By Miguel Rivera
Leo Santa Cruz (30-0-1, 17KOs) is finally getting his long pursued fight against Abner Mares (29-1-1, 15KOs) on August 29th at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.
For years Santa Cruz and Mares were at least one division apart. For this fight Santa Cruz will move up to meet Mares at the featherweight limit of 126-pounds with the WBC Diamond championship at stake.
Santa Cruz is giving Mares a size advantage and anticipates his California rival potentially rehydrating as high as 140-pounds, the junior welterweight limit.
To prepare for Mares' size advantage, Santa Cruz is sparring with much bigger fighters who have heavy hands and are being very physical during sessions.
"Yes [the size difference] will have some effect, since he will gain weight. After the weighin, the following day, he can weigh up to 140-pounds and I am not going up that far. At most I'll come up to 130 or 131 pounds," said Santa Cruz to ESPN Deportes.
"Therefore, we are sparring with fighters who are much heavier than me, stronger sparring partners, to feel that [weight] difference [that we're going to feel] on the day of the fight."