Mares, Agbeko, Moreno, Darchinyan Ready For Bantam War

With just four days until their respective world championship showdowns on Saturday, Dec. 3, live on Showtime, at 9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast, rom Honda Center in Anaheim , Calif., all four fighters preparing for the World Championship Doubleheader participated in an open media workout at Westside Boxing Club in Los Angeles, Calif.

In the main event, unbeaten rising star Abner Mares (22-0-1, 13 KO’s), of Hawaiian Gardens, Calif., will defend his IBF and WBC Silver Bantamweight Championship titles against the boxer he dethroned, former Two-Time IBF Bantamweight Champion Joseph King Kong Agbeko (28-3, 22 KO’s), of Accra, Ghana.

In the co-featured world championship bout, Anselmo “Chemito” Moreno (31-1-1, 11 KO’s), of Panama City, Panama, will defend his WBA Bantamweight Super Championship against Two-Division World Champion Vic “The Raging Bull’’ Darchinyan (37-3-1, 27 KO’s), of Sydney, Australia, by way of Vanadzor, Armenia.

Here’s what the fighters had to say on Tuesday:

Abner Mares:
“I’m really looking forward to facing him again. It took a lot away from the championship. Now I just want to go in the ring and perform, beat him again and fight a good fight.

“My last three or four opponents have been champions or world champions, so I think everyone knows what I’m capable of. I could have taken some time off or fought someone else. I hope to win the right way so people will give me the credit I deserve.

“It’s a world championship fight and it’s a great night for the fans. If it goes 12 rounds, let’s make it 12 interesting rounds. I need to maintain my distance and not fight his fight.

“The knockout comes by itself. We definitely want to throw a lot of punches and aim for his head, but I just want to perform. If the knockout comes, it’s comes. I’m excited to be fighting back in California . Anaheim has great boxing fans.

“When two warriors face each other all you can expect is a good fight. I want to go in there and make a statement in the first two rounds. He’s a good fighter and he never gave up in the last fight, so I think the first few rounds will be key.

“I just want to go in there and capitalize and move on. He’s a great champion and it should be a great fight. I need to fight smart, box and move onto other fighters.

“He’s a well-schooled fighter and he maintained and got back in the fight like a world champion will, but I’m ready to show a different Abner in this fight. If you don’t risk, you’re not going to win.”

Joseph Agbeko:
“Boxing is always different. What happens in one fight doesn’t always happen again. I’m going in as warrior and I’m ready for war. My job is to go in and fight and come out as the winning fighter. I want to get the belt back.

“At the press conference, Mares said he wants a knockout. If he said he wants a knockout, then I’m going to knock him out. There will be a lot of changes in the ring this time, but the whole world will see the best Joseph Agbeko.

“In the last fight there were some fouls and this time the ref will be watching and doing the right thing. He knows how to throw a punch in the right place and I think he will on Saturday.

“I think about what happened every night and I’m looking forward to getting back in the ring. The key is for me to prove that I’m better than him. Mares is a good fighter, but I need to prove that I am the better fighter. I am physically ready to do that.

“I deserved a rematch and I’m glad they gave me one right away. I didn’t retaliate against him because I had to be professional and I have to obey the rules of the sport.”

Anselmo Moreno:

“I’m going to fight him the way he’ll fight me. I’m not going to hesitate. This is my first fight in the U.S. and I’m ready to get in the ring and show my skills. I’m not nervous about my first fight in the U.S. , I just want to show why I’m the world champion.

“Darchinyan has his own style and he’s been a champion, too. I think it will be a style fight and, if we do it properly, it will be one hell of a fight. You’re going to see a hell of a fight from me and I will defend my title [successfully].

“Vic has a different style, but I have a very rare style as well. I’m looking to connect on all my punches, but it’s not as easy as people think. If everything comes out good on Saturday night and I win, I want to fight the winner of Mares and Agbeko. My ability and my intelligence has to be the difference in the fight.”

Vic Darchinyan:

“I’m looking for a smart fight, but for sure I’ll knock him out. I’ve fought southpaws and taller guys in the past and I didn’t have problems with them. I think it will be a good fight but I won’t have any problems with him.

“I’m looking for bigger fights – I’m looking to move up to 122 (pounds) to fight the bigger guys after I beat him. I love southpaws – he fits my style. I’ll go to the body and the head and destroy him slowly before the knockout. But I will knock him out, 100 percent.

“I’m an exciting fighter. I’ll go after him and knock him out. I want to go higher and higher. I think this will be my last fight at 118. I just want to fight the best and fight for titles.”

“Mares vs. Agbeko II” is a 12-round bout for Mares’ IBF and WBC Silver Bantamweight Championships which will take place Saturday, Dec. 3 at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. In the co-featured world championship bout, Anselmo “Chemito” Moreno will defend his WBA Bantamweight Super Championship against former two-division World Champion Vic “The Raging Bull” Darchinyan.

The doubleheader is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, Don King Productions and Gary Shaw Productions and sponsored by Corona, DeWalt Tools and AT&T. The doubleheader will be televised live on Showtime beginning at 9 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

The doubleheader is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, Don King Productions and Gary Shaw Productions and sponsored by Corona , DeWalt Tools and AT&T.

Tickets for Mares vs. Agbeko II, priced at $150, $100, $50 and $25, are available for purchase at all Ticketmaster locations, online at ticketmaster.com, via charge-by-phone at 800-745-3000 and at the Honda Center Box Office.