Leo Santa Cruz is a Los Angeles boxer through and through, and he harbors the kind of grand ambitions one might expect from someone hailing from a city full of bright lights and big dreamers. "I want to accomplish many things," said Santa Cruz, per BoxingScene.com's Lyle Fitzsimmons. "I want to be a multiple world champion. I want to be, maybe, a six-time world champion. I want to move to 130 and hopefully win a title right there, then 135 and 140. I think 140's the highest I want to move up in weight."
Leo Santa Cruz vs. Kiko Martinez Viewing Info
When: Saturday at 10 p.m. ET
Where: Honda Center in Anaheim, California
TV: Showtime
Live Stream: Get Free Stream
Before Santa Cruz, nicknamed "El Terremoto," can accumulate so many titles, he has to prove he can consistently defend the ones he's already picked up in his pro career. It's not enough to just reach the top; taking on worthy challengers is part of the deal.
The 27-year-old has already done so with bantamweight and super bantamweight titles. He will look to make his first defense of his WBA Super world featherweight title on Saturday against former super bantamweight titleholder Kiko "La Sensacion" Martinez.
As the main event on a day packed with a couple of other high-profile boxing cards, Santa Cruz is looking to prove that he can draw big crowds and strong ratings.
Boxing fans who are looking to get their weekend fight fix have plenty of options Saturday. Carl Frampton is set to take on Scott Quigg across the pond in Manchester, England, with both Frampton's IBF super bantamweight title and Quigg's WBA strap on the line. In the evening, WBO super lightweight champion Terence "Bud" Crawford returns to action against Hank Lundy from Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Santa Cruz's bout is scheduled to take place at right around the same time as Crawford's, but boxing fans would be foolish to pass up on watching his fight if they have the chance.
An indefatigable pressure fighter with a wide variety of punches, Santa Cruz makes for great television. His 12-round, majority-decision win over Abner Mares in August for the vacant WBA title was a nonstop slugfest. According to CompuBox, the two boxers combined for 2,031 punches, landing 599 of them.
Full Fight Card:
Leo Santa Cruz (No. 3) vs. Kiko Martinez
12 rounds – Featherweight division (for Santa Cruz’s WBA title)
Julio Ceja (No. 10) vs. Hugo Ruiz
12 rounds – Junior featherweight division (for Ceja’s WBC title)
Claudio Marrero vs. Jonathan Arrellano
10 rounds – Featherweight division
Paul Mendez vs. Joshua Okine
10 rounds – Middleweight division
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