Carl Frampton vs. Leo Santa Cruz 2: Fight Time, Date, Live Stream and TV Info
One of the best fights of 2016 will get an encore on Saturday night, when Carl Frampton defends his WBA super world featherweight title in a rematch against Leo Santa Cruz at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Neither man has fought since their epic showdown in July at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, which saw Frampton move up a weight class and hand Santa Cruz the first loss of his career with a majority decision.
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The Northern Irishman's star turn across the pond was the perfect follow-up to his excellent split-decision victory over Scott Quigg earlier in the year, and Frampton deservedly received Fighter of the Year honors and recommendations from a number of publications.
Redemption will be on Santa Cruz's mind as he looks to bounce back from defeat for the first time in his 11-year professional career.
Showtime will carry the bout, which is a must-see for boxing fans. Also on the televised card is a fight between Mikey Garcia (35-0, 29 KOs) and Dejan Zlaticanin (22-0, 15 KOs) for the latter's WBC world lightweight title.
Carl Frampton vs. Leo Santa Cruz Fight Info
Where: MGM Grand in Las Vegas
When: Saturday, Jan. 28
Time (ET): 10 p.m. ET
TV: Showtime (U.S.), Sky Sports 1 (UK)
Live Stream: Showtime Anytime, SkySports.com (UK)
| 23-0, 14 KOs | Record | 32-1-1, 18 KOs |
| 61% | KO Percentage | 53% |
| 140 | Rounds | 204 |
| 29 | Age | 28 |
| 5'5" | Height | 5'7.5" |
| 62" | Reach | 69" |
| orthodox | Stance | Orthodox |
The two fighters' respective styles all but guarantee more fireworks in the rematch. Santa Cruz is no stranger to throwing a thousand or so punches in a single bout, his long arms pumping like pistons as he looks to wear down his opponents. Frampton is a plucky, in-your-face fighter who has trouble standing and delivering in prolonged exchanges but is known for his devastating counterpunches.
Fans got to witness plenty of excellent exchanges between the two in July, as the highlight video below demonstrates:
Despite striking disadvantages in the height and reach department, Frampton had little trouble getting into Santa Cruz's space and working both the body and the head. His tactics were precise, as he made it difficult for Santa Cruz to find a rhythm early on.
The flashpoint moment in the bout came in the second round, when Frampton crushed a ducking Santa Cruz with a left hook and sent the lanky Angeleno stumbling back into the ropes.
The visibly stunned Santa Cruz never hit the canvas and did well to climb back into the fight. He looked better as the bout wore on, and the two got into some truly brilliant exchanges. But Santa Cruz didn't do enough to overcome his early struggles.
In the end, Santa Cruz threw far more punches in the bout than Frampton, but the latter was much more precise, per SHO Stats:
Frampton's surprising power at a higher weight class makes him dangerous against Santa Cruz, who looks to erode his opponents' will to fight with lung-busting stamina and a steady barrage of blows. He'll have to stay sharp against his crafty opponent, who told the Los Angeles Times' Lance Pugmire that believes he can weather his storm even better the second time around:
"When I fight and spar people, I feel I improve the second time. I have a good boxing brain and can adapt to different situations. I know everything about Leo. If you look at all his fights, he fights the same way: head first, throws a lot of shots, very fit, very tough, very resilient. But I know about him and that'll be the difference.
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With Frampton's stamina proving enough to get the win, Santa Cruz might still look to his length to get him a win this time around. Bleacher Report's Briggs Seekins noted it's an appealing avenue to victory for the 28-year-old Mexican-American:
"Santa Cruz allowed Frampton to dictate the pace of their last fight, ceding him terrain and allowing the much shorter fighter to control the range.
But Santa Cruz has always had a habit of getting drawn into exchanges on the inside, where he gives up his height. He cannot cede that physical advantage against a talent like Frampton.
Frampton has extremely short arms for a world-class prizefighter. This created no problems in his last fight with Santa Cruz, but a longer fighter who manages to establish a stiff, accurate jab and maintain clever footwork could give Frampton trouble.
And Santa Cruz has been able to establish that game plan against very good fighters in the past, such as Abner Mares.
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If Santa Cruz can keep Frampton from getting in impressive shots early on with a stiff defensive jab, he can perhaps then test his luck with the flashy exchanges later on in the fight. Slowing down the fight and trying to bank a few rounds early on while saving his chin could set him up for a win and possibly a high-profile trilogy.
"If I can win back my belt from Carl, we can go on to one of those trilogies which define boxing," said Santa Cruz, per the Daily Mail's Jeff Powell.
"Carl gave me this rematch immediately after giving me my first loss, and I would do the same for him. It would be no problem for me to go to Ireland for a third fight."
These two accomplished fighters are excellent foils for each other and make great opponents. Together, they have broad, international appeal and fight styles that can please both serious and casual boxing fans alike.
It's not going to be easy for Santa Cruz, but he has the tools to win this match. Frampton has already proven himself once, and if he's truly unlocked something against El Terremoto, then the sky's the limit for him. He was the best fighter in many observers' estimations in 2016. This bout could set him on a path for similar accolades in 2017.
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