Mares vs Morel plus Moreno vs de la Mora set for April 21st.
In 2011, former Mexican Olympian Abner Mares left his mark on the professional boxing world by winning and defending his first world championship at bantamweight against former World Champion Joseph King Kong Agbeko. Now, on Saturday, April 21 Mares will get his shot for a world title in a second weight class as he moves up in weight to take on former Two-Time World Champion Eric “Little Hands of Steel” Morel of Puerto Rico, in a 12-round bout for the vacant WBC Super Bantamweight World Championship at the Don Haskins Center in El Paso, Texas in a fight which will be televised live on SHOWTIME®.
“I’m ready to make an impact in the super bantamweight division,” said Mares. “I’m ready for anybody and everybody.”
“I feel better than ever,” said Morel. “I’m a better fighter today than I was 10 years ago. I always train hard and I’m always motivated. On April 21, I will become a world champion again and I will rock El Paso!”
Plus, Panama’s WBA Bantamweight Super World Champion Anselmo “Chemito” Moreno defends his crown for the tenth time against Mexico’s David “Morita” de la Mora in the 12-round televised co-feature.
“I’m very excited to make my tenth title defense against a great fighter like De La Mora,” said Moreno. “I’m preparing extremely hard to keep my belt and to prove once again that I’m the best fighter in the world at 118 pounds.”
“I’m very grateful to be working with Golden Boy Promotions and for this great opportunity,” said De La Mora. “I’m training in the mountains outside of Mexico City just like all of our great champions. I dedicate this fight to Mexico and I will win.”
Opening the SHOWTIME Championship Boxing broadcast will be a 10-round featherweight matchup which will see unbeaten Gary Russell Jr., the consensus 2011 “Prospect of the Year” award winner, look to continue his meteoric rise against Dat Nguyen in a fight originally scheduled for February 11 as a co-feature to Victor Ortiz vs. Andre Berto II, but that was postponed after a Berto injury caused a postponement of the event.
“Since this fight was rescheduled, it just gives me more time to get ready,” said Russell. “There is nothing in this weight division that I haven’t seen before and there is no way that he can prepare for me.”
“I’m in my prime,” said Nguyen. “You’ll see the best from me on April 21.”
“We are extremely excited about this tremendous triple-header that we are putting together for April 21,” said Oscar de la Hoya, President of Golden Boy Promotions. “Whether you are watching it at the Don Haskins Center or at home on SHOWTIME, this is definitely a ‘can’t miss’ night of boxing.”
Tickets, priced at $25, $50, $75 and $150, are available for purchase at the UTEP Ticket Office, all Ticketmaster locations or by phone at(800) 745-3000. Tickets may also be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.com. For more information, please call:(915) 747-5234.