Santa Cruz eyes ‘spectacular’ defense against Martinez

Leo Santa Cruz holds up his two belts after beating Abner Mares of Mexico in a 12 round decision during the WBC diamond featherweight and WBA featherweight championship bout at Staples Center on August 29, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. Harry How/Getty Images/AFP

Unbeaten Leo Santa Cruz is looking for a “spectacular” display in his World Boxing Association featherweight title defense against Kiko Martinez on Saturday that could put him in line for a title unification bout.

Mexican-American Santa Cruz, a former bantamweight and super bantamweight world champion, will be making his first defense of the featherweight belt he claimed with a majority decision over Abner Mares in August.

The bout in Anaheim, California, comes on the same day that Northern Ireland’s Carl Frampton and England’s Scott Quigg battle in a super bantamweight world title bout in Manchester.

Santa Cruz, 27, admitted he’d have his eye on that fight between two former conquerers of Martinez.

“It’s important to look spectacular against Kiko Martinez and try to beat him better than Scott Quigg and Frampton did, so I could show that I’m at their level or even better,” Santa Cruz said, adding that he’d love to fight the winner of Frampton-Quigg.

“There is a little bit of pressure,” Santa Cruz acknowledged. “Scott Quigg and Carl Frampton, they knocked him out. I want the same.”

Santa Cruz, 31-0 with 1 drawn and 17 knockouts, insisted that putting Frampton and Quigg in the pre-fight conversation doesn’t mean he’s looking past Spain’s Martinez, a former super bantamweight world title holder who boasts a record of 35-6 with 26 knockouts.

The 29-year-old challenger has won three straight fights against unheralded opponents since he was shatteringly stopped in the second round by Quigg on July 18 in Manchester and said his underdog status has fueled his preparations.

“I know a lot of people are doubting me,” Martinez said. “I’m going to change the opinion of the public.”

Martinez, who says he feels stronger at featherweight, added that he’s not intimidated by Santa Cruz’s unbeaten record.

“I know that Leo Santa Cruz is a fantastic fighter. But at the end of the day, when guys have come in to fight him, they’ve already been defeated before they stepped inside the ring with Leo Santa Cruz,” Martinez said. “I don’t think anyone he has fought is as strong as me or has the kind of desire that I have.

“I respect Leo Santa Cruz, but I’m doing to get the win on Saturday.”