Featherweight Mares stakes his claim to Los Angeles

The fight Abner Mares had been seeking for two years is almost here. He said he is ready for it.

Mares, a three-division world champion, will fight undefeated Leo Santa Cruz on Saturday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles in a 12-round featherweight bout to headline the Premier Boxing Champions card on ESPN. Beating Santa Cruz would be a boost to Mares' already impressive resume that has seen him win titles at bantamweight, super bantamweight and featherweight.

"This is definitely the biggest fight of my career," Mares, 29, said last week at his media day in Los Angeles. "It's two well-prepared fighters in their prime."

Mares (29-1-1, 15 knockouts) has won three straight since losing to Jhonny Gonzalez on Aug. 24, 2013. Gonzalez knocked out Mares in the first round to take his World Boxing Council featherweight belt.

Mares was emotionally devastated by his performance and didn't fight again for almost a year, when he won a 10-round unanimous decision over Jonathan Oquendo on July 12, 2014, at the MGM Grand Garden.

"I had to overcome some issues mentally," Mares said. "But now I'm back better than I've ever been. I'm going to make a statement that Abner Mares is back."

The fight has a belt at stake — the WBC diamond featherweight title. But this is more about hometown bragging rights than a belt. Both fighters have large fan bases in Southern California, and Mares, who lives in Montebello, said he is excited to be fighting on his home turf.

"I started the hashtag #ThisIsMyTown because L.A. is my town," he said. "Leo can say whatever he wants, but I'm at home and I'm ready to put on a show."

Mares said he expects to be busy against the 27-year-old Santa Cruz (30-0-1, 17 KOs), who lives in Rosemead and has been the WBC champ at super bantamweight.

"We'll find out how our styles mesh on Aug. 29," Mares said. "I know his style. He's a high-volume puncher, and we've prepared very well for that. I think the fans are going to see a great fight, hopefully the fight of the year."

The ESPN telecast begins at 7 p.m.

* DIEGO TITLE SHOT — It took 2½ years, but Diego Magdaleno again will get the opportunity to fight for a world title, this time at lightweight.

The 28-year-old Las Vegan will face World Boxing Organization champion Terry Flanagan on Oct. 10 in Manchester, England. Magdaleno (28-1, 12 KOs) is coming off a seventh-round technical knockout of Jose Gonzalez on June 26.

"I get another chance to realize my dream," Magdaleno said. "It's a great opportunity for me, and I'm going to take full advantage of it."

Magdaleno's previous chance to become a world champion came in April 2013, when he lost a 12-round split decision to Rocky Martinez for the WBO super featherweight belt in Macau.

Four months later, Magdaleno left Pat and Dawn Barry and hired Frank Espinoza as his manager and Joel Diaz as his trainer. Espinoza promised Magdaleno he would get him another title shot.

"Frank is a man of his word, and it just shows I did the right thing when I signed with him," Magdaleno said. "I think everything happens for a reason, and for me, switching managers and trainers has really helped my career. Everything is so professional in everything we do."

The challenge for Magdaleno will be traveling a quarter of the way around the world and beating Flanagan (28-0, 11 KOs) in his hometown. Flanagan will be making his first title defense after winning the belt July 11 against Jose Zepeda, who dislocated his left shoulder in the second round and could not continue.

"You don't want to leave it in the judges' hands, and I'm sure Coach (Diaz) will have a great game plan," Magdaleno said. "In my last few fights, I've been going to the body more and getting good results. I want to put pressure on (Flanagan) and take the fight to him. He hasn't fought anyone of my ability and experience, and I plan to go right after him."

* COSMO CARD — Two-time Mexican Olympian Oscar Valdez (17-0, 14 KOs) will fight Chris Avalos (26-3, 19 KOs) in the 10-round featherweight main event of a Top Rank card Sept. 11 at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.

In the 10-round co-feature, Jesse Hart (17-0, 14 KOs) will meet Aaron Pryor Jr. (19-8-1, 12 KOs) for Hart's North American Boxing Organization and United States Boxing Association super middleweight titles.

The card will be televised on truTV.

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow him on Twitter: @stevecarprj