If this was the anointment, make Leo Santa Cruz the king of boxing in Los Angeles.
Producing a knack for landing the defining punches in a classic slugfest against fellow Southland product Abner Mares on Saturday night, Santa Cruz won a majority decision.
Judges Jesse Reyes (117-111), Max DeLuca (114-114) and Steve Morrow (117-111) elevated Santa Cruz to victory in front of a crowd of 13,109 at Staples Center that leaned the winner's way throughout the night.
Santa Cruz (31-0-1) gained the nod in the featherweight battle over his ex-sparring partner and former three-division world champion by enduring an aggressive body attack by Mares (29-2-1).