Pick six: Latino boxers to watch

Abner Mares.

By David Castro, Voxxi

The next few months could be revelatory for the following Latino boxers, who have already enjoyed success in the ring but have not yet shown everything in their arsenal. These six fighters should be poised to rise even higher if they take care of business in their next bouts.

Latino boxers to watch:

Abner Mares (25-0-1, 13 KOs): The California boxer—originally from Guadalajara, Mexico—is stepping up in weight to take on veteran Daniel Ponce de Leon for the World Boxing Council featherweight title on May 4. Mares has already won championships as a bantamweight and super bantamweight, defeating battle-hardened veterans Joseph Agbeko, Eric Morel and Vic Darchinyan. A victory against Ponce de Leon on May 4 could put him on a collision course with Nonito Donaire, if the latter defeats Guillermo Rigondeaux and moves up to 126 pounds.

Danny Garcia (25-0, 16 KOs): The U.S.-born fighter of Puerto Rican descent had a huge 2012, defeating Mexican legend Erik Morales twice and knocking out former champion Amir Khan in between those two wins. His April 27 matchup against the inconsistent Zab Judah might prove anticlimactic. But “Swift” Garcia will have to win convincingly and then show that he’s built for long-term success against elite competition in his next bouts.

Diego Magdaleno (23-0, 9 KOs): The older of the Magdaleno brothers will travel to Macao to face Puerto Rican World Boxing Organization champion Rocky Martinez on April 6. It will be his first opportunity at a world title and the biggest test of his career. Martinez will also be coming to the fight with something to prove, after the much-criticized January draw that allowed him to keep his belt. Although Martinez is not exactly a world-beater, a victory for the 26-year-old Magdaleno would position him for possible future matches against the likes of Yuriorkis Gamboa, Juan Carlos Burgos or Juan Manuel Lopez.

Guillermo Rigondeaux (11-0, 8 KOs): As Miami-based promoter Richard Dobal stated in my previous post, the upcoming fight against Nonito Donaire “will say a lot about what Guillermo Rigondeaux will be.” It is clear that this finally has to be the year that will help define the 32-year-old’s legacy as a pro.

Mikey Garcia (31-0, 26 KOs): Trainer Robert Garcia’s little brother took Orlando Salido to school in January to win the World Boxing Organization featherweight crown. He is scheduled to return in May after having undergone surgery to repair his broken nose, which he sustained from a Salido headbutt. As the top dog in the 126-pound division, Garcia now has his pick of rivals. He has said he would like to take on Yuriorkis Gamboa, although Puerto Rican Orlando Cruz has been mentioned as the more likely opponent.

Saul Alvarez (41-0-1, 30 KOs): It feels like the 22-year-old “Canelo” has been around forever, thanks to the incredible promotion and marketing he has enjoyed. He has destroyed hand-picked opponents (Jose Miguel Cotto, Matthew Hatton) as well as taken down faded veterans (Carlos Baldomir, Shane Mosley). But his next rival figures to be his toughest yet, as Austin Trout is a natural 154-pounder and in his physical prime. If the Mexican titleholder suffers his first defeat, he will likely face plenty of criticism from a sector of boxing fans and analysts who have lambasted his fortunate path to the top. A victory would finally reveal what Alvarez is truly made of.

This article was firs published in Voxxi.

David Castro an online writer and producer currently residing in Massachusetts. He’s previously written and worked for The Boston Globe, AOL Latino, and AOL Puerto Rico, and has freelanced for Huffington Post Voces and Terra.com