contest by majority decision, surviving a hard-charging Mares, who threw everything he had into the fight.
With the first bout decided by a thin margin, and both boxers still in prime condition, this rematch is a no-brainer for all parties involved. Same venue, same summertime setting and the same belt—the WBA super world featherweight title—on the line.
Santa Cruz vs. Mares II Fight Info
When: Saturday, June 9 at 10 p.m. ET
Where: Staples Center in Los Angeles
TV: Showtime
Live Stream: Showtime Anytime
Tickets: StubHub.com
Mares, despite coming so close to convincing the judges he was the better fighter the first time around, has real regrets about the way he fought. Per SportingNews.com's Steven Muehlhausen, Mares says he should have "boxed a whole different way."
At a full boil right from the start, Mares went straight after Santa Cruz, looking to punish him from the get go. Looking back, Mares felt this route didn't suit him well.
"I just wanted to tear his head off. I was going for a knockout when I’m not a big power puncher. Here we are, though, and I'm getting a second chance at a big fight and a big event. It’s all about taking advantage of this moment," said Mares per Muehlhausen.
The 32-year-old has only 15 knockouts in 34 career fights. He's much better off wearing down his opponents over the course of several rounds Since losing to Santa Cruz, Mares has earned a split-decision win over Jesus Cuellar, followed by an excellent showing in a technical-decision win over Andres Gutierrez.
Santa Cruz has been nothing if not entertaining since his win over Mares. He earned stoppages against Kiko Martinez and Chris Avalos, those two wins coming either side of a pair of epic duels with Carl Frampton. Santa Cruz lost the first fight and his WBA featherweight title against the Northern Irishman, only to come back and regain his belt with, you guessed it, a majority-decision victory.
Though Santa Cruz has been winning by the skin of his teeth in many of his recent bouts, the 29-year-old Mexican is one of the top fighters around. He can throw punches seemingly forever, and his long, lanky frame gives him a good reach advantage over many of his opponents, including Mares.
Per OddsShark (as of Thursday, June 7), Santa Cruz is a -500 favorite (bet $100 to win $20) over his opponent. That might seem a little steep considering the first match was close, but it likely owes to the fact that Santa Cruz has kept himself busier against quality opponents and is three years younger than Mares. He's also confident he knows how to beat Mares for a second time.
"You learn a lot from 12 rounds," he said, per the Los Angeles Times' Lance Pugmire. “You know everything he's going to do, what punch hurts him. We know how to fight him. My dad says I can stop him."
The winner of this bout could have an immediate opportunity for another high-profile contest. According to BoxingScene.com's Miguel Rivera, WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman is looking to make the Santa Cruz-Mares winner a mandatory challenger to Gary Russell Jr., who recently defended his world featherweight title against Joseh Diaz.
Opportunities for another title may lie ahead for the winner, but first, it's all about winning an unofficial title: king of Los Angeles.
Carl Frampton turned in a polished performance on Saturday night, demonstrating great precision and speed as he defeated Nonito Donaire via unanimous decision in a featherweight title bout at the SSE Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
BoxingInsider.com provided the cards:
Once regarded as one of the most impressive boxers in the world, the 35-year-old Donaire (38-5, 24 KOs) looked like a shadow of his peak self. Frampton (25-1, 14 KOs) was the sharper of the two when boxing on the outside and had plenty of success fighting on the ropes.
The Filipino Flash had his moments in the bout, especially with his power punches, but his good spots were few and far between. Frampton's jab was strong, and he looked better suited for fighting as a featherweight, a division Donaire has spent most of his career fighting below.
Bad Left Hook's Tom Craze praised Frampton:
Frampton, 31, earned the interim WBO world featherweight title with the win. Oscar Valdez holds the full WBO title, and he could prove to be the next opponent for Frampton.
"I know he is champion and it will be difficult getting him away from home comforts but he's a brave guy and I think he would take it," Frampton said prior to the bout, per ESPN.com's Nick Parkinson.
After a tense first round, Frampton made the first real stride in the match in the second. He trapped Donaire in the corner and landed several blows, including a straight right that got some swelling started under Donaire's left eye.
Though Donaire put in some good countershots, Frampton proved to be the quicker and more accurate puncher.
CBS Sports' Brian Campbell praised Frampton's technique:
The Northern Irishman seemed to be in complete command, forcing Donaire to the ropes and being sure to circle away from his opponent's feared left hook when in the middle of the ring.
Though Frampton controlled the bout for long stretches, Donaire did flash success at some points. A couple of uppercuts with his back to the ropes landed well in the fifth, and he appeared to stagger Frampton with a similar series of power shots in the seventh round.
Still, Frampton was the better boxer overall, and Ring's Ryan Songalia chalked it up to a simple strategy:
Stamina appeared to play a part in the later rounds, with Frampton keeping up his laser focus and sharpness while Donaire struggled to force the issue. Frampton played it cool, abandoning the close-range fighting in favor of a stiff jab and constant darting in and out of range.
Donaire finally did land his trademark left hook in the dying seconds of the 11th, causing Frampton to stumble a bit and setting up a tense final frame. Donaire went hunting, but Frampton was able to stay out of trouble and secure the victory.
Frampton now sets himself up for his desired bout against Valdez, a match where he will have to bring his best stuff. Donaire has lost what made him a special fighter a half-decade ago and might do well to hang up the gloves.
A former four-weight world champion, he has accomplished plenty in his career and should have no regrets. If he does continue to fight, he did show that he might be able to provide some fighters with trouble, but it will be difficult for him to contend as a featherweight.
A shot at featherweight glory is up for grabs when Carl Frampton (24-1, 14 KOs) takes on Nonito Donaire (38-4, 24 KOs) on Saturday night at the SSE Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Frampton and Donaire will be competing for the interim WBO featherweight title. If Frampton wins, he hopes to take on Oscar Valdez for the full WBO strap, which the Mexican has held since 2016, per ESPN.com's Nick Parkinson.
Donaire, a former four-division world champion, is out to prove he's not yet over the hill. The Filipino Flash hasn't fought much in the featherweight ranks and has only held a world title in the division once, when he narrowly beat Simpiwe Vetyeka in 2014.
Here's how to watch the bout.
Frampton vs. Donaire Fight Info
When: Saturday, April 21 at 10:30 p.m. BST/5:30 p.m. ET
Where: SSE Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland
TV: Showtime (U.S.), BT Sport and Box Nation (UK)
Live Stream: Showtime's YouTube, Showtime's Facebook and BoxNation (UK)
Tickets: StubHub
Frampton is fighting on home turf in a bout in which he will be challenged by a respected, talented opponent. Though the Northern Irishman is a solid favorite at -700 (bet $700 to win $100), per OddsShark.com, this fight could turn out to be a close battle.
The 31-year-old had a tough time against Horacio Garcia in a November win. Before that, he suffered the first loss of his career by majority decision in a rematch against Leo Santa Cruz. That fight was an intense, well-fought battle, and Frampton had beaten the Mexican by a majority decision in the first contest.
Though the loss has taken a bit of the shine off Frampton, The Jackal is still one of the tougher, more compelling fighters around. He's hoping he can use a win over Donaire as a springboard to a bout with Valdez, one he believes would have greater global appeal than a bout against the likes of Lee Selby or Josh Warrington.
"People are talking about fighting the Selby and Warrington winner and that's an option but Valdez is more appealing because it would be a much more bigger fight. Selby or Warrington is big in the UK but not on the worldwide stage," Frampton said, per Parkinson.
"Valdez is a more interesting fight worldwide. Me against Selby or Warrington is not going to catch fire in the States, but Valdez is a big name there."
Frampton has his ambitions, but he is first going to need to take care of business on Saturday night. Donaire is 35 years old and has already accomplished plenty in his career, though he doesn't believe he's past his prime.
"It's great to be here in Belfast. Some people are writing me off as 'the old guy' but I feel I'm peaking now both physically and in terms of experience," he said, per BoxingScene.com.
While Donaire claims to be peaking, he can't hide his age, nor the fact he's fallen short against big opposition in recent years.
Guillermo Rigondeaux broke the spell with a win over Donaire in 2013. As soon as Donaire won the WBA super featherweight title against Vetyeka, he promptly lost it to Nicholas Waters in the very next bout.
Donaire is also just 17 months removed from relinquishing his WBO super bantamweight title to Jessie Magdaleno.
Once considered one of the best, Donaire will have to conjure up a vintage performance if he is to beat Frampton on his home turf. Bad Left Hook's Scott Christ believes Donaire will struggle to perform at a weight that doesn't suit him well:
"The truth is, Donaire's not really a featherweight. He's totally stretching himself too thin fighting at this weight, and it's pretty clear he's not built for it. Everyone who climbs weight classes eventually finds their limit, and this is Nonito's."
Frampton is the favorite here and should win the bout, but Donaire likely has enough left in the tank to force this one to go the distance.
One of the best fights of 2016 will get an encore on Saturday night, when Carl Frampton defends his WBA super world featherweight title in a rematch against Leo Santa Cruz at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Neither man has fought since their epic showdown in July at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, which saw Frampton move up a weight class and hand Santa Cruz the first loss of his career with a majority decision.
The Northern Irishman's star turn across the pond was the perfect follow-up to his excellent split-decision victory over Scott Quigg earlier in the year, and Frampton deservedly received Fighter of the Year honors and recommendations from a number of publications.
Redemption will be on Santa Cruz's mind as he looks to bounce back from defeat for the first time in his 11-year professional career.
Showtime will carry the bout, which is a must-see for boxing fans. Also on the televised card is a fight between Mikey Garcia (35-0, 29 KOs) and Dejan Zlaticanin (22-0, 15 KOs) for the latter's WBC world lightweight title.
Carl Frampton vs. Leo Santa Cruz Fight Info
Where: MGM Grand in Las Vegas
When: Saturday, Jan. 28
Time (ET): 10 p.m. ET
TV: Showtime (U.S.), Sky Sports 1 (UK)
Live Stream: Showtime Anytime, SkySports.com (UK)
| Carl "The Jackal" Frampton | Leo "El Terremoto" Santa Cruz | |
|---|---|---|
| 23-0, 14 KOs | Record | 32-1-1, 18 KOs |
| 61% | KO Percentage | 53% |
| 140 | Rounds | 204 |
| 29 | Age | 28 |
| 5'5" | Height | 5'7.5" |
| 62" | Reach | 69" |
| orthodox | Stance | Orthodox |
The two fighters' respective styles all but guarantee more fireworks in the rematch. Santa Cruz is no stranger to throwing a thousand or so punches in a single bout, his long arms pumping like pistons as he looks to wear down his opponents. Frampton is a plucky, in-your-face fighter who has trouble standing and delivering in prolonged exchanges but is known for his devastating counterpunches.
Fans got to witness plenty of excellent exchanges between the two in July, as the highlight video below demonstrates:
Despite striking disadvantages in the height and reach department, Frampton had little trouble getting into Santa Cruz's space and working both the body and the head. His tactics were precise, as he made it difficult for Santa Cruz to find a rhythm early on.
The flashpoint moment in the bout came in the second round, when Frampton crushed a ducking Santa Cruz with a left hook and sent the lanky Angeleno stumbling back into the ropes.
The visibly stunned Santa Cruz never hit the canvas and did well to climb back into the fight. He looked better as the bout wore on, and the two got into some truly brilliant exchanges. But Santa Cruz didn't do enough to overcome his early struggles.
In the end, Santa Cruz threw far more punches in the bout than Frampton, but the latter was much more precise, per SHO Stats:
Frampton's surprising power at a higher weight class makes him dangerous against Santa Cruz, who looks to erode his opponents' will to fight with lung-busting stamina and a steady barrage of blows. He'll have to stay sharp against his crafty opponent, who told the Los Angeles Times' Lance Pugmire that believes he can weather his storm even better the second time around:
When I fight and spar people, I feel I improve the second time. I have a good boxing brain and can adapt to different situations. I know everything about Leo. If you look at all his fights, he fights the same way: head first, throws a lot of shots, very fit, very tough, very resilient. But I know about him and that'll be the difference.
With Frampton's stamina proving enough to get the win, Santa Cruz might still look to his length to get him a win this time around. Bleacher Report's Briggs Seekins noted it's an appealing avenue to victory for the 28-year-old Mexican-American:
Santa Cruz allowed Frampton to dictate the pace of their last fight, ceding him terrain and allowing the much shorter fighter to control the range.
But Santa Cruz has always had a habit of getting drawn into exchanges on the inside, where he gives up his height. He cannot cede that physical advantage against a talent like Frampton.
Frampton has extremely short arms for a world-class prizefighter. This created no problems in his last fight with Santa Cruz, but a longer fighter who manages to establish a stiff, accurate jab and maintain clever footwork could give Frampton trouble.
And Santa Cruz has been able to establish that game plan against very good fighters in the past, such as Abner Mares.
If Santa Cruz can keep Frampton from getting in impressive shots early on with a stiff defensive jab, he can perhaps then test his luck with the flashy exchanges later on in the fight. Slowing down the fight and trying to bank a few rounds early on while saving his chin could set him up for a win and possibly a high-profile trilogy.
"If I can win back my belt from Carl, we can go on to one of those trilogies which define boxing," said Santa Cruz, per the Daily Mail's Jeff Powell.
"Carl gave me this rematch immediately after giving me my first loss, and I would do the same for him. It would be no problem for me to go to Ireland for a third fight."
These two accomplished fighters are excellent foils for each other and make great opponents. Together, they have broad, international appeal and fight styles that can please both serious and casual boxing fans alike.
It's not going to be easy for Santa Cruz, but he has the tools to win this match. Frampton has already proven himself once, and if he's truly unlocked something against El Terremoto, then the sky's the limit for him. He was the best fighter in many observers' estimations in 2016. This bout could set him on a path for similar accolades in 2017.
As Anthony Crolla took centre stage at a press conference to promote his upcoming fight with Jorge Linares, Scott Quigg sat at the side of the room and watched the proceedings unfold.
Propped up by a wall in Hotel Football in Manchester, England, the 27-year-old listened as his good friend spoke about his career-defining opportunity on September 24.
It is hard to deny the ever-smiling Crolla his time in the spotlight.
The lightweight has overcome major setbacks in and out of the ring—not least suffering serious injuries while trying to prevent a burglary in 2014—to become a world champion. Now he has the chance to win the Ring's coveted belt and be recognised as the best in his division.
Quigg knows exactly what his stablemate is going through right now.
At the start of 2016, he was the one who sat up on the top table talking about a unification showdown. His clash with fellow super bantamweight world champion Carl Frampton had been a long time in the making, but patience had allowed both men to prosper on their own separate routes before eventually crossing paths.
The buildup to the February bout saw more mudslinging than you'd expect at a rain-soaked Glastonbury. The action in the ring, however, failed to hit the expected heights.
Frampton won by a split-decision verdict at the end of 12 rather disappointing rounds in Manchester.
For Quigg, it was a painful loss in more ways than one. As if defeat to his longtime domestic rival didn't hurt enough, he had also suffered a broken jaw in the first half of the fight. It added injury to insult.
Plates were inserted to try to aid his healing process, only to cause further complications.
"I had a reaction, so they had to be taken out," he explained. "The morning after the operation was a bit of a shock. My face was two-and-a-half sizes bigger than it was meant to be."
It was a different kind of plate that caused another issue for Quigg during his recovery.
Unable to be in the gym while his jaw healed, he sought comfort in food: "I couldn’t do any training. I couldn’t even get out running because the impact would have been an issue with the jaw.
"For some reason, I was finding ways to eat rubbish food. I was fed up, so I was just eating junk food. It was a vicious circle too because it made me feel worse."
Time off from the job might appeal to the majority of us. We could be laid up on a settee at home watching daytime television programmes that do their utmost to make us feel better about our own lives, all the while sinking copious amounts of tea with biscuits on the side to dunk.
Quigg isn't wired like that, though. Boxing isn't just a job for him—it's a way of life.
Here was someone so focused on what he wanted to do for a living that he even requested to leave school at the age of 14 so he could get on with his chosen career.
Suddenly unable to do the thing he had built his entire life around, he became frustrated. Even worse, he became "down, depressed even."
Now, though, he's in a much better place. In hindsight, he believes the break proved to be a blessing.
"At the time I didn’t think it [the injury] was a positive, but now I’m back [and] I’m hungry and fresh," Quigg said.
"Now I cannot wait to train. There’s something exciting about going to the gym. It’s freshened things up. I always loved going to the gym anyway, but now there’s an extra spring in my step. I’m on such a high.
"Something was taken away from me that I loved—now I’ve got it back."
He's shed a stone in weight since returning to training eight weeks ago. The doctors have also given him the all-clear for sparring, meaning he will finally get the chance to test the jaw out in the ring.
While he's upbeat over the future, Quigg admits his spell out of action led to a period of reflection. In particular, he's gone over exactly what happened in the fight with Frampton.
Having watched it back several times, he has no complaints about the final verdict: "I always give it to him [Frampton] by one round, maybe two depending on how you scored the first."
Of the three official judges at ringside that night at the Manchester Arena, one—Levi Martinez—did actually score the bout for the Bury-born Quigg.
However, Carlos Sucre and Dave Parris both had it 116-112 in favour of the Northern Irishman in the other corner, leaving Quigg to reflect on what might have been.
The jaw obviously hampered his progress in the first half of the contest. But even before that setback, the former British champion was hesitant to attack.
Normally such a busy fighter, he barely pulled the trigger in the early rounds. Per CompuBox stats (h/t BoxingScene.com), he landed all of two punches in the opening nine minutes of action. It was the equivalent of a football team hoping to win a game without actually ever taking a shot at goal.
His output improved dramatically in the closing stages. The final punch totals saw Quigg land more than his rival (85 to 83), with all bar 12 of his successful attempts being power shots.
However, he'd left himself with too much to do to claw back the deficit. He had needlessly given away rounds, and, as a consequence, his reign as IBF champion ended in a meek manner.
Now, as he prepares to make a comeback as a featherweight, Quigg has no intention of making the same mistake again.
A rematch with Frampton remains the top target, although the landscape has changed during his time out. While Quigg was recovering, his former foe moved up to become a two-weight world champion, dethroning Leo Santa Cruz in July to claim the WBA super featherweight crown in Brooklyn, New York.
With Santa Cruz having a rematch clause, per Mitch Abramson of the Ring, Quigg may have to wait a while for a shot at redemption.
In the short term, the plan is to return to action on November 26. An opponent is yet to be confirmed, although Quigg is adamant it is going to be a "big fight."
Having sat and watched the Crolla-Linares media conference unfold from the sidelines, he appears genuinely excited at the prospect of getting back to doing what he loves: "Seeing this [press conference] gives you the hunger. I want to be up there again, topping the bills and being in the massive fights."
Quigg watched on from the sidelines this time. Soon enough, though, he will be taking centre stage again.
Rob Lancaster is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise stated.
When Carl Frampton defeated Leo Santa Cruz on points on July 30, the result didn't so much as throw a cat among the pigeons as propel a "Jackal" into a division already loaded with predators.
In snatching the WBA Super title away from his Mexican opponent in Brooklyn, New York, the Northern Irishman made himself a serious player in the featherweight ranks.
He also buried the memory of the damp squib that was his unification clash with domestic rival Scott Quigg at super bantamweight. That February fight was forgettable, but, against Santa Cruz, Frampton served up a real treat.
Freed of a little pressure on the scales after moving up in weight, the 29-year-old dazzled in front of an American audience.
There were plenty of power shots, particularly chopping hooks, as he showed a willingness to stand and trade. In the end, Frampton had well and truly earned his points victory by a majority decision.
On Friday, Frampton's home city of Belfast came out in force to welcome back their hero.
Now, with the dust having settled and the bars in the Big Apple finally clean again following a seriously big after-fight party, it is time to take in the featherweight landscape. The view at the top looks marvellous, too.
There is a rematch clause in Frampton's contract with Santa Cruz, and they could meet again before the end of the year. No one should complain about having to see a second episode, considering the absorbing spectacle they served up first time around.
Premier Boxing Champions will be particularly delighted at the small print in the original deal, considering both fighters are on their lengthy roster. They also have two other world champions at 126 pounds in their stable: Gary Russell Jr. and Lee Selby.
Promoter Jamie Sanigar, who looks after Welshman Selby, floated the suggestion of a structured series as a way of finding out who is the best featherweight around.
"Really, whether it’s a tournament structure or not, all these guys can feature in megafights. Six, eight or even 10 fights back-to-back can be made involving these fighters," he told Phil D Jay of World Boxing News.
The tournament idea is an intriguing one. In an age where the number of governing bodies has somewhat diluted the value of a world title, it would be wonderful to know exactly who is top dog in the division.
PBC could make it happen, too. As well as Frampton, Santa Cruz, Selby and Russell Jr., they have a plethora of other fighters to throw into the mix.
Miguel Flores and Jorge Lara, plus former world champion Abner Mares, all feature in their stable of boxers. They could even call upon veteran Spaniard Kiko Martinez—a former Frampton foe—as well. That alone is a solid list of names to potentially take part in a knockout series.
However, there are others who could also be tempted to sign up. Jesus Cuellar is the WBA's regular champion and Oscar Valdez holds the WBO strap—why not get every world champion involved?
No matter who agreed to take part, a knockout tournament would benefit all parties concerned. The fans get to watch good fights while PBC gets a product (and what a horrible word that is to use) to push to a wider audience on American television. Oh, and the fighters would be well paid for their efforts, too.
Broadcasters Showtime tried something similar in the super middleweight division several years ago, creating the Super Six World Boxing Classic. It was a bold idea that promised much but ended up being badly hit by withdrawals. The competition had to cope with more hurdles than a Grand National runner. That's the thing with boxing—it doesn't always work out quite how it should.
The Super Six lost two major players—Mikkel Kessler and Jermain Taylor—due to injury. With a points system in place during the group stage, it all became rather confusing when replacements were drafted in. With a straightforward knockout event, there would be no such complications.
This current collection of featherweights allows us to get excited about the future. Frampton's rematch with Santa Cruz is good enough to be a final of a knockout tournament, but their second meeting could at least kick-start a run of mouthwatering bouts at the weight.
For Frampton, it is the reward for years of hard work. He told Sky Sports (h/t Tim Hobbs of SkySports.com):
All the fights are big from here on in.
There's no easy options any more and that's the way it should be. I'm not the youngest guy in the world, I'm 29 and feel like I've given my whole life to boxing, so I am reaping the rewards now.
I am a two-weight world champion. I am entitled to be involved in big fights now and I am happy with that.
Russell Jr.—who tops The Ring magazine's rankings—was ringside at the Barclays Center last month to see the new champion crowned.
So was Selby—and he would relish a lucrative showdown with Frampton in Britain, whether it be in Belfast or Cardiff, Wales. Sanigar told Boxing News' George Gigney that the bout is "top of the list" for his fighter.
It helps that Sanigar worked in conjunction with Cyclone Promotions—Barry McGuigan's company which takes care of Frampton—to put on a major show in the Welsh capital earlier this year.
The clause with Santa Cruz is going to scupper the plan in the short term, though Frampton also told Sky Sports he would be up for a stadium fight with Selby in either the spring or summer of next year.
Russell Jr., however, would be a wonderful second option for the Welshman. The American was last seen dismantling Patrick Hyland in a hurry in April. He has won three on the spin since being beaten by Vasyl Lomachenko in June 2014, and even that loss was by a slender margin on the scorecards.
Frampton-Santa Cruz II and Russell Jr.-Selby would make a great double bill toward the end of the year, particularly if the winners of each bout agreed to face each other in 2017.
The American writer George Leonard once said: "Competition is the spice of sports; but if you make spice the whole meal you'll be sick."
Boxing fans have been served up enough tasteless stuff in recent years, but this current crop of highly skilled fighters at featherweight should have everyone salivating like a starving dog waiting for his dinner.
The division was already bubbling up nicely, but Frampton's arrival has spiced things up nicely.
