Mares gets FNC opponent

Abner Mares, THE RING-rated bantamweight contender who will healdine this month's Fight Night Club, has an opponent for the 10-round main event that will serve as tuneup for his upcoming 118-pound title shot against Yohhny Perez.

Mares (19-0, 12 knockouts) will take on journeyman Felipe Almanza (17-15-4, 8 KOs) in the Fox Sports Net-televised headliner at Club Nokia in Los Angeles on March 25.

Almanza, a 34-year-old Colombian veteran, lost six consecutive bouts from December of 2006 to November of 2008, but those losses were to unbeaten prospects and former flyweight titleholder Eric Morel. Almanza has gone unbeaten in his last seven bouts (5-0-2), including a six-round decision over undefeated prospect Anthony Rodriguez.

Mares, THE RING's No. 8-rated bantamweight, has already signed to face Perez (20-0, 14 KOs), the No. 4-rated 118 pounder, in the Showtime-televised co-feature to Israel Vazquez-Rafael Marquez IV at L.A.'s Staples Center on May 22. However, the 24-year-old Southern Californian insisted on getting one last fight in before he challenged Perez for a bantamweight belt.

Junior featherweight prospect Derrick Wilson (5-1-1, 2 KOs) is scheduled to take on undefeated fellow prospect Khabir Suleymanov (9-0, 4 KOs) in the March 25 Fight Night Club co-main event.

Featherweight prospect Ronny Rios (9-0, 4 KOs) is also on the card and will be featured on the Fox Sports Net broadcast.