Abner Mares talks comeback and more!
During a recent conference call with media, former featherweight world champion Abner Mares spoke about his comeback fight versus Puerto Rico’s Jonathan Oquendo, his managerial issues and improvements under the guidance of new trainer Virgil Hunter.
Oscar De La Hoya
Let me introduce to you a fighter that we have been cultivating right from the start. We are thrilled and excited to once again be showcasing Abner Mares on such a tremendous card. I remember him right from the Olympic Games and right from the start knowing that this young fighter is going to be something special in the sport of boxing.
He hails from Guadalajara Jalisco, Mexico, and now fighting out of Downey, California. He’s a member of the 2004 Mexican Olympic team. He had a tremendous stoppage win versus Daniel Ponce de Leon to win the WBC Featherweight crown. He is the previous owner of the Bantamweight and Super Bantamweight Championships and, obviously, he’s anxious to return.
He has been off for a year and is coming into this difficult fight against Oquendo, who is a very solid, tough fighter from Puerto Rico. So, without any further ado, Abner Mares.
Abner Mares
Thank you, Oscar. You forgot Featherweight Champion, actually, which I’ve been. Thank you so much, Oscar, Showtime, Jonathan Oquendo for taking this fight. I’m excited. It’s going to be close to a year since I have been in the ring, since I have fought and I can’t wait. I’m excited to make the card. I didn’t choose an easy fight. I chose a hard, hungry fighter such as Jonathan Oquendo and I can’t wait. I can’t wait for July 12th, another great card for Showtime and I’m really excited.
Q
What did you learn from your last fight, the loss with Jhonny Gonzalez? What have you been doing the whole year, how have you been preparing? How have you been working so that the inactivity doesn’t affect you in this upcoming fight?
A. Mares
You learn a lot from a loss. In fact, you learn more from a loss sometimes than from wins. The inactivity, the year out, it made me see a lot of things, rethink a lot of things and, obviously, rejuvenated me. I’ve been coming off a long string of title defenses, fight after fight, tough fights. In a period of eight, nine months I did a lot of tough fights. We’ve got a new team working with Virgil Hunter out here in the Bay area and if it affects me, the layoff, it’ll be for the first few rounds, but once I get in my rhythm, nothing is going to stop me.
Q
How come the Gonzalez fight was never put back together after that postponement?
A. Mares
Well, I did suffer a brief injury in Mexico City. I was training for that fight for February, a rematch against Jhonny Gonzalez and then after that we just didn’t agree with dates pretty much. That was the whole case of the fight not happening.
He wanted to take some time off. I was not going to give any advantages, so I decided not to take the fight any time soon and he didn’t want to wait. So, with that said, I needed more time for myself to recover. I’m just focused on this fight, but later on in the future it’s possible again.
Q
So, I understand you have to be focused on your preparation for the fight coming up in a couple of weeks, but is, in the back of your mind still the idea that you would like to gain revenge against Jhonny?
A. Mares
Yes, no doubt. This is a guy who took my undefeated record. He did take a lot from me that night. I’m not saying physically, because it happened so fast, less than a round. So, thank God, physically, I wasn’t damaged that much, but naturally he did as far as taking my undefeated record, so believe me, I do want my rematch, I want my revenge. But that will come within time.
Q
How do you approach those early rounds where fighters coming back from knockouts, especially such a quick one, can be, at least mentally, a little bit in a familiar place?
A. Mares
Well, you know what, it’s funny, I didn’t even say this, but I was blessed that the fight was stopped shortly. I was going to get up that second time, but the ref did make the great call and did not let me continue or else I think I would have done even more damage or even, who knows, I would have probably fought back, a lot of punches. But at the end of the day I did take this fight because I know I’m ready mentally.
I’ve gone through that stage early and that’s why I took this whole time, almost close to a year off and I’m back. I always had that in my mind, when I first signed a contract to be a professional fighter that there was going to be a loss. No matter what, this is a contact sport, it’s a risky sport, anything can happen. I’m ready for anything.
Q
Abner, are there any distractions whatsoever because as I understand it you’re in the process of parting with your manager, Frank Espinoza. I believe you’ve sought arbitration in California. Can you tell me what’s going on with that and if there are any distractions at all?
A. Mares
No distractions whatsoever. Actually, I’m in the Bay area. I’m away from home. I’m in an actual camp out here and I think if anything else, I’ll just fight against Jonathan Oquendo, a great fighter. As far as Espinoza situation, my lawyer is taking care of it. I have nothing to do with it now.
Q
What is involved in the mental adjustment in not fighting for you, when you’re used to fighting that often against quality fights?
A. Mares
Like you said, I am through fighting that many opponents and every time I finish a fight I like to go back and look at what I did wrong and what we could prevent. As you mentioned, you saw progress in Abner in every other fight. It was a different Abner and the next fight, it’s going to be a totally different Abner because of how camp, I told you guys, I just recently switched coaches.
So, you will see a different Abner and this whole time being off just helped me, helped me to get hungrier, helped me to get healthier and helped me mentally to be close with my family. So, believe me, I’m taking this fight like if this was my debut fight.
Q
How do you characterize the change in training? Is Virgil Hunter tweaking things? Is he adding anything? Is there anything that you didn’t do that he’s improving?
A. Mares
All of the above. You mentioned tweaking things, he’s improving things, he’s making me see things I didn’t know and we’re working with each other. We’re working with what I have and he’s working with what he’s going to give me. So, I’ve seen a lot of progress already with him, the sparring sessions already, so believe me, when fight night comes all that will be shown.
Q
Do you think it’s going to be a situation like with Amir Khan where the first couple of fights people were very critical when he fought, I think, Molina and then he fought Diaz? Or do you think you’ll step right in and be real smooth right off the bat?
A. Mares
I would like to think that, yeah, it will be just as Khan did this last fight against Collazo, that will be the result the next fight. I show that I’ve shown a lot of progress already and I think that’s the Abner Mares you guys will see that night.
Q
Abner, you were always a very well-rounded fighter offensively and defensively. Has Virgil helped you more on the defensive end or on the offensive end?
A. Mares
Defensive, no question,that is one of the top reasons why we are here and we needed that. That was shown even in the fight before the Ponce fight, I think I boxed somewhat good, but still was getting caught with some punches that I was missing punches. So, there’s still room for progress, there’s still room for learning, I’m at that stage. I’m 28 years old. I feel young, I really feel young for the 26 fights that I have in my career, I feel like I’ve done so much yet I can do some more. I’m progressing and I’m happy to have made the decisions that I’ve made so far, which is come more eager and keep on learning.
Q
Abner, also what do you know about Oquendo? What sort of things does he present that you really have to worry about? I know he’s been in the ring with a lot of good fighters, what’s your scouting report on him at the moment?
A. Mares
Everything, because if you look at it, he’s a hungry fighter. He’s coming off a fight early this year, so he’s got that advantage. Again, I mentioned the hungry fighter, he wants to win. He’s a tough fighter. I know him because we’ve both been signed with Golden Boy Promotions for a period of time and we’ve fought in a couple of same cards, so as well as he knows about me, I know about him.
I’ll tell you, he’s a tough cookie, he’s a tough guy and I did not choose an easy fight for my comeback and that’s exactly what I need, I need someone that’s going to pressure me and someone that’s going to take me to deep water so I could revive to get that Abner Mares, you know, that anger back in me.
Q
Abner, There were talks in the past that you were going to fight Jason Velez. In fact, the WBC even announced it as a possible eliminator and how did that affect you, how did you adjust for the change that now you’re fighting Jonathan Oquendo?
A. Mares
They never really formally mentioned or offered it and I was never preparing for Jason Velez. This was the fight that I’ve been training for and preparing for and I see Jonathan, another Puerto Rican, obviously, like Velez, but even more dangerous. A stronger, more aggressive, he’s coming, he knows what a win means. Obviously, it’s even a riskier fight, so that’s what we’re preparing for.
Q
Alfredo Angulo had mentioned to us how on a personal level Virgil Hunter had helped him. Is that your case as well? Are you having a lot of help with him personally?
A. Mares
I came here for Virgil to seek a trainer for the training purposes. On the personal level, that’s my family. I see professional psychologist and that helped me tremendously. But for here, it’s the training.
Q
How long was your time working with the psychologist and what was the most important, what did he help you with the most?
A. Mares
I want to make a quick correction. Not a psychologist, it was more of a coach, sporting coach that helped bring back the Abner that maybe had been lost, re-live that Abner that had got me there. After the loss, obviously, I was a little sad, but thanks to God and thanks to my family and I was with the coach for three months and he helped me bring that out and I want to continue fighting for many years.
It’s the risk we’re in and this is the type of game. You risk losing and you’ve just got to learn to get up and I may lose again and guess what, I’ll know how to get up.
Q
You had the opportunity to go up a division to look for that fourth title, the fourth division. You stayed at 126. What’s the intent, what’s the goal? To fight for a world title? Most of the champions are with Top Rank.
A. Mares
Obviously, you’ve heard the news, my promoter, Golden Boy Promotions is looking to work with top rank in fights in the future and, look, they have great fighters, great champions, so I feel very comfortable at 126 right now. That’s what I have in front of me right now and I have an opponent that I’m concentrating on him. But at the time, at the time maybe I was thinking with my heart and not with the mind.
I want to go in for the fourth division, but sometimes when you think with the heart only, it can run into mistakes and it could cost you. It could have cost me a loss right there. So, right now, I’m making the weight very comfortable. I’m very happy at 126 and we’re going to continue here.
Q
Abner, with the loss, the obvious question is how important is it to be victorious on your upcoming fight?
A. Mares
Obviously, significant, significant to my career, obviously, getting back on that list of winning. It would mean a lot to me, my fans, my family and we’re preparing, we know we have a tough opponent, a difficult fight, a strong fight, but that’s what we’re preparing for.
Q
You’ve, obviously, made the change in trainer, probably working on a variety of things. What is the difference? What are we going to see different on fight night?
A. Mares
You’re going to see a more intelligent, a little bit more boxing maybe I think that I had that Virgil is bringing back out, that is polishing and showing me. I’ve always liked to go toe-to-toe, I’ve always liked to go forward and aggressive. I’ll still have that, but you’re going to see a little bit more of the boxing in it as well. I know we have a tough, strong opponent, so we’re going to bring it out.
“Honor & Glory: Canelo vs. Lara” a 12-round junior middleweight fight taking place Saturday, July 12 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Canelo Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. In the co-main event, Abner Mares returns to the ring to face Puerto Rico’s Jonathan Oquendo in a 10-round featherweight bout. In the SHOWTIME PPV opening bout, Johan Perez defends his interim WBA Junior Welterweight World Title against Mauricio Herrera in a 12-round matchup. Also, Juan Manuel Lopez meets Francisco Vargas in a 10-round bout for the WBO International Super Featherweight Title.
The event will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. The event can be heard in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP). For information visit www.SHO.com/Sports. Canelo vs. Lara will be shown on the big screen in movie theaters across the country via Fathom Events. Information will be available at www.fathomevents.com.
Tickets are still available at the $750, $500, $250, $150, $75 and $50 price ranges, not including
applicable service charges. Tickets are limited to eighteen (18) per person with a limit of eight (8) at the $75 and $50 price ranges. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.