The current European title holder had hoped to challenge for the IBF title following his eliminator victory over Jeremy Parodi in October, although former foe Kiko Martinez plumped for a voluntary defence in Japan instead.
Promoter and manager Barry McGuigan has now decided to go a different route rather than waiting for Martinez to be forced to fight his mandatory and has designs on a massive future world title bout with Leo Santa Cruz.
Frampton, 26, has to go through veteran ex-two weight king Cazares to get there though after McGuigan managed to persuade the WBC to put their ‘final eliminator’ stamp on the fight. That should mean a Santa Cruz challenge is in the frame for Frampton by the end of 2014.
Santa Cruz is currently pencilled in to fight Cristian Mijares in a mandatory bout on March 8 in Las Vegas, meaning Frampton could potentially face another wait for a voluntary to be completed before gaining his shot. That is unless Golden Boy agree to take the Frampton fight in the summer, but would almost certainly mean a trip to US for the Belfast man.
With the 17-0 puncher handily placed with most organisations though, it seems like just a matter of time before Frampton seals his chance and knows he can ill-afford any slip-ups against the wily Mexican on April 4.
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