Carl Frampton hailed the “fantastic” support of the thousands who travelled to back his doomed bid to retain the world title yesterday morning.
Frampton had his world featherweight belt snatched away from him by a bold and clinical performance from Leo Santa Cruz.
And Belfast is set to host the third in an epic trilogy of fights between the 29-year-old and the Mexican.
That’s if the Tiger’s Bay fighter gets his way.
He said: “Me and Leo have now had 24 rounds with each other and they’ve all been pretty competitive rounds.
“It’s one-all now so if I’m going to look at any sort of positive it’s that we have to make it a trilogy.
“I want to fight Leo again. Straight away.
“I won the first fight and he’s won the second fight so let’s just do it straight away.
“I want to fight in Belfast next, that’s what I want to do.
“I feel like I’ve been on the road for a few years now and my fans are having to pay a lot of money to come and support me.
“I want to thank them first and foremost, they come in their numbers. But they’re paying a lot of money.
“I would like to repay them with a fight at home and hopefully that will happen.
“I feel like I’ve came to the States twice now and Leo has said he would do it in Belfast the third time.
“I hope he’s a man of his word.
“And he can come and stay at my house if he wants!
“After that I’d be happy to go to Los Angeles and, who knows, this could be three, four, five fights.
“Let’s give the fans what they want.”
The army of green who had flown around the world hoping to see Carl Frampton repeat his victory of last summer were ultimately left disappointed.
But it wasn’t for the want of trying ? and their part or the fighter’s.
A poor start left Frampton always playing catch-up and, even in the rounds he was set to win or share, Santa Cruz would produce a late flurry to sway the points in his direction.
It was a first defeat in seven-and-a-half years as a professional boxer.
