By Scott Gilfoid: Well, if IBF/WBA super bantamweight champion Carl Frampton (22-0, 14 KOs) wants to hold onto his WBA strap that he just won off of Scott Quigg last Saturday night, then Frampton will need to defend his WBA title against his mandatory challenger unbeaten Guillermo Rigondeaux (16-0, 10 KOs) next.
The World Boxing Association says Frampton must face Rigondeaux next, according to ESPN. Frampton can also vacate the WBA title or wait for the organization to strip it from him if he fails to take the fight with the Cuban or give it up on his own.
Frampton hasn’t said what he’ll do with his WBA title. He says he wants to meet with his team and make a decision which direction to go in for his next fight. Frampton did say he was interested in moving up to featherweight possibly to face WBA champion Leo Santa Cruz.
Last Saturday night, Santa Cruz stopped Kiko Martinez in five rounds at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. Frampton has twice beaten Martinez in the past; although not nearly as easily as Santa Cruz did.
Frampton would have a better chance of beating Santa Cruz than Rigondeaux, because Santa Cruz is there to be hit. However, he’s like a better version of Scott Quigg, a much better version. We saw how Frampton barely beat Quigg last Saturday. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that Frampton would likely be in over as head against a skilled fighter like Santa Cruz, who can both slug and box.
Rigondeaux would just a terrible match-up for Frampton, because he’s impossible to hit, and he eats up fighters like Frampton. It would be too easy for Rigondeaux in my opinion. There’s nothing in Frampton’s game that would give Rigondeaux any problems. Frampton can beat most of the fighters in the 122lb division, but I think Rigondeaux, Hugo Ruiz and Nonito Donaire are all a step too far for him. I also think Cesar Juarez would be a really hard fight for Frampton.
Frampton must face Rigondeaux by July 27, according to Dan Rafael. It could go to a purse bid if the two fighters aren’t able to negotiate the fight. However, I’m sure that if Frampton wants the fight, they won’t have any issues negotiating it. If Frampton and his management don’t want the fight with Rigondeaux, then I see him vacating the belt long before July 27. Frampton would still have his IBF title if he vacated his WBA title, so it’s not as if he would be beltless.
Rigondeaux will be taking a stay busy fight next week on March 12 against Britain’s Jazza Dickens (21-1, 6 KOs) at the Echo Arena in Liverpool, UK. The Rigondeaux-Dickens fight will be taking place on the undercard of the Terry Flanagan vs. Derry Mathews card. Dickens is seen as little more than a speed bump for Rigondeaux. It’s arguably a huge step down for Rigondeaux from his last fight against Drian Francisco from last November. Dickens has no power, he’s slow, and he’s easy to hit. Like I said, it’s a mismatch of the first order.
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