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Carl Frampton vows to beat Leo Santa Cruz and prove he's the world's best featherweight

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Ahead of his clash with featherweight world champion Leo Santa Cruz on Saturday, Carl Frampton was in confident mood after the weigh-in

Carl Frampton has vowed to prove he is the best featherweight in the world by beating Leo Santa Cruz and becoming WBA champion in New York on Saturday night.

The Jackal (22-0-0-KO14) has stepped up from super-bantamweight to meet undefeated California-based Mexican Santa Cruz (32-0-1-KO18) as he bids to become a two-weight world champion.

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Watch the weigh-in between Santa Cruz and Frampton

But Frampton is not fazed by the prospect of meeting a fighter of Santa Cruz's calibre and promised his fans at Friday's weigh-in that he will return home to Belfast victorious.

"I wanted a big name. I wanted a guy like Santa Cruz because I want to prove myself," Frampton said at the weigh-in, ahead of Saturday's showdown at Brooklyn's Barclays Center.

"I know I can deal with these guys at featherweight - I can beat any of them. When I hit them hard on the chin, it could be game over.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 27:  Carl Frampton celebrates a points victory over Scott Quigg after their World Super-Bantamweight title contest at Manche
Image: Frampton celebrates beating Scott Quigg in his last fight

"I'm looking forward to the fight. We've got a game plan, we're not going to give it away but we'll do whatever it takes to get the win."

Frampton, who tipped the scales at 125.25lbs for the contest - 0.25lbs less than Santa Cruz - says making the weight for this fight was no issue for him, insisting he is in the best shape of his life.

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"I'm a natural featherweight," the Tiger's Bay fighter said.

Leo Santa Cruz and Carl Frampton (Ed Diller/DiBella Entertainment)
Image: Frampton challenges WBA champion Santa Cruz on Saturday night (Ed Diller/DiBella Entertainment)

"I grew out of super bantamweight a year-and-a-half ago. I was making it because I was the champion but I was killing myself trying to make the weight.

"This is the easiest I have made the weight in five or six years. This is the best I have ever felt and I am coming home with the title."

Frampton will follow in the footsteps of mentor Barry McGuigan if he is successful in his WBA title quest but the Clones Cyclone says Frampton must treat the Santa Cruz contest just like any other bout.

Carl Frampton and Barry McGuigan (Richard Pelham)
Image: Frampton could emulate mentor Barry McGuigan by becoming WBA featherweight champion (pic: Richard Pelham)

"People are talking about sentimentality and all that nonsense, but we just don't go for that," McGuigan said.

"This is another fight Carl has to be in the best shape that he can be in, use the right tactics that Shane [McGuigan's son and Frampton's trainer] and him have worked on very hard, and win.

"So forget about the sentimentality, forget about it being the WBA title; it's just we have got to go out there and perform and win."

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