Leo Santa Cruz: record, next fight and profile →
Mexico's Leo Santa Cruz retained his World Boxing Association featherweight title Saturday by stopping American Chris Avalos, setting up a title rematch next year with former world champion Abner Mares. Santa Cruz unleashed a punishing flurry of powerful punches to the head of Avalos that set the stage for the fight being stopped by referee Thomas Taylor after 94 seconds of the eighth round.
Santa Cruz vs. Avalos, Mares vs. Gutierrez Fight Photos Gallery - Featherweight world champions Leo Santa Cruz and Abner Mares were both victorious in their Premier Boxing Champions on FOX and FOX Deportes fights Saturday night from StubHub Center in Carson, Calif. and officially set up a world championship rematch between the two popular southern California champions in early 2018.
Featherweight world champion Leo Santa Cruz was victorious in his Premier Boxing Champions on FOX and FOX Deporte fights Saturday night from StubHub Center in Carson, Calif. and officially set up a world championship rematch between the two popular southern California champions in early 2018. "I want Abner Mares," said Santa Cruz. "I said if we both win; we're going to fight. I'm ready to fight him in Los Angeles in the beginning of next year."
StubHub Center, Carson, California - WBA featherweight champion Leo Santa Cruz (34-1-1, 19 KOs) stopped Chris Avalos (27-6, 20 KOs) in eight rounds. Santa Cruz now moves forward to a potential March rematch with Abner Mares, who won a decision over Andres Gutierrez in the co-featured bout.
Carl Frampton feels Leo Santa Cruz is pursuing a rematch with Abner Mares over a rubber match against him because Santa Cruz thinks it’s an easier fight. Santa Cruz has repeatedly stated that he’ll battle Mares again if they win their featherweight title fights Saturday night in Carson, California. The target date for the Santa Cruz-Mares rematch is sometime in March in Los Angeles, according to Richard Schaefer, whose company is co-promoting the FOX doubleheader that’ll feature Santa Cruz and Mares (7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT).
Santa Cruz vs. Avalos, Mares vs. Gutierrez Weigh-in Photos Gallery - Fighters entering the ring for Saturday's Premier Boxing Champions on FOX and FOX Deportes tripleheader event went face-to-face at the final press conference Thursday before they compete at StubHub Center. Photos by Andy Samuleson/PBC.
Fighters entering the ring for Saturday's Premier Boxing Champions on FOX and FOX Deportes tripleheader event went face-to-face at the final press conference Thursday before they compete at StubHub Center. Photos by Erick Ramirez/Ringstar. PBC on FOX and FOX Deportes is headlined by three-division champion Leo "El Terremoto" Santa Cruz defending his featherweight world title against Chris Avalos, while four-time world champion Abner Mares defends his 126-pound championship against once-beaten Andres Gutierrez. Televised coverage begins at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT with unbeaten rising contender Eddie Ramirez taking on former world champion Antonio DeMarco.
Scott Quigg has made his way back to the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, California, where he once again is working with noted trainer, Freddie Roach. On November 4th in Monaco he is scheduled to face Oleg Yefimovych. After that, Quigg, hopes to go big game hunting in the featherweight division. "I'm expecting a tough fight from Oleg, he's 29-2-1 (16 KO's). I know I've got a tough fight in front of me but it's one I'm very confident in with the work I'm putting in and how I'm looking in the gym," said Quigg (33-1-2, 24 KO's) to BoxingScene.com after he wrapped up his day's training.
By Keith Idec - Abner Mares made himself perfectly clear. As much as he wants an opportunity to avenge one of the two losses on his professional record, there’s only so much longer the WBA world featherweight champion will wait to fight Leo Santa Cruz again. Their arrangement, to which Mares begrudgingly agr...
Richard Schaefer repeatedly emphasized Wednesday that Abner Mares’ upcoming fight against Andres Gutierrez is anything but a tune-up. Leo Santa Cruz’s fight against Chris Avalos – scheduled for that same night, October 14, in Carson, California – on paper appears to be significantly easier than Mares’ matchup. Nevertheless, Schaefer confirmed during a conference call to promote their FOX doubleheader that there’s an agreement in place for the Santa Cruz-Mares rematch to take place if Santa Cruz and Mares win their fights a week from Saturday night.