Abner Mares Steps up to Champion Yonnhy Perez on May 22
Yonhhy Perez defends his IBF Bantamweight Championship against Abner Mares on May 22 on the undercard of Vasquez-Marquez IV. What a supporting bout! Normally such a fight would receive top billing. This bout has deep implications in the resurgent bantamweight division.
Lighter-weight enthusiasts must be happy at the way this division is shaping up. It’s at its deepest in years. Fernando Montiel and Hozumi Hasegawa will do battle this weekend for the de facto #1 spot, but Perez is right in the mix. Mares is a budding contender looking to crash the party with a win here.
Perez vs. Mares Preview
There are some similarities between the two, at least on paper. Both are 20-0. Both came up relatively the same way—with decorated amateur careers of international distinction followed by an undefeated pro winning streak against gradually improving opposition. Perez, however, has put an end to the similarity with his last two outings. He stopped Silence Mabuza in South Africa and then dominated Joseph Agbeko for the title in his last fight. Mabuza was a top contender who had only lost to Rafael Marquez, while Agbeko was coming off a win over Vic Darchinyan. Those two victories last year were huge.
Mares is 24, 7 years younger than Perez. He made a slow and steady climb to this stage, hindered by a one-year layoff for a detached retina. He returned last year and has since scored three stoppage victories over humdrum opponents. The one thing that jumps out about Mares is his lack of solid opposition.
Perez is hardened by his two encounters with Mabuza and Agbeko. Mares hasn’t faced a live opponent in quite some time. Some might say he never has. But then again, what were people saying about Perez before he stepped up against Mabuza? Those backing Perez are surely pointing to Mares lack of experience at the world-class level, but Perez was in those very same shoes a short time ago and didn’t too badly for himself.
Breaking Down the Styles
Perez is a boxer-puncher who is adept at keeping opponents at the end of his reach with sharp punching and a high workrate. He is quick, springy, and lanky. He has an innate sense of timing, knowing precisely when to punch. His right hand is thrown with good leverage and can do damage, though he doesn’t bank on it.
Mares is an educated fighter, but fights in more of a crowd-pleasing style. He is aggressive and can punch. He seems most comfortable operating at a distance. Not that he’s a mover; he just likes to keep his foes at the end of his shots. He has good footwork and positioning.
These are two talented and exciting fighters who will almost surely make for an exciting bout.
Who Will Win? Perez vs. Mares Prediction
Well, if I knew for sure, I’d be in Vegas making the big bucks. The handicappers haven’t had much success in the bantamweight division recently, that’s for sure. Perez was an underdog in his fights with Mabuza and Agbeko. Agbeko was the underdog against Darchinyan when he beat him. Mares will be the underdog here. Can he continue the pattern of underdog success? Possibly. He is talented and hungry, an undefeated boxer with the perfect background you look for in a future champion.
I think Perez is a small cut above Mares at this point. Mares could very well go on to have a great career, but I see a situation where Perez is able to control the tempo of the fight. The champion will be shifty, forcing Mares to reset constantly without establishing a flow. I see Perez’ length helping him dictate distance.
Mares will be competitive for the first half of the fight and might even rattle Perez a time or two. As the fight wears on, however, Perez will be able to unveil a few different tricks to tip the edge in his favor. Mares is talented and gutsy enough for his defensive deficiencies to not be so much of a problem early, but it will become more telling in the later rounds.
Perez will win 9-10 rounds in an exciting fight full of entertaining exchanges. Mares is a good fighter and will not in any way disgrace himself here. Perez is just in such good form right now that there aren’t more than 1 or 2 bantamweights I’d pick to beat him.
Pick: Yonnhy Perez by unanimous decision.
