Wednesday 30 August 2017 12:15, UK
Leo Santa Cruz and Abner Mares will not face each other on October 14, but they will both feature on the same card ahead of a proposed rematch early next year.
The California-based duo had been due to battle for Santa Cruz's WBA title before the year was out, but the reigning champion's team decided they wanted a warm-up fight before taking on familiar foe Mares.
In their previous meeting, back in 2015, Santa Cruz won a twelve-round majority decision to claim the WBA 'Super' featherweight world title.
Santa Cruz has since lost the coveted title and regained it again in thrilling back-to-back battles with Carl Frampton, while Mares has picked up the WBA 'regular' version with victory over Argentinian southpaw Jesus Andres Cuellar in the meantime.
Now, they will both fight at the Stubhub Center, California, with 'El Terremoto' Santa Cruz headlining against former Frampton opponent Chris Avalos.
In the chief support bout, Mares will fight Andres Gutierrez, the Mexican who was due to face 'The Jackal' last month in a Belfast homecoming before he suffered injuries that forced the entire card to be called off.
As long as both fighters come through their respective bouts, a rematch will likely be scheduled for early in 2018.
