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Leo Santa Cruz: Hopefully Carl Frampton is next

Leo Santa Cruz discusses his win over Kiko Martinez, and possible fights with Carl Frampton or Vasyl Lomachenko.

On his own performance

"It really wasn't what we practiced in the gym, but I think I gave the fans a great fight. I fight for them. The fans loved it. The first round, they were up out of their seats, they were excited and screaming, because we were going toe-to-toe. He was getting me with good punches, I was catching him with good punches. The fans loved it. But after a while, my dad told me to be smart, that it wasn't working. So we started boxing him and we did good."

On trying to finish Martinez in the first round

"We said we were going to go out in the first round and try to hurt him with the right, because we saw that Quigg hurt him with the right. We did hurt him, I thought we were going to finish him, but he's got a good guard. He recovered, he was smart, and he was able to survive the rounds. He's got a lot of experience, he's a great fighter, and he got stronger."

On Martinez taking a lot of punches

"I thought, 'Oh, maybe I didn't hurt him, he's taking good punches.' But I was ready. I was ready for 12 rounds. If I can't finish him, I'm still gonna hurt him, and give him a beating through the 12 rounds. Most important was to get the victory. Thank God, we got him in the fifth round."

On Martinez's strength

"He was strong. He was like a bull. ... Maybe not the strongest (I've faced), but like (Victor) Terrazas, he was like a bull, too, he was coming forward, really strong fighter. But I think (Martinez) is one of the strongest fighters I've faced."

On facing Carl Frampton or Vasyl Lomachenko next

"I'm willing to fight the best. But I think the fight more easily made is against Frampton. Lomachenko is with Top Rank, so I think it would be harder. But if it's against him, I'll be more than happy. But I think more likely it's Frampton, and hopefully he comes and we get to fight him."

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