Advertisement

Santa Cruz, Mares vow to make L.A. proud

Leo Santa Cruz and Abner Mares have established themselves as two of the finest lighter weight fighters in the world over the past five years.

To be determined on Saturday at Staples Center, however, is the identity of the best lighter weight fighter from Southern California.

Leo Santa Cruz, left, lands against Jose Cayetano during their May 2 bout. (AP)
Leo Santa Cruz, left, lands against Jose Cayetano during their May 2 bout. (AP)

They’ll meet in Los Angeles and in front of a national television audience on ESPN in one of the most significant featherweight bouts of the 21st century.

It’s the kind of fight between two elite fighters in their primes of which boxing needs much more.

It’s reminiscent in some ways of another Southern California battle held 38 years ago at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif.

The non-title bout, which is known in boxing lore as “The Battle of the Z Boys,” brought the city to a halt on April 23, 1977. It paired 45-0 Carlos Zarate against 32-0 Alfonso Zamora in a bout that had boxing fans drooling.

They had knocked out 66 of their combined 67 opponents leading into the match and had a rivalry fueled by the fact that both were trained and managed by Arturo Hernandez Sr.

Hernandez chose to work with Zarate and that only fueled the passions. Near the end of the first round, a drunken fan entered the ring and riot police, who were on hand just in case, prevented a disaster.

“That was a crazy, hyped-up fight,” recalled Richard Steele, who refereed the bout. “Just being there was exciting. It was a very electric atmosphere.”

Zarate won by fourth-round stoppage – “It was a great action fight and they were hitting each other hard, man,” Steele said – and went on to become recognized as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, bantamweights who ever lived.

It’s not likely that Santa Cruz or Mares will get that kind of recognition when their careers are over, but each is highly accomplished at a young age.

Their styles are such that it seems it can’t help but be an outstanding fight.

Santa Cruz (30-0-1, 17 KOs) respects Mares’ talent, but insists he’s going to make a statement with his performance.

He was the toast of boxing several years ago and was one of the sport’s fastest-rising stars, but he suddenly stopped taking on elite competition and began feasting on B-leaguers.

He’s back in the majors Saturday against Mares, and despite the fact it will be only his second featherweight bout, he’s confident he’ll give fans the kind of memorable night Zarate and Zamora gave them nearly four decades ago.

“You're going to see a lot of action,” he said. “I train hard to bring action. That's what I do. We're going to break him down little by little. No one wants to lose. We're going to leave everything in the ring. When two Mexicans fight each other, it's always bloody. We both have everything to lose.

Abner Mares, left, hits Jose Ramirez during Mares' December 2014 win. (Getty)
Abner Mares, left, hits Jose Ramirez during Mares' December 2014 win. (Getty)

“Fight by fight, I've been learning and picking up new things. I am definitely a brawler, but I can box, too. I want to finish my opponent once I get in there.”

Mares (29-1-1, 15 KOs) was knocked out in the first round two years ago by Jhonny Gonzalez, but insists he’s put that behind him.

Like Santa Cruz, Mares wants to put on a show to remind everyone why so many fans have been calling for this match for years.

Though the fight has lost much of its buzz because it took so long to happen, Mares seemed to take a backhanded slap at the May 2 bout between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.

That fight was the most successful in boxing history from a promotional standpoint and generated record sums of money. But Pacquiao wasn’t able to make Mayweather fight and the bout was disappointing to most who saw it.

Mares vowed that won’t be the case Saturday.

“At the end of the day, the fighting styles we both have, the fight is pretty much going to answer your questions,” Mares said. “If we look at other fights where the names were big, the promotion was big, they announced the fight super big, and we all know what happened during fight time. We don't need much of a name, my side or Leo's, because this will be an exciting one.

“So I think [Saturday], we are going to make it a Fight of the Year. I have no question in my mind that will be it. I think that answered your question. I know I suffered one defeat to a great fighter [and] Leo Santa Cruz is undefeated. He has not lost, he has not tasted defeat, but he's fighting a hungrier Abner Mares. He's a hungry fighter, too. I don't think [our lack of name recognition] is going to be an issue for the fight to be exciting.”

If they can deliver even close to the kind of action that the Z Boys did in 1977, it will be a night remembered for years.

“Man, I’ll tell you, those guys just went at it hard,” Steele said. “They just went after each other. It was like a little Hagler-Hearns fight. It really was.”

If Santa Cruz and Mares can summon some of that magic, 40 years from now, grandfathers may be telling their grandsons about the “Battle of L.A.” in 2015 and how it set the standard for what was to come.

We can only hope it comes somewhat close.