By Ryan Burton
Abner Mares is hoping that his next fight is a rematch against Leo Santa Cruz. They engaged in an exciting battle in August, 2015 that Santa Cruz won by majority decision.
The WBA recently ordered both men, who hold versions of the WBA featherweight title, to face each other next. Ringstar Sports' Richard Schaefer recently told Steve Kim of BoxingScene.com that he would like the fight to take place at the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles, California.The Staples Center also hosted their first fight.
BoxingScene.com recently caught up with Mares to get his take on some other fights that are in the works for the first half of 2018.
On April 7th former champions Carl Frampton and Nonito Donaire are expected to square off in Belfast, Northern Ireland. With the fight taking place in Frampton's backyard, Mares feels the Irishman definitely has the advantage in the featherweight clash.
"That would be a great fight. That is not an even fight. I think Frampton obviously has the edge, especially over there in the UK but you cannot count Nonito out for sure," said Mares.
The other fight we discussed is the rematch between Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin. The two middleweights battled to a draw in September and all signs point to them having a rematch on Cinco De Mayo weekend next May.
Many insiders and fans thought that Golovkin deserved the victory in their first fight but Mares feels that Canelo has the greater ability to make adjustments in their second fight.
"That fight is not officially made yet but I am going to favor Canelo because he showed a little bit more boxing ability. He was doing great and if he would have pressured more I think he would have taken the fight but he didn't choose to do that. He was pulling back too much and that made the fight more even," Mares told BoxingScene.com.
"He has the experience now and he is younger and now he has the confidence that he can take his punch."
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