By Chris McKenna, courtesy of The Daily Star

CARL FRAMPTON is aiming to emulate his manager and mentor Barry McGuigan by winning the WBA featherweight title.

The Belfast fighter is moving up from super-bantamweight to take on Mexican sensation Leo Santa Cruz.

The mouth-watering featherweight clash was confirmed for July 30 at the Barclays Centre in New York.

And Frampton wants to follow McGuigan by winning the title the ‘Clones Cyclone’ once held.

McGuigan famously claimed the WBA belt with a stunning win over Eusebio Pedroza at Loftus Road in 1985.

Frampton said: “This is the fight I wanted and I’m one hundred percent confident that the belt will be coming home to Belfast.

“It’s the belt that my manager Barry McGuigan held thirty 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.

“Myself and my team have been chasing this fight for a long, 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.”

Frampton beat British rival Scott Quigg in February to unify the WBA and IBF super bantamweight titles.

But he opted against defending those straps and instead returns to America for the second time following his 2015 win over Alejandro Gonzalez Jr in Texas.

He said: “It’s fantastic to be boxing in New York.

“It’s an incredible city with a massive Irish community who I hope get behind me for this fight.

“There’ll be a lot of people travelling over from Belfast and the whole of the UK and Ireland as well so I’m expecting a good atmosphere on July 30.”