Meet Abner Mares: Video Courtesy Del Mares / BolteMedia
I have found, most of the fighting goes on outside the ring in boxing. At least for the fighters, or the ones I know; ones like Abner Mares.
He's been fighting his entire life but not for some lofty title; like many boxers he's been fighting for his life his entire life, and the lives of those around him; his family, his friends, his community. And he also often has to fight stereotypes and stigmas, like those being raised by presidential hopeful Donald Trump.
"Donald Trump insulted me, my family, and my community, I take that very personally," this 29 year old athlete said as we settled in to very large movie-style recliners at his training gym. And I mean his. Mares, the entrepreneur, started Del Mares located in the impressive complex owned by both him and Del Records founder Angel Del Villar. I was overwhelmed by the world class training facilities, boxing ring, weight room, steam, sauna, everything a world class boxer could need nestled between recording studio and performance arena!
Why Bell Gardens, of all place? He could train any where in the world.
"Some boxers like to get away to focus on nothing but training. Let's face it, right now, I'm a science experiment," he laughed. "Everything I eat, drink, it's all measured, weighed, every calorie, every ounce of fluid, so that's taken care of by Luis (Garcia)," he added, Garcia sitting next to Mares with a salad that had writing on top about calories and such.
Del Mares Gym Photo by Karel
"So all I need to do is keep my head in the game and train hard, and I can't do that away from my family. I need the noise, I need the city, the people, my family and friends, without them, the days would seem wrong, so I stay here and train," he continued.
He's training for his next big fight, Premiere Boxing Champion's Saturday, August 29th Staples Center in Los Angeles match against Leo Santa Cruz. If you care about numbers, Mares is 29-1-1 with 15 KOs and Cruz is 30-0-1 with 17 KOs. Mares has won four of his last five fights but that doesn't matter.
"I always go in thinking about losing," he said. "So many people are counting on me, none more than myself. At the moment, when I'm in the ring, it's the only thing in the world, winning and losing. I'm ready, I'm focused, I can win," the determined young man emphatically stated.
But he wasn't always this focused. Trainer Mike Vital told me of a time when he would give Mares work as a teen just watching the gym, just to give him something to do. He became, like so many, a second son to Vital, who got Mares focused on the sport of boxing itself. He had a talent, and he could win.
CONTINUE: From Illegal Immigrant Child to Champion, How Does Mares Stays Grounded
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