By Miguel Rivera
Abner Mares (31-2-1, 15 KOs) is less than a week away from his high stakes rematch with WBA featherweight champion Leo Santa Cruz (34-1-1, 19 KOs).
Santa Cruz won a twelve round majority decision over Mares in August of 2015 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.
And this coming Saturday night, the two Mexican fighters will once again trade punches at the Staples Center as part of a Showtime televised card.
Now with new head trainer Robert Garcia, Mares is aiming to get revenge - and reclaim a world title.
As far as his future, Mares expects to eventually move up to the super featherweight limit of 130-pounds - to pursue a third divisional title.
Before making the jump, he would like to face either Carl Frampton or WBO featherweight champion Oscar Valdez.
"I think I'll be there [at 126-pounds] for a year and a half, and then it will be in another division. Before changing [my division], I would like to face an Oscar Valdez, a Frampton, and then go to super featherweight if there is a championship fight," Mares said to Informer.
There are a lot of good fighters at 130, and the name on Mares' radar is current WBA super featherweight champion Gervonta Davis (20-0, 19 KOs), who is promoted by former five division champion Floyd Mayweather.
"I stay positive, I know there are great fighters in that division. I even have an opponent in my sights: Gervonta Davis," Mares said.
Although he was an Olympian for Mexico and had a good career in amateur boxing for the country, Mares has not had a single professional contest on Mexican soil.
"I would love it, the truth is that it is a dream for me to fight in the future on Mexican soil, if possible in Jalisco. I am a former Mexican Olympic, I have always represented my country, but unfortunately the promotion that I'm with have almost no events in Mexico. Hopefully we can do a big event there," Mares said.
