Hamed Backs Carl Frampton To Overcome Leo Santa Cruz

By Terence Dooley

Belfast’s Carl Frampton (22-0, 14 KOs) meets Mexico’s Leo Santa Cruz (32-0-1, 18 early) for the WBA featherweight title at New York’s Barclays Centre on July 30.  The former IBF and WBA Super bantamweight holder is taking a step up in weight and boxing on the road, but a former star of what will be his new division has pegged him for the win.

Naseem Hamed held the WBO, IBF and WBC belts before running into a prime Marco Antonio Barrera in 2001. 

The man known as “Prince” thrilled British fans during his title run, most notably during an up-and-down affair with Kevin Kelly at Madison Square Garden in 1997— he believes that Frampton will box well enough to pique the interest of New York’s hard-bitten boxing community and net himself the 'W'.

“Carl is a great fighter and I knew he would have too much for Scott Quigg in his last fight,” Hamed told David Kelly of the Belfast Telegraph.  “I think Carl is more than capable of handling the occasion and even though he is stepping up to featherweight, I have every confidence he can get the job done against Santa Cruz.”

Frampton, 29, opted against a showdown with Guillermo Rigondeaux in favour of the Santa Cruz bout.  His last fight was a decision win over Scott Quigg, he picked up the World WBA belt in that one and will hope to add another belt in a second division come the summer.

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