By Ryan Burton

Los Angeles, Calif - In the main event of Saturday night's Showtime broadcast, Abner Mares (30-2-1) became a four-time champion when he dethroned WBA featherweight champion Jesus Cuellar (28-2). 

Mares won the bout via split decision with the scores reading 117-110, 116-111 and a head scratching 112-115.  Mares dominated many of the rounds and also scored a knockdown in the 11th round.

The fight was originally scheduled to take place in New York over the summer but the fight was postponed when Mares failed an eye exam. The New York Commission has some of the most stringent medical exams in the country.

Both fighters had been out of the ring for long periods of time and had multiple training camps as a result of the postponement.

Cuellar, who previously trained with Mares' new trainer Robert Garcia and now is trained by Freddie Roach, feels that a rematch would produce a much different result.

"In boxing you win and you lose. I gave my best tonight and it wasn't enough. I would like to congratulate Mares and his team for the win. It was a great fight and I think I deserve a rematch. It was a great battle.  It was a long training camp so I want to thank my team and I am sure that I will be back as a champion again soon," said Cuellar.

Cuellar was working toward his 12th consecutive victory when Mares derailed him. His power in both hands helped him deliver seven knockouts in his last 10 victories, including an eighth-round knockout of former world champion Vic Darchinyan in June 2015. The 29-year-old won his world title with a unanimous decision over Claudio Marrero in his U.S. debut in August 2013. He went on to defend his title against Rico Ramos, Juan Manuel Lopez and Ruben Tamayo.

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