Philippines, 02 Jul 2025
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


LEO SANTA CRUZ OUTLASTS ABNER MARES IN A CLASSIC BRAWL


PhilBoxing.com




If I was not distracted by the bright lights inside the Staples Center in downtown LA and the cheers from more than 13,000 predominantly Latino boxing fans that almost filled out the venue, I can easily imagine tonight I run into an honest to goodness street brawl behind some alley along Whittier Boulevard in East LA.

Leo Santa Cruz (31-0-1, 17 KO) and his challenger, the ex-Mexican Olympian and former three division champion Abner Mares (29-2-1, 15KO) fought as if they were in some alley defending their gangland turf.

Santa Cruz and Mares were former spar mates who ended up being top rivals as well. Being both from the LA area made the rivalry even more intense thus their fight tonight was dubbed by many as the ?Battle for LA?.

The 12 round fight was exactly how the spin makers said it would be from the time the first bell sounded. It can be best described as a battle of attrition with back and forth non-stop action. Honestly, it left the fans exhausted and drained but terribly satisfied on what the two great Mexican fighters showed during the whole duration of the fight.

As a guy seated behind our auxiliary media section said ?this is what fights should be not like the sham put up by Mayweather and Pacquiao. You can quote me on that," he added, obviously knowing that we were from the press.

Indeed it was and I could not agree more.



Santa Cruz at the start had a very difficult time trying to decipher Mares who came out swinging as the first bell sounded. Mares crowded Santa Cruz and kept the fight inside trying to avoid allowing Santa Cruz to box him. The Mares barrage forced Santa Cruz to be patient and wait for openings so he can throw his counters. But he was not shy to exchange when Mares elected to brawl often drawing the fans to their feet.

A clash of heads opened a cut in round 3 on Mares? eyebrow. Although it occasionally bled, it was a none factor in the final outcome of the fight.

As the fight progress, Santa Cruz finally found his range and started throwing his jabs effectively but brawl inside when he needed to.

Mares stuck to his fight plan, swarming Santa Cruz hoping to land a lucky punch from the inside. But, Santa Cruz had an answer for him almost every time particularly as the fight progressed to the championship rounds.

In the end, Santa Cruz turned out to be the better fighter for the night and he clearly deserved the victory. With his win, he won the fringe WBA Super Featherweight Belt

From my point of view the fight was a bit more closer than the two 117-111 scores.

But certainly, the 114-114 score turned in by Max de Luca was out of synch.


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ed de la Vega, DDS.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • Team USA Earns Three Wins on Day Two of World Boxing Cup: Astana 2025
    , Wed, 02 Jul 2025
  • Women's Boxing Champion Signs with Combate Global, Still Aims For WBC Absolute Gold
    , Wed, 02 Jul 2025
  • Sanman Boxing Presents Hard-Hitting Prospect Abubakar Yanon Set to Challenge for Philippine Boxing Federation Flyweight Title in Malungon, Sarangani Province
    , Wed, 02 Jul 2025
  • Boxing Returns to Tropicana Atlantic City, July 25
    , Wed, 02 Jul 2025
  • THE PAST WEEK IN ACTION 30 June 2025: Zurdo Outpoints Dorticos, Keeps WBA/WBO Cruiser Titles; Mbilli Stops Sulecki in 1; Wins by Kuroki, Wilder and Jake Paul
    By Eric Armit, , Tue, 01 Jul 2025
  • IIEE Titans secured Finals in BPBL, IIEE Chessmasters retain on top level in Bundesliga
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Tue, 01 Jul 2025
  • MARIO BARRIOS LAS VEGAS MEDIA WORKOUT QUOTES
    , Tue, 01 Jul 2025
  • CATTERALL AND EUBANK LAY THEIR 'CARDS ON THE TABLE' AHEAD OF MANCHESTER SHOWDOWN
    , Tue, 01 Jul 2025
  • Dumadag holds chess tourney
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Tue, 01 Jul 2025
  • Manny Pacquiao's Case for the Greatest of All Time
    By Ace Freeman, , Mon, 30 Jun 2025
  • DavNor Adventure Race 2025 set July 2
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Mon, 30 Jun 2025
  • Gumila rules Antipolo rapid chess tilt
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Mon, 30 Jun 2025
  • FULL CIRCLE AT WILD CARD: Jhay Otamias’ Tribute to a Fighter and a Fanbase
    By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, , Mon, 30 Jun 2025
  • Vince Paras Wins by 4th Round KO Over Sarawut Thawornkham to Capture the IBF Pan Pacific Super Flyweight Title
    , Mon, 30 Jun 2025
  • Team USA's Quest for Gold Set in Stone at World Boxing Cup: Astana 2025
    , Mon, 30 Jun 2025
  • SBA SEASON 2 DRAFT UNVEILS RISING STARS AND STRATEGIC MOVES AS TEAMS COMPLETE THEIR ROSTERS
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Mon, 30 Jun 2025
  • Filipino Elwin Retanal wins Saudi rapid chess meet
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Mon, 30 Jun 2025
  • Jake Paul Earns Boxing Legitimacy with Dominant Decision Over Julio Cesar Chávez Jr.
    By Dong Secuya, , Sun, 29 Jun 2025
  • Zurdo Ramirez Defends Cruiserweight Crowns with Unanimous Decision Over Dorticos
    By Dong Secuya, , Sun, 29 Jun 2025
  • Vince Paras Faces Sarawut Thawornkham Today at Venue 88 in Gensan
    , Sun, 29 Jun 2025
  • USA Elite High Performance Team Sets Sights on Gold at World Boxing Cup: Astana 2025
    , Sun, 29 Jun 2025
  • Alekhine Nouri bags silver in blitz
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sun, 29 Jun 2025
  • Paul vs. Chavez Jr: Can Julio Derail Jake Paul?
    By Chris Carlson, , Sat, 28 Jun 2025
  • Dr. KO: Christian Mbilli Stops Maciej Sulecki in 1
    , Sat, 28 Jun 2025
  • GOLDEN BOY SIGNS UNDEFEATED MIDDLEWEIGHT BLUE-CHIP PROSPECT AMARI JONES
    , Sat, 28 Jun 2025




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2025 philboxing.com.