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 125¼lbs, Mares 125½lbs.
“I always fight for the fans. If I lose, I know I came and gave a great fight for the fans, because that’s what I care most about. I want them to go home happy,” said Santa Cruz, who won their first encounter. “For me this is not personal. We’re 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. There’s no disrespect. Mares is a great guy and a good person; it’s just business. We have to do this.
“I have to be smart. It’s not going to be easy. I have to make it a war and go out there and trade punches… We’ll see what happens.”
Mares said, “I let the emotions get the best of me in the first fight, but I have more experience now than three years ago and I’m a more mature fighter, and I’m going to show that come tomorrow night.
“I have to give a good show; there’s no way I’m going to give a bad show. That’s the type of style I bring, and I’m ready for this. Leo’s ready, I’m ready, and it is now just time to show the world that we have reunited and we are both ready to go.”
On the same bill Jermell Charlo fights Austin Trout for the WBC super-welterweight title. Both came in right on the 154lbs limit.
“I just told him I was ready; he knows we’ve been working and it’s time to go. There’s really not that much talking going on. I’m going to go in there and put on the action,” Trout said afterwards. “Size doesn’t matter. You know, the bigger they are, the harder they fall. We both hit 154 on the button. Head to head. Nose to nose. I’ll push around the bigger guys; I’m ready for this guy. I’m ready for this little guy.
“I’ve felt a sense of urgency my entire career, even when I was undefeated I felt like I can’t lose a fight so I’ve felt that urgency my whole career and that my back’s to the wall and this is what we have to do for every fight.”
Charlo said simply, “He says I’m little, but you know I’ll be big tomorrow.”
