By Miguel Rivera
The super-bantamweight world champion of the World Boxing Council, Hugo 'Cuatito' Ruiz, wants to get his hands on Carl Frampton - if the Belfast star is unable to reach an agreement with WBA featherweight champion Leo Santa Cruz.
According to the rumor mill, Frampton and Santa Cruz are requesting a lot of money to face each other in the summer.
Frampton, who holds the IBF title at 122-pounds, owes a mandatory defense to Japan's Shingo Wake. If he fails to face Wake, then he would get stripped.
Frampton was stripped of his WBA title a few weeks ago after refusing to make a mandatory defense against Guillermo Rigondeaux.
"We obviously want the best, and Hugo is at a level where he can fight the best in the world. We will wait for something to be announced about Santa Cruz and Frampton, and if nothing is done, then we are happy to fight with Frampton in England,"said a spokesman for Ruiz to ESPN Deportes.
"In fact there is no problem for Hugo going to England to fight Frampton. We know that he is the champion and Frampton is loved over there."
Hugo (36-3, 32 KOs) captured the title with a first round stoppage of Julio Ceja to pick up the WBC belt back in February. If he is unable to get Frampton, then Ruiz wants WBO champion Nonito Donaire, who defends on April 23 in the Philippines against Zsolt Bedak.
A third option could come against former world champion Vic Darchinyan , who in the last few years has been fighting at featherweight, but has some international prestige and it would be a good action fight for television.
