Cuellar-Mares bout promises to be worth the wait

“Wait and See” might’ve been an ideal promotional title for Saturday’s boxing card at USC’s Galen Center.

Beset by delays and vision inquiries, a doubleheader of title fights between featherweight champion Jesus Cuellar and Abner Mares and super-welterweight champion Jermall Charlo versus Julian Williams is finally ready to happen.

“I haven’t fought in over a year. A lot of people said I should’ve taken a tuneup fight. What’s the use of that?” former three-division champion Mares of Hawaiian Gardens asked this week. “I’m here to fight the best.

“Am I worried about [Cuellar’s] power? Of course. Am I scared? No, it’s a contact sport. I’m looking forward to testing his punch. I hit hard, too. I’m going to make you believe.”

The 31-year-old Mares (29-2-1, 15 knockouts) has been out of the ring since his August 2015 meeting against Southland rival Leo Santa Cruz, who won the fight-of-the-year contender by majority decision.

Since then, his next scheduled card was canceled after an injury to a main-event fighter, and then in June, the New York State Athletic Commission ruled Mares ineligible to fight because of his 2008 surgery for a detached retina in his left eye.

The California State Athletic Commission, however, cleared Mares following an examination of the left eye by its expert, Dr. Steven Steinschriber, who found Mares’ left eye vision was 20-100 – allowable under state provisions that would allow a fighter with 20-200 vision in the ring. Mares’ right eye has 20-25 vision, according to the exam.

Beyond that, state officials noted Mares has fought 15 times since the retina surgery, including the Santa Cruz slugfest at Staples Center that featured more than 1,800 total punches thrown.

Mares has made it clear he understands the risk, but it’s no secret boxing matches can be void of mercy and the power-punching Argentine Cuellar (28-1, 21 KOs) will be pursuing devastating head shots under the guidance of his new trainer, seven-time trainer of the year Freddie Roach.

The extended time off allowed Cuellar to find great comfort with Roach at Hollywood’s Wild Card Boxing Club after the champion previously worked under Mares’ new trainer, Robert Garcia.

While Garcia said he’s heard three different stories and ultimately isn’t certain why Cuellar left the busy trainer who commutes each weekday between a camp in Riverside where Mares trains and his gym in Oxnard, Roach said Cuellar told him he’s thrilled to be routinely learning new methods.

Roach and Garcia have been in opposite corners three times, with Manny Pacquiao delivering Roach two victories (over Antonio Margarito and Brandon Rios) while Garcia’s former fighter, Steven Luevano, gave him a triumph.

“He’s done it for a longer time than me and accomplished so much in boxing. One day, I want to be able to say I’ve accomplished as much, if not close, to what [Roach] has,” Garcia said. “He’s a great trainer with strategy, and during the fight, he can change his plan from one round to another.”

Garcia said he’s thankful for Cuellar’s departure because it brought him to Mares.

“Cuellar is dedicated and hungry to be a great champion – a strong brawler who has tremendous power who looks for the knockout. I don’t know what else can change,” said Garcia, who has schooled Mares to punish Cuellar for his eagerness.

“That’s what we’re going to do. We have a great fight plan and if it goes the way we train, Abner should have a great win, I’ll have my 10^th world champion and we’ll be 2-2 with Freddie Roach.”

Cuellar weighed 124 pounds, two pounds under the featherweight limit, while Mares weighed 126 pounds.

Charlo (24-0, 18 KOs) weighed 153.4 pounds and Williams (22-0-1, 14 KOs) was at the 154-pound limit precisely.

Their co-main event, the International Boxing Federation super-welterweight title fight, was also pushed back, by Charlo’s laser-vision procedure this year.

One more delay, chided Williams, who has sought to criticize the caliber of Charlo’s competition as a means of penetrating the champion’s psyche.

Charlo counters that his physical advantages and title-fight experience are important.

“I knew sooner or later we’d make a great fight,” Charlo said. “This fight will let it be known in the boxing world that I’m a force to be reckoned with.”

Charlo said he’s intrigued by fights in the middleweight division, where Gennady Golovkin, Canelo Alvarez and Daniel Jacobs reside.

The card also includes an appearance by 154-pound fighter Erickson Lubin, who is 21 years old and unbeaten, against Juan Ubaldo Cabrera.

“I just need to impress,” said Lubin, No. 4 behind Charlo’s World Boxing Council super-welterweight champion twin brother, Jermell Charlo. “I’ve got power in both hands. I can box. I do what I want.”

BOXING

Jesus Cuellar (28-1, 21 knockouts), Argentina, vs. Abner Mares (29-2-1, 15 KOs), Hawaiian Gardens, for Cuellar’s World Boxing Assn. featherweight belt

Where: Galen Center

When: Saturday, undercard fights begin at 3:35 p.m., Showtime Facebook Live bouts at 5 p.m.; television bouts at 7 p.m.

Television: Showtime

Tickets: $35-$200

Undercard: Jermall Charlo (24-0, 18 KOs), Houston, vs. Julian Williams (22-0-1, 14 KOs), for Charlo’s IBF super-welterweight belt; Erickson Lubin (16-0, 11 KOs), Florida, vs. Juan Ubaldo Cabrera (23-1, 15 KOs); Sergey Lipinets (10-0, eight KOs), Kazakhstan, vs. Lenny Zappavigna (35-2, 25 KOs), Australia, junior-welterweights.