Davis and Mares is one of the early top quality match ups to look forward to this year.
Last year was a year to forget for many of the Premier Boxing Champions and Al Haymon managed fighters in that they were no very active or busy at all.
Badou Jack mentioned he wasn’t happy with this lack of activity in 2018 too.
But we’re in a new year now and Haymon and the PBC have a very strong new deal with Fox which combined with the existing Showtime arrangement — should see their top fighters all box at least three times this year at a bare minimum.
Indeed, Mares went on record to what Haymon replied to him when he asked for his first fight this year to be against one of boxing’s most talented young fighters in the form of Gervonta Davis.
He said Haymon replied:
“Wait a minute, who? At super featherweight or at bantamweight? Hang on, we got Garry Russell, we got the winner of Frampton against Warrington, we got a possible Leo (Santa Cruz) fight (instead of Gervonta Davis)?”
To which Mares said:
“What I’m trying to say is I’m not taking this fight because of income or because I need it – I’m taking this fight for the challenge.”
It isn’t often you hear of fighters actively pursuing the most dangerous fight possible for not necessarily the greatest financial reward.
While granted, the boxing is business is like any other business in that of course it’s all about money — but it’s also important to realize that many of these brave warriors also want to prove themselves as the very best too.
The money follows after that.
Look at the recent Tony Bellew vs Oleksandr Usyk fight last year too.
Like Mares, Bellew wanted to test himself against the best at cruiserweight in the form of Usyk.
You have to respect fighters like Mares and Bellew for wanting to test themselves against the best out there.
