With Donaire tied up, Mares to challenge Ponce De Leon for featherweight title

After defending the WBC super bantamweight title against Anselmo Moreno back in November, Abner Mares (25-0-1, 13 KOs) openly challenged for a title unification, versus his WBO counterpart, Filipino Nonito Donaire. However, as the two belong to rival promotion companies Golden Boy and Top Rank, respectively, the dream fight failed to materialize. Donaire was the first to budge, finding an opponent in WBA titleholder Guillermo Rigondeaux and leaving Mares without a dance partner in the super bantamweight division. Realizing that a fight against Donaire was impossible to make, Mares will now head up to the featherweight division to challenger Daniel Ponce De Leon  (44-4-0, 35 KOs). The Mexican fighter confirmed on his Twitter account that the fight has been made.

Done deal !! We will be fighting Daniel ponce for his WBC tittle this April 20 .. #NoEasyFights #teammares

— ABNER MARES (@abnermares00) February 26, 2013

De Leon ruled the super bantamweight division for two whole years from 2005 to 2007. He defended the WBO six times, defeating the likes of Gerry Peñalosa and Rey Bautista in the process, before losing via first round knockout against Juan Manuel Lopez. He then headed to the featherweight division fighting, ten times at 126 pounds before capturing the WBC featherweight title with a technical decision victory over Jhonny Gonzalez last August. Mares on the other hand will be fighting in the featherweight division for the first time. The two will battle at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California on April 20. - AMD, GMA News