ANDRES GUTIERREZ, THE fighter whose untimely slip in a Belfast hotel shower cost him a fight with Carl Frampton last month, will scrap four-time world champion Abner Mares at StubHub Center in Carson, California on 14 October.
The 35-1-1 Mexican will face his compatriot on the undercard of a world title bout between two former Frampton opponents, Leo Santa Cruz and Chris Avalos. Should Mares and Santa Cruz prevail as expected, they’re slated to face each other in early 2018.
Frampton’s scheduled bout with Gutierrez was cancelled due to the injuries sustained by Jaguarcito on the eve of the contest, but Belfast’s Jackal has squared off with Santa Cruz on two occasions – winning the first of two pulsating contests to become a two-weight champion of the world 13 months ago – as well as Avalos, who fell foul of a thunderous Frampton onslaught in February 2015.
Per Keith Idec of BoxingScene, as part of the Southern California rivals’ deal to take tune-up fights on the same show, Santa Cruz and Mares have reached undisclosed financial terms for a rematch that must take place within the first quarter of 2018.
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Santa Cruz beat Mares by majority decision in their first fight, a barn-burner at Staples Center in August of 2015.
All of this means a rubber match between pugilistic soulmates Frampton and Santa Cruz – in America, Belfast or otherwise – will be put on the back-burner until at least next summer. Frampton, though, who recently split from Barry McGuigan and Cyclone Promotions, will require a tune-up of his own after his recent inactivity, and so should El Terremoto see off both Avalos and Mares, the timing might well be right for Santa Cruz-Frampton III in the latter half of 2018.
Indeed, three of the four aforementioned fighters will feel they have unfinished business with the former world champ from Tiger’s Bay, while even the odd one out, Mares, has previously stated his willingness to trade leather with Frampton.
Speaking of his great rival in late July, Santa Cruz admitted he was willing to face Frampton in Belfast in the future once he can amend his father and trainer’s Visa issues.
“After when I fought him [Frampton] here in Vegas, he invited me for a drink, but I was already on my way to LA,” he told Villainfy Media.
“Aw, man, if I wasn’t home early I would have loved to take a drink with him. He’s a great guy, great person. But I said, ‘Next time we meet each other, I’ll take that drink with you. After our third fight, we’ll take it after and maybe we could thank God’, because you know he’s a really great guy.
“We had a conversation and I said, ‘Hey, if it was up to me, I would go over there [to Belfast] and fight with you. We make great fights, and you’re a great guy.’
“I would love to go over there, but it’s not just up to me, it’s up to my team, my promoter. And also my dad, he can’t travel right now because he doesn’t have a Visa. Probably we’re going to fix that first, and then why not? I would love to go over there.”
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Andres Gutierrez to fight on undercard of Leo Santa Cruz's bout with fellow former Frampton opponent
ANDRES GUTIERREZ, THE fighter whose untimely slip in a Belfast hotel shower cost him a fight with Carl Frampton last month, will scrap four-time world champion Abner Mares at StubHub Center in Carson, California on 14 October.
The 35-1-1 Mexican will face his compatriot on the undercard of a world title bout between two former Frampton opponents, Leo Santa Cruz and Chris Avalos. Should Mares and Santa Cruz prevail as expected, they’re slated to face each other in early 2018.
Frampton’s scheduled bout with Gutierrez was cancelled due to the injuries sustained by Jaguarcito on the eve of the contest, but Belfast’s Jackal has squared off with Santa Cruz on two occasions – winning the first of two pulsating contests to become a two-weight champion of the world 13 months ago – as well as Avalos, who fell foul of a thunderous Frampton onslaught in February 2015.
Per Keith Idec of BoxingScene, as part of the Southern California rivals’ deal to take tune-up fights on the same show, Santa Cruz and Mares have reached undisclosed financial terms for a rematch that must take place within the first quarter of 2018.
Santa Cruz beat Mares by majority decision in their first fight, a barn-burner at Staples Center in August of 2015.
All of this means a rubber match between pugilistic soulmates Frampton and Santa Cruz – in America, Belfast or otherwise – will be put on the back-burner until at least next summer. Frampton, though, who recently split from Barry McGuigan and Cyclone Promotions, will require a tune-up of his own after his recent inactivity, and so should El Terremoto see off both Avalos and Mares, the timing might well be right for Santa Cruz-Frampton III in the latter half of 2018.
Indeed, three of the four aforementioned fighters will feel they have unfinished business with the former world champ from Tiger’s Bay, while even the odd one out, Mares, has previously stated his willingness to trade leather with Frampton.
Speaking of his great rival in late July, Santa Cruz admitted he was willing to face Frampton in Belfast in the future once he can amend his father and trainer’s Visa issues.
“After when I fought him [Frampton] here in Vegas, he invited me for a drink, but I was already on my way to LA,” he told Villainfy Media.
“Aw, man, if I wasn’t home early I would have loved to take a drink with him. He’s a great guy, great person. But I said, ‘Next time we meet each other, I’ll take that drink with you. After our third fight, we’ll take it after and maybe we could thank God’, because you know he’s a really great guy.
“We had a conversation and I said, ‘Hey, if it was up to me, I would go over there [to Belfast] and fight with you. We make great fights, and you’re a great guy.’
“I would love to go over there, but it’s not just up to me, it’s up to my team, my promoter. And also my dad, he can’t travel right now because he doesn’t have a Visa. Probably we’re going to fix that first, and then why not? I would love to go over there.”
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Abner Mares Andres Gutierrez Boxing Carl Frampton Chris Avalos Irish Boxing Leo Santa Cruz Timing beats speed