Mares to Return in Last Quarter of 2018

Abner Mares came up short in his WBA “Super” Featherweight Title fight with Leo Santa Cruz back on June 9, but he isn’t letting the loss hold him back.

As reported by Boxing Scene, Mares intends to return to the ring in the final three months of the year. Mares says he wants to show he can still hang with the featherweight’s elite, and he put out a number of names for possible future opponents. These include Carl Frampton, Gary Russell, Oscar Valdez, Josh Warrington, Joseph Diaz and even a trilogy bout with Santa Cruz.

“Obviously, you feel sad because it was not the result we wanted, but they are fights where you do not really lose much,” Mares said. “Surprisingly I’ve won over a lot of fans and we made it clear that we belong to this level, not because of the result. I’m not out of the elite, and I’m going to show that in my next fight.”

Mares added that he’s looking to return to the gym right away so that he doesn’t lose his form and rhythm.

“I could talk a whole day about the points in the fight, about the judges, the fact that they gave the unanimous victory when it was a very close fight,” Mares said. “In the end, I prefer that the people won and that I still receive very positive comments about my performance. We took a break, deserved I think, but it’s time to return to the gym with some light work so I don’t lose my good form.”

Original Story: Boxing Scene