A UNIFICATION battle with Lee Selby or a rematch with Leo Santa Cruz remain the two most attractive options on the table for Carl Frampton.
IBF champion Selby was ringside in New York at the end of July to watch ‘the Jackal’ dethrone Santa Cruz and said he was confident he had the skills to beat Frampton. However, Belfast’s first two-weight world champion can’t see anyone toppling him at featherweight.
“Selby is a great fighter, he is someone I respect,” he said.
“I think he is very good, but I just believe me at featherweight now, I don't think there is anyone stopping me, I just feel so strong and whoever wants it next can get it,” he said.
“I am in the driving seat, I can call the shots, but we will see where we go, I will let the team decide, but I love Belfast and I want to fight here as much as possible.
“I want to fight here at least once a year and Windsor Park in the summer would be a dream come true.”
Having equalled Steve Collins’ feat of winning world titles in two weight divisions, Frampton has set his sights on surpassing it.
“I’m the only ever Northern Irishman to win a world title in two divisions, only the second ever Irishman after Steve Collins to win world titles in two different divisions, I would like to have a go at three and stand out on my own,” he said and reflected on breaking into the exclusive top 10 pound-for-pound fighters in the world.
“To actually crack it and get inside, it’s great, it’s unbelievable,” he said.
“I feel like it is a big achievement and am very happy to be mixing with the sort of guys that are in the top 10.”
Meanwhile, a Santa Cruz rematch could be in the mix before Christmas and Frampton is confident that he’ll build on his points in at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center.
“When a fighter smiles at you, you can tell that something is wrong and they are trying to play a game. I knew that I was hurting him throughout the fight,” he said.
