THE fighters took to the scales for the Leo Santa Cruz vs Abner Mares weigh in. Both Santa Cruz and Mares made weight for their WBA featherweight title fight at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Saturday. Santa Cruz was 125ยผlbs, Mares 125ยฝlbs.
โI always fight for the fans. If I lose, I know I came and gave a great fight for the fans, because thatโs what I care most about. I want them to go home happy,โ said Santa Cruz, who won their first encounter. โFor me this is not personal. Weโre both the best, and we want to prove who is the best and who is number one and who is the best from L.A. Thereโs no disrespect. Mares is a great guy and a good person; itโs just business. We have to do this.
โI have to be smart. Itโs not going to be easy. I have to make it a war and go out there and trade punchesโฆย Weโll see what happens.โ
Mares said, โI let the emotions get the best of me in the first fight, but I have more experience now than three years ago and Iโm a more mature fighter, and Iโm going to show that come tomorrow night.
โI have to give a good show; thereโs no way Iโm going to give a bad show. Thatโs the type of style I bring, and Iโm ready for this. Leoโs ready, Iโm ready, and it is now just time to show the world that we have reunited and we are both ready to go.โ
On the same bill Jermell Charlo fights Austin Trout for the WBC super-welterweight title. Both came in right on the 154lbs limit.
โI just told him I was ready; he knows weโve been working and itโs time to go. Thereโs really not that much talking going on. Iโm going to go in there and put on the action,โ Trout said afterwards. โSize doesnโt matter. You know, the bigger they are, the harder they fall. We both hit 154 on the button. Head to head. Nose to nose. Iโll push around the bigger guys; Iโm ready for this guy. Iโm ready for this little guy.
โIโve felt a sense of urgency my entire career, even when I was undefeated I felt like I canโt lose a fight so Iโve felt that urgency my whole career and that my backโs to the wall and this is what we have to do for every fight.โ
Charlo said simply,ย โHe says Iโm little, but you know Iโll be big tomorrow.โ