In an interview with FightHype, former WBC featherweight world champion Abner Mares discussed his amateur bout with Guillermo Rigondeaux in the finals of the Pan American Games. In that fight Mares lost and ended up walking away with the silver medal and Rigondeaux took the gold.
In the interview Mares said he was not scared of Rigondeaux and would love to fight him. ‘I think there is a great possibility I beat him, we just have to work hard and find a way.’ A possible clash between Rigondeaux and a well known talent like Mares is long overdue and I am sure there would be a lot of public interest in this fight.
Mares currently campaigns in the 126 pound division and Rigondeaux is a 122lb fighter at max. I think Rigondeaux may be interested in taking this fight however because it’s a great name to have on his resume and he would even become a two weight world champion in his following bout before retuning to 122;bs to continue to defend his straps there.
Rigondeaux is no stranger to fighting larger men, most of his opponents have rehydrated to be far larger than him when the fight rolls around and that has not stopped him in dominating them. Examples can be seen when he trashed the 2012 fighter of the year Nonito Donaire, or even in his very last fight when he took on Hisashi Amagasa who had been fighting at 126 prior to their bout.
Mares did say that for now his full attention was on Arturo Santos Reyes is his scheduled opponent for their March fight, but if he should come out victorious in that one he would be 29 – 1 and ready to take on the big names again. He also mentioned Leo Santa Cruz and Nonito donaire as well as Lomachenko as possible opponents for his next big bout should he come through in March. Whether or not any of these good fights gets made is another question, but its good that Mares knows the fights the fans are looking for from him.