By Ben Jacobs

Despite the difficult task that awaits him this Saturday in Cardiff against IBF champion Lee Haskins, Mexico’s Iván Morales (29-1, 17 KOs) is keeping his eye on other potential match ups in his division, in particular WBA champion Jamie McDonnell. 

Speaking to BoxingScene.com before he flew over to the United Kingdom, Morales revealed that he has already studied the Yorkshireman who lost to Haskins in 2008.

“Yes, I know him quite well but, sincerely, my objective is to win this fight then to make a mandatory defence of the title against another Englishman, Stuart Hall,” explained the Tijuana native. 

“Then after that fight I want Jamie McDonnell, or any other champion at bantamweight for that matter.  I think like any fighter I want to be a champion and fight against the best.  I think McDonnell has showed that he is the best champion in the division at the moment.

“I haven’t had many fights at 118lbs so I will be staying here for a while, at least three or four years before I go up in weight.  I want to do well in this division first and I want to be champion of all the governing bodies.  Also this division is very interesting.”

Morales gave his take on the July 30 clash at featherweight between his fellow Mexican Leo Santa Cruz and Belfast’s Carl Frampton.  The younger brother of Érik Morales believes the match-up is so good that he can barely split the two boxers.

“Frampton versus Santa Cruz will be a very good fight because Santa Cruz is a really good champion.  I don’t think the weight advantage will be big factor for him though because Frampton is coming from 122lbs where Santa Cruz was recently and he is a great champion as well. 

“I think it’s going to be a very close fight.  Frampton probably has better leg movement and he is very technical and that’s why it will be very close.”