CARL FRAMPTON says he is not underestimating the threat posed by Mexican Hugo Cazares ahead of their world title eliminator in Belfast tonight.
In recent days, much of the talk has centered on Frampton securing a world title shot against WBC super-bantamweight champion Leo Santa Cruz, however the Belfast puncher must first get past Cazares who himself has title ambitions.
Frampton said: “It’s great that Santa Cruz has been mentioning my name, he’s serious about the fight unlike Kiko Martinez and Scott Quigg who talk a lot but don’t really want to fight me. And who can blame them?
“Santa Cruz and me is the fight that everyone wants to see, everyone knows it will be exciting because both of us like to have a fight.
“But if I don’t beat Cazares then there are no world title fights.So I just have to keep my focus on Cazarez and the danger that he poses. I took one fighter easy in the past, Robbie Turley, and made it hard for myself so I won’t be making that mistake again and certainly not with Cazarez.”
This week, Frampton’s manager Barry McGuigan said he would do everything he could to bring a world title fight to Belfast, however he also urged caution.
“We also have to make it clear that in no way are we overlooking Hugo Cazarez because he is a very experienced, very tricky customer who can see a big fight with Santa Cruz for himself.”
Meanwhile, Dubliner Dean Byrne and Ulster’s Paddy Gallagher will weigh-in for Prizefighter (welterweights) in London’s York Hall tomorrow (Saturday).
Both are rated as contenders.
In other boxing news, The Irish Post understands that Matthew Macklin will fight on a Miguel Cotto undercard in the US in June.
