I?ll go with my gut and pick Santa Cruz to eke out a hard-fought, 12-round split decision victory in a thrilling war of attrition?
Saturday night on ESPN (10 PM EST) from the Staples Center in Los Angeles California, unbeaten two-division titlist Leo Santa Cruz (30-0-1 17 KO), from Rosemead, California, takes on former three-division titlist Abner Mares (29-1-1 15 KO), from Montebello, California. The main event of this tonight?s PBC card will be for the WBA Super featherweight title.
Santa Cruz, 27, comes into this potential Fight of The Year as the slight betting favorite at -225. Mares, 29, is pegged by oddsmakers as the slight underdog at +175.
Here is a closer look at the two pugilistic principles get set to square off in the squared circle.
Leo Santa Cruz
Age: 27 Weight: 126 lbs. Height: 5?7? Reach: 69 inches Hometown: Rosemead, California Record: 30-0-1 17 KOs Record in world title fights: 9-0 with 6 KOs World titles held: WBC Super Bantamweight 2013-present, IBF Bantamweight title 2012-2013 (vacated) Record in last 5 bouts: 5-0 with 2 KOs
Notable opponents faced: Christian Mijares: Win, 12 Rd UD. Eric Morel: Win, TKO 5
Abner Mares
Age: 29 Weight: 127 lbs. Height: 5?4? Reach: 66 inches Hometown: Montebello, California Record: 29-1-1 with 15 KOs Record in world title fights: 6-1-1 with 1 KO World titles held: IBO Bantamweight title 2010 (vacated), IBF Bantamweight title 2011-2012 (vacated), WBC Super Bantamweight title 2012-2013 (vacated), WBC Featherweight title 2013-2013 (lost via KO to Jhonny Gonzalez) Record in last 5 bouts: 4-1 with 2 KOs)
Notable opponents faced: Yonnhy P?rez: Majority Draw Vic Darchinyan: Win, 12 Rd SD Joseph Agbeko: Win, Majority Decision, Win, 12 Rd UD Eric Morel: Win, 12 Rd UD Anselmo Moreno: Win, 12 Rd UD Daniel Ponce De Leon: Win, TKO 9 Jhonny Gonzalez: Loss, KO 1
Prediction
Santa Cruz comes into this bout as the slight betting favorite as an undefeated champion. However, it is Mares who holds the vast edge in competition faced and defeated. Santa Cruz will enjoy a sizable height and reach advantage, though he likes to come forward and trade in the pocket, so some of his height and reach advantage against Mares should be negated.
Santa Cruz may be the busier fighter with the sturdier chin, but Mares is no one-trick pony and can attack from all angles, with a bit of kayo pop on his shots as well.
Though Santa Cruz is younger, has superior height and reach and seemingly the better chin, this fight is a very difficult one to pick a definitive winner in give?as stated before?the quality of opposition Mares has faced compared to the relatively untested Santa Cruz.
I?ll go with my gut and pick Leo Santa Cruz to eke out a hard-fought, 12-round split decision victory in a thrilling war of attrition, full of ebb-and-flow, back-and-forth action.
This well-matched 126-pound war truly could go on to become Fight of the Year.
