Leo Santa Cruz vs. Abner Mares Rematch To Be Ordered

[Ruthless-RKO]

World Boxing Association President Gilberto Mendoza Jr. is planning to order the immediate negotiations for a rematch between featherweight champions Leo Santa Cruz (33-1-1, 18 KOs) and Abner Mares (30-2-1, 15 KOs).

Mendoza wants to eliminate the issue of multiple WBA titles in every weight division. He started that mission in early 2016 and hopes to establish a single WBA champion in every weight class by the end of this year.

After years of hype, Santa Cruz and Mares fought an all-action battle in August of 2015 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. After twelve rounds of a grueling fight, Santa Cruz won a majority decision.

The WBA gave Santa Cruz a few weeks to make a potential deal with Frampton for a trilogy fight, but that now seems unlikely. Because he traveled over to the United States for the first two meetings, Frampton wants the third fight to happen in Belfast - but Santa Cruz is not really willing to make that trip and would rather have that third fight once again on American soil.

"That's right, this week or the other we are going to order the fight between Leo Santa Cruz and Abner Mares. There had been talk of the rematch with Carl Frampton [and Santa Cruz], but it seems that for now it's not going to happen, so I hope to announce the negotiations between their teams very soon," Mendoza said to ESPN Deportes.