By Steve Kim
In the last year or so, both Leo Santa Cruz (30-0-1, 17KOs) and Abner Mares (29-1-1, 15KOs) - once fan favorites - have come under heavy criticism and scrutiny for taking on soft opposition. But rumors are circulating that they may face each other in the summer in Los Angeles.
Santa Cruz, who currently holds the WBC 122-pound title, just recently faced Jose Cayetano on the Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao undercard at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and won a rather pedestrian ten round decision in a non-title affair. Santa Cruz says he took the fight to test the featherweight division waters.
Mares, since getting stunningly halted in one by Jhonny Gonzalez in August of 2013, has been handled with kid gloves, facing the trio of Jonathan Oquendo, Jose Ramirez and Arturo Santos Reyes.
This fight shouldn't be too difficult to make given that both are advised by Al Haymon and are need of a meaningful fight. Word is that Santa Cruz may vacate his WBC title to face Mares at the featherweight limit of 126. The Staples Center is being kicked around as the destination for this matchup.
Steve Kim is the news editor for BoxingScene.com