Carl Frampton (L) and Kiko Martinez square off in 2014 for the IBF junior featherweight title. Photo by Tom Jenkins/Getty Images.

The winner of the junior featherweight unification match on Feb. 27 between Carl Frampton and Scott Quigg in Manchester, England, will likely have to give up a title to face one of their mandatory challengers.

And both Frampton and Quigg indicated on a conference on Wednesday they would prefer to face the polarizing two-time Cuban gold medalist Guillermo Rigondeaux for the WBA title rather than IBF mandatory, Shingo Wake.

The bout between Northern Ireland’s Frampton (21-0, 14 knockouts) and England’s Quigg (31-0-2, 23 KOs) will take place at Manchester Arena on Showtime Extreme.

“I’ve always said that I’m out to fight the best and beat the best,” said Quigg, the WBA champion and RING-rated No. 1 junior featherweight behind Rigondeaux, the RING-designated champion. “So I would obviously go and face Guillermo Rigondeaux. I’m not scared to fight him. I’m not shying away from challenges. I challenge myself and that’s what I pride on and obviously fighting Rigondeaux, who is rightly No. 1 in the division because of what he’s achieved so far. I believe when the time comes I really believe I can beat him. I’m not scared of anybody. I wouldn’t relinquish my belt to avoid him.”

Scott Quigg in action with Hidenori Otake during their junior featherweight bout at Liverpool Echo Arena on Nov. 22 in Liverpool, England. Quigg won a unanimous decision. Photo by Scott Heavey/Getty Images

Frampton, who rose off the canvas twice to defend his IBF title against Alejandro Gonzalez Jr. in July, also stated his preference to face the undefeated Cuban stylist.

“Well, Rigo is the man you have to face if you want to call yourself the main guy,” Frampton said. “I’m happy to face Rigo or happy to face Shingo Wake. Whatever my team sees is the sensible option is what I’m going to do. I’m happy to fight anyone. I don’t fear anyone. I believe I’m the best super bantamweight in the world and if you want to prove that then you need to beat Rigo and I prefer to do that.”

Frampton expressed sympathy for Rigondeaux, who has been essentially shunned by the TV networks because of his methodical style and unwillingness to trade punches. He was also downgraded by the WBA to a “champion in recess” and previously stripped of his WBO title for inactivity.

Rigondeaux (16-0, 10 KOs) is scheduled to face James Dickens (21-1, 6 KOs) on March 12 at Echo Arena in Liverpool, England, on the undercard of Terry Flanagan’s WBO lightweight title defense vs. Derry Mathews.

“I feel a little sorry for the position of Rigo,” Frampton said. “The way he’s an unbelievable fighter — he’s someone who I admire and obviously the TV channels don’t appreciate his style of boxing. They want to see blood and guts, and technically there’s nobody better than him in the world. It’s just the way he’s been treated by the governing bodies. I think he’s been unfairly treated. They’ve given Scott Quigg his title. I think it’s been unfair so you have to feel a little sorry for him.”

Mitch Abramson can be reached at [email protected] or Twitter at @Mabramson13

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