Oscar says Mares-Santa Cruz is "the fight I want to do"

Oscar De La Hoya told Dan Rafael last night he is focused on getting the two young fighters in the ring together next year.

"I'm looking for Abner Mares and Leo Santa Cruz to fight next year," De La Hoya told ESPN.com on Wednesday night. "That's the fight I want to do to. That's a helluva fight. I can see a trilogy. That's my main focus."

While it's mighty early to predict a trilogy, I'm happy to hear Oscar talk so confidently about this fight. The matchup has action written all over it, and it's a great step up for Santa Cruz.

Mares will have plenty to prove coming off his first loss last year and a ho-hum decision victory this past Summer. He joked, "Where do I sign? It's a great fight all around."

"The time is now," De La Hoya said. "Both guys are Los Angelinos and that fight belongs at the Staples Center. That's the plan I have when I sit down and talk to Al [Haymon, who manages both]. I'm looking at next week."

The road to this fight leads through Al Haymon, so anything could happen. Assuming, for a moment, it does go off in 2015, who do you see winning?