Leo Santa Cruz to defend WBA featherweight title against Kiko Martinez on Feb. 27
Leo Santa Cruz has an opponent for his next fight, but the choice is a bit underwhelming.
The WBA featherweight champioin will face Kiko Martinez on Feb. 27 at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., it was announced Saturday. Showtime will televise the bout and pair it with tape-delayed coverage of the title fighte between Carl Frampton and Scott Quigg.
Paste BN Sports reported earlier this month that there was an agreement in place for Santa Cruz to fight Martinez.
Santa Cruz, 27, is coming off a career-best win, an August clash with Abner Mares that was highly anticipated and delivered in the ring. The Southern California-based Mexicans pushed the pace in a good action fight at Staples Center, and the victory helped catapult Santa Cruz to new heights. But he's taking a step back for his next outing.
(Photo of Martinez, left, by AP Photo/Peter Morrison)
Martinez, the 29-year-old Spaniard who is promoted by former middleweight champ Sergio Martinez (no relation), has lost three times since 2009, knockout losses to top junior featherweight fighters Carl Frampton and Scott Quigg (the other defeat came via decision to the former in a rematch).
The knockout to Quigg came in July, but he won three stay-busy fights afterward in 2015. His career-best victories came in 2013-14, knockouts of Jeffery Mathebula and Hozumi Hasegawa.
Santa Cruz (30-0-1, 17 KOs) has long been criticized for his level of opposition, but quieted doubters with the victory over Mares, a former two-division champ. Martinez (35-6, 26 KOs) is a cut above the caliber of fighters Santa Cruz had been facing prior to Mares, though, and is a pressure-fighter who makes good fights.
(Photo of Santa Cruz by Mark J. Rebilas-Paste BN Sports)