December 3 has been confirmed as the date for a rematch between Abner Mares and Joseph Agbeko on Showtime, meaning that the fight will oppose the HBO pay-per-view rematch between Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito.
Dan Rafael of ESPN.com has this from Richard Schaefer about the date:
"Dec. 3 was the only date we had to work with so it is what it is, but this is a much-talked about rematch, especially in Los Angeles, and it will be a much covered event. The fact is that the first fight did well on Showtime and we think it will do well again. It is an event that stands on its own. In today's day and age, with the economy the way it is, I think that it is going to be a welcome gift from Showtime to boxing fans that they can see it without having to pull out their wallet."
Personally, like I said before, I wish they'd have just pushed it into January 2012. It's not like anyone would have minded waiting the extra few weeks, and it's not like the IBF was going to strip Mares for not meeting that December 14 deadline. That was just set so that they'd get the fight done. Well, the fight was pretty easily agreed to by both sides and is going to happen. Going up against another show isn't going to be any good for Agbeko vs Mares. It might cost Cotto vs Margarito a few buys, but probably not, and truthfully, an Agbeko vs Mares fight is a fight that needs all the possible eyes it can get. It's not like these are big stars. These are hardcore boxing fan fighters.
Schaefer is right that for some, it will be nice financial relief. Cotto vs Margarito II is the fourth in a string of pay-per-views that started with Mayweather vs Ortiz on 9/17, and continues with Hopkins vs Dawson (10/15) and Pacquiao vs Marquez III (11/12). By the time the Cotto vs Margarito show rolls around, people will be knee-deep in the Christmas spending season, plus perhaps worn out on spending money on pay-per-view. The absolute best thing that can happen for the Cotto vs Margarito card is a great fight between Pacquiao and Marquez a few weeks before. If those two somehow put on a stinker of some sort, then Cotto vs Margarito could be doomed when you add up all the things going against the card.
Also, the co-feature between Anselmo Moreno and Vic Darchinyan is confirmed and will be the opening bout on the Showtime broadcast, and the card will be held at the Honda Center in Anaheim as previously reported.