Former three-division world champion Abner Mares returned after more than four years away from the ring and settled for a majority draw with Miguel Flores in a lightweight bout Sunday night on the Andy Ruiz Jr.-Luis undercard. Ortiz at Crypto Arena in Los Angeles.
One of the judges gave Mares 96-94, but the other two judges gave him 95-95.
We have a majority draw! Abner Mares and Miguel Flores exchanged blows throughout the 10 rounds in a very even fight.
We have two 12-round fights left! Order the #RuizOrtiz Pay-Per-View on the Fox Sports app or at https://t.co/3Zu1Q7c92G pic.twitter.com/5QtF9bqaJv
— FOX Sports: PBC (@PBConFOX) September 5, 2022
Mares felt like he won the fight and was glad to be back in the ring.
“Obviously, it had been more than four years, so it was a little bit out of time and a little bit slow,” Mares said. “But I felt good and I thought I was landing the most powerful shots. I wasn’t getting hurt, so I was taking my time and boxing him out. I really didn’t want to push too soon. I had no problem there. I felt good.
“I was getting used to the moment again. After four years, I did enough to beat a little boy and an active fighter. My performance speaks for itself. The crowd was happy and it felt good to be home. I definitely felt like I won, but it is what it is, the judges saw it as a draw.”
Mares started off very well when he hit Flores with clean shots and looked strong. He landed two huge right hands in the second round that rocked Flores. Later in the round, Mares landed another flush right hand that nearly dropped Flores.
Flores seemed to come back a bit in the middle rounds, as Mares might have gotten a little tired from all the movement, but Mares was also landing the hardest shots and never had a problem.
With Mares (31-3-2, 15 KOs), 36, of Montebello, Calif., a former bantamweight, junior featherweight and featherweight champion, seemingly out front, Flores’ corner told him after the eighth round that he had to win the last two. rounds he put a tremendous effort in the ninth round good and strong.
The final round began with Mares and Flores (25-4-1, 12 KOs), 30, of Spring, Texas, facing off in the center of the ring and going toe-to-toe for much of the round and by the time it was over it was obvious they had fought a very close fight.
According to CompuBox stats, Mares landed 151 of 652 punches (23 percent) and Flores landed 124 of 665 (19 percent). Mares’ stats were skewed by the fact that he went 42-for-109 in his big second round. Mares led 59-28 in the first two rounds and were even 90-90 in the third through tenth rounds.
“It was a good fight and obviously I thought I got it done,” Flores said. “I know we’re in his hometown and he’s a veteran, so that’s who he is. He was trying to shoot me, but I was catching most of it. He caught me with a couple of good shots early on, but I felt like he was in control after round four. “This puts me in a great position. We got a draw against a three-division world champion, so it leaves a good taste in your mouth.”
Mares, now a Showtime ringside analyst, had not boxed since losing a decision to Leo Santa Cruz in their June 2018 featherweight title rematch at the same arena. A torn retina before a 2019 fight with then-junior lightweight champion Gervonta Davis extended the break before he decided to return last year and then go through a lengthy furlough procedure and training camp.
