By Edward Chaykovsky
Gary Hyde, the manager for WBA/WBO super bantamweight champion Guillermo Rigondeaux (13-0, 8 KOs), wants WBC #1 mandatory challenger Carl Frampton (18-0, 13 KOs) to forget about facing WBC champion Leo Santa Cruz in the United States. He says Rigondeaux, who previously fought in Belfast, is wiling go give Frampton the hometown advantage.
"We didn't want to distract Carl Frampton in the run up to tonight's fight in Belfast," Hyde said on the social networks. "Rigo will return to Belfast and put both his world titles on the line against Carl. Carl is without a doubt one of the top 122lb fighters in the world and very worthy of a crack at both of Rigo's titles. Forget crossing the Atlantic to face Santa Cruz. Let's do it in Belfast. El Chacal Vs The Jackal. What a Fight!"
The fight is a long shot. Frampton worked very hard to get in line for a WBC mandatory eliminator, which he won earlier today with a two round stoppage of former two-division champion Hugo Cazares (40-8-2, 27 KOs).
