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By Jake Donovan - Three months ago, Abner Mares was a win away from picking up his first major title as a professional, and also becoming Golden Boy Promotions’ first home-grown champion.
With an untimely injury suffered by his opponent and defending titlist Joseph Agbeko, the dream was put on hold for another three months.
The statement still remains true heading into this weekend’s headliner at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas, which serves as the finals for Showtime’s bantamweight tournament. Time was lost, as was the logistics of training camp – new sparring partners brought in, a break in camp along with a temporary change in locations.
What hasn’t changed is the hunger and desire to realize his dream and do his bosses proudly.
“We are getting close to this fight that I’ve been waiting for quite some time,” notes Mares (21-0-1, 13KO) who has been idle since his off-the-floor split decision win over Vic Darchinyan in the opening round of the Showtime Bantamweight Tournament last December. “The fight got cancelled back in April and now... I’m ready to do this.”
The three-month delay – caused by Agbeko suffering a severe case of sciatica during fight week - is merely another chapter in a career already filled with setbacks and obstacles. The path that has led Mares to his second crack at a major title shot is hardly the template followed by most potential rising stars.
Mares appeared to be well on his way towards a rapid rise to the top, including an HBO Boxing After Dark showcase appearance in November 2007, just three years and 15 fights into his young career. Four months later, he served as the opening act for a pay-per-view event headlined by the rematch between Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez. [Click Here To Read More]
With an untimely injury suffered by his opponent and defending titlist Joseph Agbeko, the dream was put on hold for another three months.
The statement still remains true heading into this weekend’s headliner at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas, which serves as the finals for Showtime’s bantamweight tournament. Time was lost, as was the logistics of training camp – new sparring partners brought in, a break in camp along with a temporary change in locations.
What hasn’t changed is the hunger and desire to realize his dream and do his bosses proudly.
“We are getting close to this fight that I’ve been waiting for quite some time,” notes Mares (21-0-1, 13KO) who has been idle since his off-the-floor split decision win over Vic Darchinyan in the opening round of the Showtime Bantamweight Tournament last December. “The fight got cancelled back in April and now... I’m ready to do this.”
The three-month delay – caused by Agbeko suffering a severe case of sciatica during fight week - is merely another chapter in a career already filled with setbacks and obstacles. The path that has led Mares to his second crack at a major title shot is hardly the template followed by most potential rising stars.
Mares appeared to be well on his way towards a rapid rise to the top, including an HBO Boxing After Dark showcase appearance in November 2007, just three years and 15 fights into his young career. Four months later, he served as the opening act for a pay-per-view event headlined by the rematch between Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez. [Click Here To Read More]
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