Sport

Carl Frampton the best I've faced says Leo Santa Cruz

Leo Santa Cruz at the Church Street Gym in Manhattan on Wednesday  
Leo Santa Cruz at the Church Street Gym in Manhattan on Wednesday   Leo Santa Cruz at the Church Street Gym in Manhattan on Wednesday  

LEO SANTA CRUZ rates Carl Frampton as the best fighter he has faced in his undefeated career so far.

But the three-weight world champion warned ‘the Jackal’ there’s more to his game than driving forward behind a blizzard of punches. The Mexican has made a name for himself as a non-stop volume puncher and says the Frampton camp are in for a surprise if they underestimate his boxing ability.

“It’s alright if they think that way,” he said before working out at the Church Street Gym in Manhattan.

“Then, when I change it on him, he will be surprised. Yes, I do go forward, but I know how to box too, I know how to box from distance and, once I do it, they’re going to be surprised.”

But he has a lot of respect for former super-bantamweight king Frampton and says he will have to fight smart to win at the Barclays Center on Saturday night: “Carl Frampton has everything, he has great footwork, great punches, great power and he’s undefeated,” he said.

"He’s the best I’ve faced and it will be a very hard fight and an entertaining fight. He’s a great counterpuncher but, once we’re up there in the ring, we’re going to know what to do. We’re going to adjust, if we feel that he’s counterpunching us a lot, then we’re going to adjust and do what we have to do to win the fight and we’re going to be smart.

“He’s a great guy and we have massive respect for each other but, once we get in the ring, everything changes, we both have to go out there and fight for our future. I expect that, he has my respect, but we’re going to go out there and give a great fight for the fans."

A lot has been made of Frampton’s poor start to his only other pro fight in the USA - against Alejandro Gonzalez jnr in El Paso, Texas a year ago. But Santa Cruz said he was impressed with how the Jackal bounced back after being knocked down twice in the first round.

“That’s what a great fighter has to do,” he said.

“Sometimes, when you’re not doing well in a fight, you have to adjust and do what they have to do to win the fight - it makes them a better fighter. We want to fight the best fighters and we want to beat the best, that way we’ll be recognised as one of the best too."

Carl Frampton shadowboxes in the ring at the iconic Church Street Gym in New York ahead of Saturday night's world featherweight title fight against Leo Santa Cruz in Brooklyn: