You may not know it yet, but Abner Mares is the next biggest thing in boxing.
While fellow young upstarts like Adrien Broner and Saul Alvarez are enhancing their resumes both inside and outside the ring, all Mares has done is let his fists do the talking in the past few years, winning the Showtime Bantamweight tourney and in the process becoming a three-time titlist as well as Golden Boy Promotions first ?from the ground up? champion in the companies history.
And while he may not have a name as known as ?The Problem? or ?Canelo, this weekend from the newly dubbed Stub Hub Center in Carson, California, the newly crowned WBC featherweight champion Mares makes the first defense of his belt only four months after winning it via TKO over Daniel Ponce De Leon, showing his desire to stay active and in the ring.
If tradition continues, Mares may not become a household name in the next few years, but one thing is for sure: he just might become your next favorite fighter.
Mares spoke earlier this week to media in advance of his Showtime televised throw-down against Jhonny Gonzalez, (who held the belt prior to De Le Leon) and spoke on being a former sparring partner with Gonzalez, making weight for the fight and where a win over Gonzalez takes his career going forward.
The Guadalajara, Mexico native does not believe that sharing a ring with Gonzalez with head gear in the past will affect Saturday night or make it any easier once the bell rings, and referenced the De Leon affair to drive home his point.
?I don?t think so. Not at all. I think I proved that last fight when I fought Daniel Ponce de Le?n. We had sparred many times. We were gym partners, we sparred many times, like I said, and it didn?t affect me or it did not affect him. I saw a different Ponce de Le?n that night. I was able to win things out, but, again, you can?t expect the same type of fighter when you spar them come fight night. So I?m not looking for that. I know Jhonny comes with his A game, so I got to expect a tough Jhonny.?
There was no lack of respect from Mares of Gonzalez, who realizes that he has a tough foe in front of him and that fighting this caliber of opponent will be detrimental to learning to face all types of boxers.
?Well, first of all, no pressure at all, because I?m training the same way I train for all of my fights, all my previous fights, so I?m with the same hunger, the same desire to win every fight and to give a great show come fight night. I?m really glad and I?m blessed that people are seeing what I?ve been saying, that I?m one of the best fighters out there and I?m proving it fight after fight, fighting all these tough opponents. But as each fight comes to me, as each fighter keeps getting tougher and tougher there?s always something to prove. With Jhonny what do I have to prove? I have to prove that I am now one of the best, I?m one of the elite and I have to beat Jhonny. I can?t lose and I just have to win. It?s a fight where I can?t lose. And again, I?m fighting a tough fighter, an experienced fighter, close to 60 fights, 48 knockouts, great puncher, an experienced fighter. So his fight does not take anything away from me. I gain a lot.?
Mares spoke on seeking to bring yet another exciting performance like his knockdown filled TKO in May and what he is doing to ensure the folks in Carson get the bang for their buck Saturday night.
?Well, yes, there?s always that. Well, I mean me, personally, there?s always that room for improvement or for learning. I go in the gym wanting to learn something new, as I have been doing it fight from fight, because I?ve been taking all these different opponents, different styles, and now I?m fighting a different style, a unique style in Jhonny; a clean fighter, really finesse boxer/puncher. So I have to go in there and just be better, show a different Abner Mares. And I can?t wait. Believe me, I trained hard, I trained differently for a different style, and you will see a different Abner Mares.
Come August 24th; a week from now you guys will see a different Abner Mares. You guys will see a tremendous fight from Jhonny and myself; a great fight. Boxing world wins. Can?t wait to prove again that I?m one of the elite. And I want to thank Showtime, I want to thank Golden Boy for always giving me good fights, for putting me on great defense, and this is another great fight for boxing. Thank you so much to all the press and come join us August 24th and if you can?t watch it on Showtime. It will be a tremendous fight. Thank you, Jhonny. Let?s give the fans a great fight.?
Tune in to Showtime Saturday night because you just might realize that if Mares doesn?t become your next favorite fighter, well, he probably should.
