Abner Mares has vacated his world title and plans to move up to the junior featherweight division. Mares decided to move up rather than face obscure IBF mandatory challenger Vusi Malinga of South Africa in a fight American television networks Showtime and HBO had no interest in.
“The whole team came to a decision to give up the title when we sat down and talked with Richard (Schaefer of Golden Boy Promotions) and the staff,” Mares told ESPN.com on Wednesday. “The IBF ordered the mandatory against Malinga and the team asked me, ‘What do you think?’ We knew TV didn’t want the fight because the guy is not known and I didn’t really want to go back fighting on a smaller show.
“I’m in a great position and I want to continue to fight the best. So no disrespect to Malinga, but I just feel there’s more fights at 122 pounds, and I am struggling to make 118 anyway, so why not move up to 122 and fight the best up there?”
“(The IBF was) forcing the South African guy and there was no interest here in the fight,” Schaefer said. “The money is not there. You have to decide if you want to go for the title or the money. Abner has a big name and a good following and we have Televisa in Mexico interested in him and Showtime.
“Every fighter wants to have a belt and be called a world champion, but they have to make a living as well, and that was important to him — to do a fight commercially more viable than fighting a South African mandatory.”
Mares is scheduled to return April 21 on Showtime in a fight that is supposed to take place in Mexico City. Although Mares (23-0-1, 13 KOs) grew up in Southern California and lives in Lakewood, Calif., he was born in Mexico and has wanted to fight there.
I like Mares and hope he is successful in his move up in weight. I would have liked him to stick around for a couple more fights at 118 but if he’s having trouble with it then the move up is a good one.
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