Carl Frampton to fight Leo Santa Cruz on July 30 in New York
Northern Ireland's Carl Frampton (22-0, 14 KOs) will challenge WBA featherweight champion Leo Santa Cruz (31-0-1, 17 KOs) on July 30 at the Barclays Center in New York.
Frampton unified the IBF and WBA titles at 122 pounds when he outpointed Scott Quigg in February in an all British unification fight.
The Belfast boxer was stripped of his WBA super bantamweight title after failing to agree to a first defence against mandatory challenger Guillermo Rigondeaux.
The unbeaten 29-year-old has now relinquished his IBF belt to move up a weight division and challenge for the same world title his mentor and manager Barry McGuigan won in 1985 when he defeated Eusebio Pedroza.
"This is the fight I wanted and I’m 100 per cent confident that the belt will be coming home to Belfast," said Frampton. "It’s the belt that my manager Barry McGuigan held 30 years ago and it’s fitting that I will have the chance to recapture this title.
"Santa Cruz is a strong and aggressive undefeated champion but his style is made for me. My team have been chasing this fight for a long time and that’s because we know we have the tools to beat Leo. He throws a lot shots and is a proven operator. It’s going to be a great fight."
Mexico's Santa Cruz, 27, who has previously won world titles at bantamweight and super bantamweight, is coming off a fifth round stoppage win over former Frampton foe Kiko Martinez in February.