Q&A with Abner Mares

Hi Abner, welcome to 15rounds.com

Anson Wainwright - Firstly you suffered with a detached retina and had to pull out of a fight last year. How did the injury come about and how did you deal with it? How is it now?

Abner Mares - Definitely, first of all thanks for having me on this show. I had a fight scheduled for October last year it was on the undercard of Hopkins-Pavlik. I had to do my exams before the fight and when I did that’s when i found out that I had a detached retina. They told me, I didn’t know what it was but they told me. That’s how it came about. I had surgery that same day. Thanks to god almighty I was able to recuperate and get my eye better. Then I fought on May 2nd on the undercard of Hatton-Pacquiao. I felt good I won my fight with a six round KO.

Anson Wainwright - When do you hope to be back in action? Any news of any opponent or venue?

Abner Mares - I don’t have an opponent but I have a date August 27 at the Nokia Center. Then god willing no headbutts no cuts. I should be fighting on September 19 on the card of Mayweather-Marquez.

Anson Wainwright - You were very close to a world title fight when you had the retina injury, how far away do you think you are now from getting a shot?

Abner Mares - Yeah I was scheduled to fight Gerry Penalosa for the WBO world title last year. I don’t think i’m far. I think only two fights from a world title. August 27 & September 19 then in November I should be ready for a world title.

Anson Wainwright - Who are you aiming for?

Abner Mares - Anyone we’ll have to sit and decide. We’re ranked a little higher with the WBO the champ there is Fernando Montiel.

Anson Wainwright - What do you think of that fight, is it a fight you’d like, or do you have relationship with Montiel? Or would you prefer to go another way?

Abner Mares - We do have a relationship, we talk but umm I’m sure he doesn’t mind fighting me and i wouldn’t mind either. But umm I’d prefer to go another route. Who knows by November he might not still be champion or I could aim for someone else.

Anson Wainwright - Just a few weeks back you signed with Frank Espinoza to manage you, what can you tell us about this deal?

Abner Mares - Yeah we signed with Frank Espinoza who’s my co-manager with my dad as well. Frank is a guy with a lot of experience. I think at this point at Championship level we are ready but I think he could get us better fights and deals. That’s the reason we got in touch with Frank Espinoza.

Anson Wainwright - Will you continue to work with Nacho Beristain?

Abner Mares - Nacho Beristain is a great coach a great man. I have nothing bad to talk about him. I was with him for 2 years, over 7 fights. I learned nothing but good things with him. Nacho and Frank Espinoza for a period of time don’t get along. When Nacho heard i signed with Frank he felt a little umm left out i don’t know and he told me Abner i don’t think i’m going to be able to train you anymore. I understand we’re still friends and still talk to each other.

Anson Wainwright - Who’s training you now?

Abner Mares - I am now with in Joel Diaz in Indio, Ca he’s known for having Timothy Bradley his brother Julio Diaz. I believe they are two good fighters he has.

Anson Wainwright - When you trained at Romanza gym in Mexico city, what were the biggest adjustments he had to make? did the city or Mexicans there surprise him in any way?

Abner Mares - Yeah it’s a big change. Mexico City is a whole different world. We could talk about so many things the traffic the weather, the altitude that you have to adapt to. The main one is the high altitude, just walking you get tired. They are all major things. As far a training Nacho & i adapted to each other real quick.

Anson Wainwright - Going back to the Nacho/Frank situation. How would you feel about fightng Nacho’s lastest signing Jorge Arce. It could help your reputation and would also be a bad blood sort of fighting with the feelings of both corners. What do you think of that?

Abner Mares - Definitely no disrespect to Arce but i’ll take that fight any day. It doesn’t even have to be for a world title. He’s at Super Flyweight at the moment but if he comes to Bantamweight we’d definitely like the fight.
Anson Wainwright - You fought for your country at the 2004 Olympics, what can you tell us about this and your amateur career?

Abner Mares - Yeah i had a good amateur record 112-8. I won Central American Games, Pan American (Silver), World Tournaments (U17), Nationals, and fought at the Olympics representing my country. There are so many things. I fought a lot of big names out there right now. Just knowing i beat those guys gives me so much energy & that much focus to be a world champion

Anson Wainwright - Two guys who’s paths you crossed in the Amateur’s who are no making there way through there pro careers are JuanMa Lopez & Guillermo Rigondeaux. What can you tell us about them and how you did in fights with them?

Abner Mares - Yeah there really good fighters, back then and now. JuanMa Lopez and i fought 3 times and i beat him 3 times. I beat him in Puerto Rico in a tournament out there, i beat him in the Central American Games & i beat him at the Pan American Games. I would definitely fight him in the pro’s it’s just a matter of weight difference right now. He’s learned tremendously, i’ve seen him in the pro’s he’s a great fighter. Guillermo Rigoneaux i lost to him at the Pan American Games it was a controversial fight i had a lot of people watch it who say i won it. They Booed him. They didn’t like the way he fought me. Another guy who i fought who’s gonna fight for a world title is Yonnhy Perez the Colombian. We fought three times i won twice and he beat me once. A lot of people say there’s a difference between the amateur’s & pro’s but once you beat a guy at anything you have his number.

Anson Wainwright - What can you tell us about your life from when you were growing up and how it took you into Boxing?

Abner Mares - I grew up around Boxing my whole life. My dad was a professional fighter, my older brother he trained. So the family was in it, they saw talent in me. I started at 7 and had my first amateur fight at 11. We had our struggles. So many things that hunger that keeps you going. We are who we are and want to do good things.

Anson Wainwright - Who was your favourite boxer growing up and why?

Abner Mares - I think the same as any Mexican fighter my age or any age Julio Cesar Chavez Snr. I grew up watching him. Everytime he fought we had a big BBQ at our house, family getting together to watch. There we a lot of great fighters before him but i didn’t grow up watching them. I watched tapes of them. Salvador Sanchez was another great fighter.

Anson Wainwright - What was so special about Chavez for you?

Abner Mares - Chavez just had the heart, that warrior. He just kept coming and destroyed you. He wasn’t a one punch man he threw body shots, head shots and little by little he broke you down. Chavez didn’t care about your style he fought the same way.That’s what i liked. He didn’t change his style for any fight. There’s nobody like him in my country now.

Anson Wainwright - There seems to be a space for a new guy to come along and be Mexico’s new Numero Uno, is that something you could see yourself one day being?

Abner Mares - Yeah that’s what we’re aiming at. There’s no Mexican prospects. All the good fighters are gone. The old timers Barrera, Morales. So many are looking for the next Mexican legend the icon. Little by little we’re trying to get there our name out there. We have to prove it in the ring. That’s what we plan on doing.

Anson Wainwright - What are your goals in Boxing?

Abner Mares - My goals are to be a world champion, be a top Pound for Pound fighter, moving up in weight. I think i can do great. I can probably make 115 go back to 118, 122, 126 & 130 i walk around 140.
Anson Wainwright - You’d love a fight with Vic Darchinyan at 115 wouldn’t you?

Abner Mares - That’s a fight we’re looking for. I don’t see why not fight it, win it move up.

Anson Wainwright - So you could make 115 if the opportunity arouse?

Abner Mares - No problem. I would definetly do that.

Anson Wainwright - Finally do your have any message for your fans in Mexico and the rest of the world?

Abner Mares - To all the people Abner Mares is back i’m fighting 27 August you can expect big things from me. You will here a lot from Abner Mares.


http://www.15rounds.com/q-a-with-abner-mares/

 

Thank's :good

 

no prob man!