Arum open to Donaire vs. Mares........just after Nonito has two fights

Top Rank Inc. CEO Bob Arum was impressed by Saturday night's Showtime-televised performance by Abner Mares, who won virtually every round of a good scrap against veteran ex-beltholder, Eric Morel, for the WBC's junior featherweight crown.

Many are calling it the performance of the career for Mares, a 26-year-old who fought bell-to-bell to in rising to 24-0-1 with 13 knockouts.

"He looked great," said Arum. "I think he's a very, very good fighter."

But could a unification bout be made featuring Mares, who is handled by rival promoter, Golden Boy Promotions, and RING No. 4-rated pound-for-pound fighter, Nonito Donaire (28-1, 18 KOs), who wears the WBO's junior featherweight belt?

"Yeah," said Arum, who promotes the 29-year-old Donaire. "But just because Mares calls out a guy who is at the top of the line, that doesn't mean that it's going to happen right away. There's a waiting list."

Like Mares, Donaire rose from the bantamweight ranks to earn a split-decision over ex-beltholder Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. for the WBO's vacant belt in February, capturing his third crown over as many weight divisions.

Arum said Donaire is considering bouts on either July 14 or July 21 against former IBF junior bantamweight Cristian Mijares or IBF junior featherweight beltholder Jeffrey Mathebula.

Should Donaire get beyond Mijares or Methebula, he will pursue a clash with WBO bantamweight titleholder, Jorge Arce, who is slated for a defense of his crown opposite Jesus M. Rojas on June 9.

In vanquishing Vazquez, Donaire won the 122-pound belt that had been vacated by Arce, who took the crown from Vazquez by 12th-round stoppage last May before dropping down to earn the WBO's bantamweight belt with a unanimous decision over Angky Angkota last November.

"Donaire is going to fight either Mijares or Mathebula, and if he's successful and Arce is successful, he's going to fight Arce. Those are his only commitments," said Arum.

"And then there's no reason why a Mares fight can't happen. But he's not going to have that as next fight because that's not fair to the guys who are waiting in line."

"That's up to Mares. He does what he has to do," said Arum. "But he's a good fighter. Hopefully, down the road, a fight with Donaire can happen."

captainanddew wrote:Mares was willing to face Perez, Vic, Agbeko, Agbeko, and Morel.

Once again, Bob is going to waste Donaire's prime for fights that are much less interesting.

Hagler's Bald Head wrote:

captainanddew wrote:Mares was willing to face Perez, Vic, Agbeko, Agbeko, and Morel.

Once again, Bob is going to waste Donaire's prime for fights that are much less interesting.

The Arce fight is a complete waste of time, that's a ridiculous missmatch.

Well if Mares beats Moreno and then say Toshiaki Nishioka the fight could be pretty big come this time next year.

captainanddew wrote:

Hagler's Bald Head wrote:

captainanddew wrote:Mares was willing to face Perez, Vic, Agbeko, Agbeko, and Morel.

Once again, Bob is going to waste Donaire's prime for fights that are much less interesting.

The Arce fight is a complete waste of time, that's a ridiculous missmatch.

Well if Mares beats Moreno and then say Toshiaki Nishioka the fight could be pretty big come this time next year.

Mares's schedule is looking amazingly hard.

GrantZilla wrote:Mares beats Moreno and he'll be the legit new linear Champ at Bantam. Something Donaire was never able to do because of TR and his own personal bullshit like trying to get out of his contract