LOS ANGELES (AP) When Abner Mares and Jesus Cuellar step into the ring under the lights in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday night, promoter Richard Schaefer is also getting back into the action.
After a two-year absence from boxing due to his departure from Golden Boy Promotions, the architect of Oscar De La Hoya's company is officially returning to the promotional game with this card under his own Ringstar Sports banner.
''It feels great, and what really feels great is how happy the fighters are,'' Schaefer said. ''They're happy to have me back. I think what they were missing a little bit is someone who speaks for them and stands up for them. I think that has been missing a bit, so they're happy, and I'm happy to be back at it.''
The Swiss ex-banker had to take a break from the sport as part of the settlement of his protracted breakup with Golden Boy, but after that restriction expired, Schaefer decided he couldn't stay away. Since forming Ringstar last summer, he has signed several up-and-coming fighters and solidified his connection with Al Haymon, the reclusive mastermind behind the careers of several dozen fighters in need of promotion.
''With Oscar, I built the largest boxing promotional company in the world, and I sort of left on top,'' Schaefer said. ''I had broken all the pay-per-view records, and I could have said, `That's it. I accomplished all I wanted, and now I'm going to do something totally different.' So I was at a crossroads, but once the boxing bug bites you, it bites you.''
Schaefer's first fight card in his second act of this career is headlined by two well-matched bouts between tested fighters. The show takes place at the Galen Center and will be telecast on Showtime.
Cuellar (28-1, 21 KOs), the menacing WBA featherweight champion, defends his belt against Mares (29-2-1, 15 KOs), a Los Angeles-area favorite who won belts in three weight classes before losing twice in his last five fights. In an attempt to reboot his career a year ago, Mares hired trainer Robert Garcia, who trained Cuellar for five fights before the Argentine moved to Freddie Roach.
''I always give you guys good fights,'' said Mares, who has only been stopped once. ''Even if I get knocked out, I can say at least it was a good fight for people.''
The fight is an opportunity for Cuellar to increase his stateside drawing power in his seventh consecutive fight in the U.S. He ended three straight titles defenses with stoppages before his last bout, a decision over Jonathan Oquendo a year ago.
''He's prepared, and he won't go out there just trying to look for a knockout,'' Roach said. ''He's a good puncher and everybody thinks he's looking for the KO, but I told him to just let it happen.''
The co-main event features Jermall Charlo (24-0, 18 KOs) defending his IBF 154-pound belt against Julian Williams (22-0-1, 14 KOs). Both fighters are managed by Haymon, and an entertaining bout would raise both fighters' profiles considerably.
''I've been waiting a long time to prove what I can do,'' Williams said. ''I've been overlooked and underrated a lot.''
