Barry McGuigan has urged Carl Frampton to avoid getting sentimental as he fights for the WBA featherweight title against Leo Santa Cruz on Saturday.

The 29-year-old has the opportunity to win the belt 21 years after his manager claimed it from Eusebio Pedroza at Loftus Road.

Frampton will meet the Mexican-American at the Barclays Centre in New York as he looks to become a two-weight world champion.

The undefeated Northern Irishman is making the step up from super-bantamweight in what is being called the toughest fight of his career.

McGuigan, who hadn’t won a world title previous to his victory over Pedroza, insists the fight is not a an opportunity to get sentimental.

The 55-year-old insists the camp are not underestimating Santa Cruz and expect him to push Frampton further than he has ever gone before.

McGuigan said: “People are talking about sentimentality and all that nonsense, but we just don’t go for that.

“This is another fight Carl has to be in the best shape that he can be in, use the right tactics that Shane (McGuigan’s son and Frampton’s trainer) and him have worked on very hard, and win.

“So forget about the sentimentality, forget about it being the WBA title; it’s just we have got to go out there and perform and win.”

He added: “Let’s not for one minute underestimate Santa Cruz. He’s an exceptional fighter.

I believe Santa Cruz will push Carl harder than he’s ever been pushed before, but I believe that that will really bring the best out of Frampton.”