Abner Mares: “I”ll Fight Nonito Donaire or Guillermo Rigondeaux”

    5
    1945
    Abner Mares - Fight Night Club
    (August 26, 2009 – Source: Jacob de Golish/Getty Images North America)

    Abner Mares is a Golden Boy Promotions’ fighter and very special one for Golden Boy at that. He is their first “home grown champion.” Golden boy has taken some slack in the past for their style of signing new talent to their stable. As rumors goes, it’s said that golden boy doesn’t build fighters; that they sign preexisting fighters. Just ask Gary Shaw as he has lost fighters like Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo and others both to golden boy and other big Promotional companies. Well, this is the world of big fish eats little fish and Abner Mares is tired of being treated like a guppy when his resume is more like that of a shark. Abner Mares has shared the ring with the best his division has had to offer. We here at ThaBoxingVoice.com had a chance to talk to Abner Mares and when asked about the feeling of being the first Champion built from the ground up Mares said, “It feels great, it’s an accomplishment, it’s big to be the first at anything. It’s truly a blessing I feel honored Golden Boy has treated me like family with respect, and I love Golden Boy as a promotional company and as individuals Oscar de La Hoya and the whole crew.”

     

    Two years ago Abner stepped into the ring relatively untested vs. the (at the time) IBF champion in Yonnhy Perez and these two produced fireworks that night, never leaving the fans without a moment to cheer. The fight ended in a draw where no one could be upset with the outcome. That fight was the turning point in Abner’s career and Abner has since faced Vic Darchinyan (winning by spilt decision) and Joseph Agbeko (winning by a controversial majority decision in that fight). “Most definitely after the second fight against Agbeko and hearing the decision it was a sense of relief. I was set, I was ready to move on because I was pretty much stuck a whole year hearing Joseph Agbeko facing Joesph Agbeko, the first fight being canceled having that controversial fight and then fighting him again in the rematch you know hearing that decision and having that sense of relief that I beat him convincingly and no one can talk bad anymore, Mares said.”

     

     Abner went on to rematch Agbeko and win with scores of 118-110 across the broad. Four months later Abner Mares came back to face tough veteran Eric Morel in a good exciting fight which he won by unanimous decision winning the WBC Super Bantamweight title and becoming a two weight division champion.

     

    Abner Mares and Joseph Agbeko - Abner Mares v Joseph Agbeko
    (December 2, 2011 – Source: Jeff Gross/Getty Images North America)

    Yet, while Mares was involved in the Showtime bantamweight tournament, the other fighter fans wanted to see him face was doing his own impersonation of Lucian Bute by staying out of the bantamweight tournament; picking and choosing who he would fight. That fighter is Nonito Donaire and he was also making a name for himself by capturing titles and earing “knockout of the year” against Fernando Montiel. Fans had high hopes for this fight to be made at one point when it seemed as if Donaire was to sign to Golden Boy, but Bob Arum’s lawyers made easy work of that breach of contract and made things right between Donaire and Top Rank. “It bothers me a little that I pretty much fought everyone at 118 pounds; all the top fighters, ex world champs, top opposition and I’ve never really gotten credit. Yet, there’s a few people like you here at ThaBoxingVoice.com and others that definitely give me the credit, definitely recognize what I’ve done, that’s what bothers [me]. I don’t choose my fights like that, I choose my fights on what I know fans think is entertaining,” said Mares.

     

    We asked Abner if he wanted a Nonito Donaire fight and Mares said “I would say yes (laughs) where do I sign, right away as a matter of fact. I’ve envisioned this [fight card] of Manny Pacquiao vs Juan Manuel Marquez and me and Nonito Donaire on a card, two Mexicans vs. two Filipinos. I want that Donaire fight I know he’s a great fighter and that’s why I want to give the fans what they want to see.”

     

    Abner’s thoughts on Guillermo Rigondeaux: “I have no problem facing anyone; I really don’t pick any fighter knowing that I’m going to feel comfortable with this style or with that style. I DON’T PICK ! Whoever they give me, it is what it is. With Guillermo I fought him in the Pan American games, we fought in the finals, and he beat me. It was a close fight, an entertaining fight. I could put it up on YouTube so people can see for them self how entertaining it was, so what that tells you is that in the pro’s it would be a really great fight. I have no problems facing him and I’m willing to go to Golden Boy and tell them to make the fight!”

     

    We told Abner Mares about Nonito Donaire’s comments on facing Guillermo Rigondeaux and how he said Guillermo Rigondeaux style is not an entertaining one so that’s why he doesn’t want to fight him. “He’s pretty much saying he doesn’t want to fight Guillermo Rigondeaux because he feels Guillermo Rigondeaux will make him look bad I’m guessing. At the end of the day you have to face the champions that are there, that’s how they did it back in the day. I’m willing to fight Guillermo Rigondeaux even if he’s a really technical fighter,” said Mares.

    Mares went on to say “I’ll find a way to get inside and win that fight. It would be a tough fight but I’ve said it many times I’m not afraid to lose and I know if I lose a tough fight but I give everything I had people are going to respect that and I’m going to get better fights and believe me, I’m willing to face either guy!”

     

    As far as Abner Mares’ next move it’s still up in the air. He suffered a rib injury and was supposed to make a return on August 25th in Mexico. However, when he does return the general feeling is that he’s willing to fight anyone regardless of the boxing politics. Mares stated, “I know we’re going back to the cold war between Golden boy and Top Rank. I just think these fights are going to be made sooner or later. To me, it won’t be a surprise because I think Golden Boy and Top Rank have come to that conclusion that it’s time. It’s time to stop that nonsense and make these fights happen.”

     

     

    Follow @AbnerMares00 on twitter

     

    For full audio of this interview click here: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/thaboxingvoiceradioshow/2012/06/07/abner-maresmarcus-browne-teon-kennedykieran-mulvaney