Quick rematch on Leo Santa Cruz’s mind following first setback

Reporting from NewYork —  Defeat has now marred Leo Santa Cruz’s record, but the entertainment value he provided in losing his featherweight belt to Northern Ireland’s Carl Frampton should enrich his future.

In a strong fight-of-the-year contender, recent super-bantamweight champion Frampton (23-0) became the first fighter from Northern Ireland to claim belts in two divisions on Saturday night at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center.

Thanks to a near-knockdown of Santa Cruz (32-1-1) in the second round and the ability to land more than 200 power punches on the Southland product who possessed a seven-inch reach advantage, Frampton captured the World Boxing Assn. title by majority decision, 114-114, 116-112, 117-111.

Steve Collins is the only other Irishman to win two belts, when he did so in the 1990s.

Santa Cruz threw a staggering 1,002 punches to avoid the historic feat, but he fell behind by losing five of the first six rounds on two scorecards and couldn’t drop the game Frampton, who spoke through fight week of the comfort and strength he’d gained by adding weight.

“We’re just going to get back in the gym, train harder, get the rematch and come back stronger,” Santa Cruz told the Los Angeles Times following his post-fight news conference.

A Premier Boxing Champions official who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to a confidentiality agreement on the matter said a rematch clause does exist, and that Santa Cruz is empowered to exercise it immediately.

While Santa Cruz said he’d like to fight in Los Angeles, the new champion will have more say, so a return to New York is more likely, along with interest in bringing the bout to Belfast.

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“What possibly is better?” promoter Lou DiBella said when asked what could be next for each fighter. “These guys are meant to fight each other. … It was a privilege just to watch – back and forth, landing bombs – neither guy went down. Amazing, because it was bombs away.”

Wherever it is, a rematch will be more lucrative after Saturday’s bout drew more than 9,000 to Brooklyn. And in a deep division filled with PBC fighters, Santa Cruz, 27, is poised to take his enhanced reputation to those bouts before turning 30.

The bout had gripping toe-to-toe exchanges, from the first round to the sixth and the 12^th, when Frampton confessed he was unsure what the scorecards would look like.

Santa Cruz afterward lamented his early strategy to jab and rely on his reach advantage, which neutered some of his typical aggressiveness and allowed Frampton to set the tempo.

While Santa Cruz rallied to punish Frampton with shots to the body and head, including a jarring 11^th-round punch, he said losing some of the coordination of his training camp was evident.

His father-trainer, Jose Santa Cruz, was diagnosed with cancer in April, became bound temporarily to a wheelchair before losing weight before chemotherapy treatments began and were successful.

Still, the trainer was present on a full-time basis for just more than three weeks with his son.

“Since my dad wasn’t there, I did have some little mistakes in the gym. When he came, he said I wasn’t doing stuff like I usually do,” Leo Santa Cruz said. “I don’t want any excuses out there. We’ll get the rematch and be better. I’ll ask for it and hopefully it happens.”

Frampton called it “the toughest fight of my career … I fought with my heart. People will remember it for a very long time.”

As for a rematch, Frampton said, “It’ll be a good fight.

“[Saturday] was a huge achievement. I’m just a normal guy, working class, who can fight a wee bit.”

lance.pugmire@latimes.com

Twitter: @latimespugmire

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