By Rick Reeno
Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer, and manager Frank Espinoza, have confirmed to BoxingScene.com that Abner Mares (26-1-1, 14KOs) has exercised his immediate rematch clause against WBC featherweight champion Jhonny Gonzalez (55-8, 47KOs).This past Saturday night in Carson, California - Gonzalez scored a major upset when he stopped Mares in ths first round. Mares got caught by Gonzalez's money punch - the left hook - and he never fully recovered.
Initially, Mares was going to take a rest until 2014, but now it appears the Mexican slugger is going to fight again in 2013 - against Gonzalez.
If Mares would have taken off until 2014, then Golden Boy, who hold controlling options on Gonzalez, were interested in matching him against Gary Russell Jr.
"Abner called me last night and asked me to get a hold of Golden Boy because he wants to exercise that rematch option. He wants to be the first guy to get a crack at Gonzalez before anyone else. He was in great shape for the fight on Saturday, he got caught in the first round and these things happen in boxing. Abner knows these things happen. Whether it's Roberto Duran or Lennox Lewis or Wladimir Klitschko - a lot of fighters have been caught early by a big punch - but then they came back even stronger. Abner is another fighter who I am confident will come back even stronger. He's a warrior and he's ready to get right back in there and get his title back," Espinoza told BoxingScene.com.
Schaefer has already informed Gonzalez and his handlers that Mares exercised the rematch clause.