Photo by Suzanne Teresa
On the August 29th edition of PBC on ESPN, Leo Santa Cruz (30-0-1, 17 KOs) will take on Abner Mares (29-1-1, 15 KOs) in a 12-round fight for the vacant WBA Featherweight title at the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California.
Santa Cruz, 27, will look to pass the first legitimate test of his career against a battle-tested Mares.
Santa Cruz managed to earn two world titles in the Bantamweight and Super Bantamweight divisions, but completely avoided the likes of top-ten fighters such as Guillermo Rigondeaux, Carl Frampton and even Mares.
Now, however, he will finally fight one of those previously-avoided opponents, though at a new weight class for a third world title.
Mares, 29, is a former three-time world titlist who will look to demonstrate that his career has indeed made a comeback by derailing Santa Cruz’s rise to the top of the 126-pound division.
The winner may be headed toward a fight against WBC champion Gary Russell Jr., while others titlists such as Vasily Lomachenko and Lee Selby are unlikely future opponents.
Also on the card are Hugo Ruiz (35-2, 31 KOs) and Julio Ceja (29-1, 26 KOs), who will fight for the interim WBC 122-pound title in a 12-round fight.
The PBC on ESPN telecast begins at 7:00 p.m. PT.
Make sure to stop by periodically as we update you with ringside results from each fight.
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Results:
Leo Santa Cruz vs. Abner Mares, 12 rounds, for WBA Featherweight Title
Santa Cruz scored a majority decision win over Mares.
After dealing with Mares’ early aggression, Santa Cruz began landing more and more of his shots–first on the inside, and later from the outside.
Mares’ will to win never faded, and both exchanged going into the final round, though Santa Cruz’s longer arms allowed him to land better shots on the outside.
Two judges scored the fight 117-111 for Santa Cruz, while one judge scored it a 114-114 draw.
Hugo Ruiz vs. Julio Ceja, 12 rounds, for interim WBC Super Bantamweight Title
Ceja scored an exciting come-from-behind knockout win over Ruiz in Round 5.
Both men boxed each other early, landing shots to the body and head, but Ruiz’s reach allowed him to land a perfect left hook from the outside in Round 4 that dropped Ceja.
Ruiz went for the kill, but Ceja survived and maintained his will to win, allowinh to land a lett hook of his own in Round 5 that lead to a fight-finishing flurry.
Alejandro Luna vs. Sergio Lopez, 10 rounds,Lightweights
Luna dominated Lopez en route to a fourth-round stoppage.
Luna pushed forward early and even cut Lopez in the first round.
Though being cut by a head-butt himself in Round 2, Luna continued his pressure, digging his head in Lopez’s chest in Rounds 3 and 4.
The pressure proved to be too much, as several shots to the body and chin forced the referee to stop the fight in Round 4.
Alfredo Angulo vs. Hector Munoz, 8 or 10 rounds, Super Middleweights
Angulo exchanges in Round 1. #PBConESPN pic.twitter.com/BVr6FxBF2M
— RoundByRoundBoxing (@RBRBoxing) August 30, 2015
Alfredo Angulo scored a fifth-round TKO victory over Hector Munoz.
In Round 1, both fighters exchanged jabs and landed, but by the round’s end, Angulo was already closing the distance with combinations.
Angulo was hit in every round, but he hit harder and more often, eventually scoring a knockdown in Round 5.
Munoz, who had been bleeding severely, could not leave the stool for Round 6.
Jessie Roman vs. Hector Serrano, 8 rounds, Welterweights
In what was a tough fight, Roman scored an eight-round UD win over Serrano.
Roman scored a knockdown at the end of Round 7, and continued his dominance going into Round 8.
The judges scored the fight 80-72 for Roman.
Brian Castano vs. Jonathan Batista, 8 or 10 rounds, Middleweights
Castano won via UD in Round 4. Castano came out strong in Rounds 1 and 2, and even scored a questionable knockdown in the latter round.
Batista was deducted a point twice in Round 3 for hitting below the belt, but Castano kept his composure and kept pushing forward.
In the following round, Batista hit Castano below the belt two for times, the second of which forced referee Ray Corona to stop the fight.
Paul Mendez vs. Adrik Saralegui, 10 rounds, Super Middleweights
Mendez scored a third-round KO victory over Saralegui. Mendez was too much for Saralegui early, and forced him to stop at the end of Round 2.
Antonio Santa Cruz vs. Isaiah Najera, 4 rounds, Bantamweights
Santa Cruz, Leo Santa Cruz’s younger brother, lost via majority decision to Najera. The scores were 39-37, 39-37 and 38-38 for the upset-winning Najera.
Jose Gomez vs. Manuel Rubalcava, 4 rounds, Featherweights
Gomez dominated Rubalcava for four rounds in the opening fight. Gomez won with scores of 40-36, 40-36 and 40-36.
A full recap featuring each televised fight will appear shortly after the telecast.
