By Jake Donovan

Perhaps we now have an answer to just how much money it will take for Leo Santa Cruz to truly face the very best.

Another main event-sized payday was served to the unbeaten 122 lb. titlist while playing the role of an undercard performer against a fringe contender, collecting $750,000 for his 8th round stoppage of overmatched Jesus Ruiz. The bout served as the chief support to Deontay Wilder’s 12-round heavyweight title-winning effort over Bermane Stiverne this past weekend at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Santa Cruz’s feat was the latest in a string of fights against competition far inferior to the best the loaded 122 lb. division has to offer. The punch-per-second super bantamweight is all thrills in the ring, but the milk has grown a bit stale ever since winning the title from Vic Terrazas in Aug. ’13, with handlers—including adviser Al Haymon at the head of the table—securing the least threatening opposition that will be approved by networks and sanctioning bodies.

Following his win, Santa Cruz was pressed by Showtime’s Jim Grey as to when boxing fans can finally stare down a true threat in the ring. The fighter mentioned all of the right names, including World lineal 122 lb. Guillermo Rigondeaux, who is also unbeaten and with no designs on abandoning his crown or the division anytime soon.

The Cuban wunderkind had his name dropped once again, this time in the form of a question to Santa Cruz as to whether or not he saw that as a $1 million fight.

“That’s not that much money, I think (for that fight),” Santa Cruz responded when asked during an interview with Dontae’s Boxing Nation.

When further pressed (albeit in a casual manner) on how much it would cost, Santa Cruz finally named his price.

“Probably $3 million,” Santa Cruz commented, although revealing a more likely scenario for his next next fight. “I want the fight for the fans, but the (next) fight is going to be against (former three division champion) Abner Mares.”

Both Santa Cruz and Mares are advised by Haymon but also promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and have spent the past couple of weeks calling each other out. Golden Boy President founder and owner Oscar de la Hoya has been vocal in his desire to stage such a fight.

However, given Mares is currently at featherweight and Santa Cruz suggesting during fight week his intentions to eventually move up in weight, it calls into question whether or not we really will see the unbeaten 26-year old actually get around to fighting any of the other best fighters in the super bantamweight division—at least until he’s met with a $3 million offer.

Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene.com, as well as a member of Transnational Boxing Ratings Board and the Boxing Writers Association of America. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox