CARL Frampton's shot at Leo Santa Cruz's WBC super-bantamweight title went from possible to probable after the Mexican's win last Saturday night.
Santa Cruz battered Cristian Mijares on the Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez-Alfredo Angulo undercard in Las Vegas and then turned his sights to Frampton. "I want Frampton next," he said after his 120-108, 120-108, 119-109 win. Belfast fighter Frampton looks certain to become Santa Cruz's mandatory challenger if he beats Hugo Cazares on April 4 at the Odyssey Arena.
The US-based Latin American warmed up for that fight with an impressive display against his former hero. "Mijares is a great boxer," he said afterwards. "I came to do what I had to do to win. Mijares had great experience. He's a lefty. I had to be ready - we practised everything to put on a great fight."
Santa Cruz gained control immediately and imposed himself on the smaller Mijares, a southpaw and former two-time 115-pound title-holder.
Santa Cruz suffered a cut over his right eye in the fourth round as a result of an accidental head butt, but it didn't impede his vision or relentless work-rate.
In the fifth round, Mijares began to backtrack in an effort to stay away from Santa Cruz's relentless punches, but the belt-holder stalked him down until the final bell.