Sport

Carl Frampton vows to produce 'best ever performance'

THE bookies have Leo Santa Cruz as favourite but he’ll have to go through a new and improved Carl Frampton to justify their odds.

Frampton predicts he’ll produce the best performance of his career so far at the Barclays Center tomorow night and he doesn’t care about the betting, the venue, the referee or the judges as he prepares for the biggest fight of his life.

“I’m ready to go,” said Frampton after yesterday’s press conference in Manhattan.

“I’m looking forward to it, it’s a massive fight and I’m excited. I’m confident, I’m full of energy and I’m making this weight so much easier than super-bantamweight.

“I look better and I feel better mentally and physically and I just can’t wait to get going.”

Fight sponsors Corona confirmed yesterday that Santa Cruz will feature on a limited edition boxing 18-pack and the Mexican will be appearing in the 13th pay per view broadcast of his 30-0-1 career on US channel Showtime.

But Frampton rejected the suggestion that his opponent’s corporate tie-ups and marketability to the Mexican boxing audience could sway a close decision his way.

Anyway he doesn’t intend to leave it in the judges’ hands.

“It doesn’t matter, I think the judges will be very fair,” he said. “All the judges and the referee have good reputations and we’re both Al Haymon fighters so I’m expecting it to be a fair fight. If it goes to points, it goes to points but I’m prepared to do whatever it takes to get the win and I believe I have the power to knock him out, especially at 126lbs.”

Around 1200 fans are expected to make the trip across the Atlantic to cheer on Frampton tomorrow night.

That’s an impressive turnout and while he won’t have the numbers he had in Manchester in February, this is on a much bigger stage.

Carl Frampton v Leo Santa Cruz press conference:

“On the world stage, this is way bigger than the Quigg fight,” he said.

“Because it was back home the Quigg fight was pretty big and there was a lot of media involved but it can’t compare to this.

“You go outside Bury and nobody knows who Scott Quigg is – Leo Santa Cruz is a worldwide superstar, a three-weight world champion with a huge following. It’s easily the biggest fight of my career but I’m ready, I’ve been flat-out in the gym – I went above and beyond and I’m looking forward to it.”

There were moments during the build-up to the Quigg fight when the animosity between the camps threatened to boil over. In marked contrast, there has been no needle in New York so far.

“There’s no need for it,” said Frampton.

“This fight sells itself and I respect all my opponents until I’m disrespected myself. Leo has been very respectful to me so there no need for me to be any different.

“I respect all fighters, especially someone of his calibre.

“The bookies have him the favourite and the media have him favourite and I understand why. I think everyone is reading into my performance against Alejandro Gonzalez way too much, that was me killing myself to make 122lbs. I’m a different animal now at 126.

“I’ve only been performing a 70-80 per cent of what I can. I’m a different fighter and people are going to see the best performance of me they’ve ever seen.”

The fight is due to go into the ring at the Barlcays Centre at 11.10am eastern US time – that’s 4.10am in Ireland. Frampton was asked by a Mexican journalist how his fans would manage to stay awake until that time in the morning.

“I was going to say coffee, but they’ll all be on the booze – do you know what Buckfast is?” he answered.

“They’ll have some of that and they’ll be alright.”