"I'm more than excited. If not the same, I'm more excited than Agbeko. I can't wait because it's gonna be in my backyard. Not only that, but I have a statement to make to prove to the world that I'm worthy of being world champ after what happened the last time...I'm just going to prove something this time around for the people who don't think I deserve to be world champ...I felt superior. I felt stronger, quicker. The only way I can see him beating me is by knocking me out...Even after the fight, I said I had no problems fighting him again. I honestly feel I'm going to beat him easier this time because I know facing a guy the 2nd time around is a little easier. You know what to look for and that makes it easier," stated IBF bantamweight champion Abner Mares as he spoke candidly about his controversial first fight with former champmion Joseph Agbeko, their upcoming December 3 rematch, and much more. Check it out!
DK: Abner, first off, let me say congratulations! I heard you just welcomed your 2nd daughter to the world. How are you and your family doing?
AM: Great, thank you. Everything is good. Natural birth. Baby's fine and wife is good. They are coming home today.
DK: So the rematch for the Agbeko fight is reset for December in your home state of California. Anaheim to be exact. Give us your thoughts on the rematch?
AM: I'm more than excited. If not the same, I'm more excited than Agbeko. I can't wait because it's gonna be in my backyard. Not only that, but I have a statement to make to prove to the world that I'm worthy of being world champ after what happened the last time.
DK: Have you had a chance to watch the first fight on tape?
AM: I'm not going to lie, I've seen it maybe two or three times. The commentators made me mad because they were saying, "low-blow, low-blow" and they didn't focus at all on the actual fight, or that Agbeko was pulling my head down. I will say that I was hitting low with some of my punches, and I'm not trying to deny that at all.
DK: Champ, you seem like a class act and you mentioned after the fight that you didn't want anyone to take the thunder away from your first world title. I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't ask, but do you think you should have been deducted a point?
AM: Absolutely. No doubt. But I'm not the referee and that's not my job. We were going back to fight and you, and me, and the audience definitely think the same way. If the ref would have taken a point off in any early rounds, I would have stopped going for the body. Agbeko was blocking a lot of the shots down there, but if the referee had taken a point, I would have stopped going to the body.
DK: I wrote an article after the fight and compared what you were doing to a pitcher who is getting 6 inches off each side of home plate. If the umpire is calling it a strike, keep throwing it there. That's what I felt you were doing. What about when the knockdown was called?
AM: In the 11th round, I tried to go for the body, but I hit him low and I honestly thought the ref was gonna take a point off because he sent us to neutral corners. Usually when the ref sends you to a neutral corner like that, a point is taken off, but then I turn around and see the ref and he started counting. I was surprised when he started counting, but the punch definitely did go low.
DK: Do you think Russell Mora did a poor job of refereeing that night?
AM: Um, I'm not going to say that because the referee already did his job. I think he's heard it from everybody and at the the end of the day, he's not involved in the next fight. I'm just going to prove something this time around for the people who don't think I deserve to be world champ.
DK: That's all I will ask about the incident Abner; back to Agbeko. What are some things you saw in yourself and Agbeko in that fight?
AM: He's an awkward fighter, and I thought he would be easier to hit. He's not easy to hit because he goes down and bends low and when he lunges in, he lunges with his head. When that happens, you have to watch out for cuts like my other fights. He also has a really good jab. He brings it from the side, and those are things I was surprised about. But other than that, I felt superior. I felt stronger, quicker. The only way I can see him beating me is by knocking me out. The overhand right he landed in the 4th round is the only way he can knock me out. I got lazy with my jab and he countered it with the right hand. If I don't get lazy with my jab, that won't happen.
DK: When we spoke before the fight, I asked you about future opponents if you were to beat Agbeko. Were you glad the rematch was made or were you looking elsewhere?
AM: Even after the fight, I said I had no problems fighting him again. I honestly feel I'm going to beat him easier this time because I know facing a guy the 2nd time around is a little easier. You know what to look for and that makes it easier. I want to make myself clear because if the fight happened another way and I win, nobody is saying anything.
DK: Do you feel you need to redeem yourself after the first fight with Agbeko?
AM: Not really. It's a redemption fight probably for him. For me, it's another fight where I can learn a lot more. Every fight is a learning experience and I know I'm a superior fighter to Agbeko. This fight will help me learn for future fights when I start stepping up against bigger name guys.
DK: When do you start training camp?
AM: I actually started this week. Right now, it's not confirmed yet and Team Mares will decide in the next week or so if we do camp here or elsewhere.
DK: Anything else you want to say to the fans out there?
AM: To the fans who were behind me 100%, thank you for your support, and to the fans who said I was a dirty fghter and don't deserve to be champ right now, just wait and see because I'm going to prove I am a worthy champion for you.
DK: Champ, thank you for being so candid and open with us. We will definitely check in with you as training camp goes along.
AM: Thanks again and we'll be in touch.
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