On Aug. 15, 2015 in front of a raucous audience at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, Abner Mares (30-2, 15 KOs) and Leo Santa Cruz (33-1, 18 KOs) slugged it out for the vacant WBA (super) featherweight title. From the get go onwards to finish line the top featherweights enthralled a crowd of 13,109 with intense, heated, toe-to-toe, none-stop action fight. When the smoke of battle cleared, Leo Sta. Cruz eked out a hard-fought victory on majority decision. It was a very close fight an immediate talk of a rematch was brought out. But the said rematch wouldn't take place until the WBA has ordered the two opposing camps to start sitting across the negotiating table.
In over a year interim period, Leo Santa Cruz, 28, would find himself embroiled with another top and tough competitor in the division from across the pond. On July 30, 2016 at the Barclays Center in New York, Leo Sta. Cruz, who is known for his superior reach, relentless, and voluminous punching, lost his WBA (super) featherweight title, via majority decision, to Carl Frampton of Belfast, Northern Ireland. They would meet again on Jan. 28, 2017 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. This time, Carl Frampton saw himself giving back the same championship belt to Leo Sta. Cruz, also on majority decision.
Abner Mares, 31, on his own separate way decided to hunt for a separate world title. He managed to grab the regular version of the WBA featherweight title from Jesus Cuellar at the Galen Center in Los Angeles, California on Dec. 10. 2016. On a split decision verdict, Abner Mares barely won against the tough Argentinian champ.
If ever a rematch takes place between Abner Mares and Leo Santa Cruz it would certainly be another treat and delight for the fans regardless of who wins or loses the fight. This rivalry of two ferocious Mexican-Americans warriors, which is reminiscent of the Morales-Barrera war in the earlier part of the previous decade, can still be expected to be a bestseller, selling like hot cakes, among Mexican fans in particular.
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