:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/45841430/465560102.0.jpg)
Abner Mares didn't look at his best tonight in a tune-up bout, but he got the win over Arturo Santos Reyes over 10 rounds on NBC Sports Network, in the post-PBC on NBC live fight. Mares won on scores of 96-93, 98-91, and 99-90, though the fight was much closer than the latter two cards. BLH had it 96-93 for Mares.
Mares (29-1-1, 15 KO) said after the fight that he was fighting under the weather tonight, which was certainly believable given his performance, which lacked energy after the first couple of rounds. Mares did score a knockdown of Reyes (18-5, 5 KO) in round two, where his opponent's glove touched the mat on a well-timed counter shot, but other than that it was a sort of flat outing for the former three-division titleholder.
Still, Mares picked up his third straight win after a 2013 loss to Jhonny Gonzalez, and may get back into the featherweight title mix by the end of this year. He's definitely still a legitimate contender, and despite a so-so effort tonight, he moves forward with the next step of his career. It was also a decent showing for the underdog opponent, and Arturo Santos Reyes might find himself a desirable tune-up opponent a few more times after this fight.
