By Ben Jacobs

WBA interim junior welterweight champion, Mauricio Herrera (21-4, 7 KOs) has had what can only be described as a positive year. Although he lost officially on the scorecards against Danny García, the Californian was viewed as the winner by many observers and built on that fight with a solid victory over hard punching Johan Pérez in July. To close out the year, Herrera faces talented José Benavidez Jr (21-0, 15 KOs) on December 13 in an intriguing clash between experience and youth.

"I was happy with my win against Pérez but I wasn't totally satisfied, I wanted to look a little better than that," he told BoxingScene.

"I wanted a stoppage but I got sick the week of the fight and was thinking of pulling out, I toughed it out, took all the medicine in the world and got on with the fight. I felt a little tired at times but I did pretty good. I got a title and am back on the road.

"I think more people notice me now, it's good to get recognition for the tough fights that I've been in. I have noticed I've got a bigger fan base now."

Herrera will be a big step up for Phoenix native Benavidez in what will be his first fight against top class opposition. 'El Maestro' is already familiar with the 22-year-old having watched video of him during a period in which he sparred at the Wild Card gym.

"I used to watch him on YouTube, I noticed a kid that was sparring Manny Pacquiao and a couple of other names. He looked good, I liked how he fought. I have a nephew who has started boxing and is the same height as Benavidez, so I said, 'Watch him, you can fight like him.' I thought he was a good fighter at the time and I never thought I'd be facing him. He looks like he's a skilled kid so it'll be a good challenge.

"Fighting me shows he's willing to take on anything so credit to him for that, but maybe they don't know how deep they're getting into it."

Benavidez will hold a height advantage over Herrera who does not view that as any type of obstacle having previously fought taller opponents.

"I don't think that will be a problem, Johan was pretty tall," he explained.

"This guy seems to use his reach but I know I can take care of it. I know his type, nothing different from what I've seen. I've been in with a lot of tough guys, I think I'll be able to figure him out."

A couple of weeks ago, it emerged on Twitter that Ruslan Provodnikov's people offered Herrera a rematch to fight in Russia for a reported $500,000. Mauricio explained the situation from his point of view.

"We offered to fight Ruslan on the Hopkins- Kovalev card and their people didn't want to fight me on there. They wanted to control the whole card so they went to make something in Russia. They came back to me but what they offered wasn't what they put out in the media, not nearly close, it was not worth it.

"I've heard of guys going out to Russia and not getting paid and having to sue, they turned me down out here so we just said, 'Let's wait till we do it over here again.' They would have had all the advantages, it would have been another Danny García situation and I'm trying to break out of that. I don't want to be known as the guy who was on that other guy's show. The real boxing fans know the truth but a lot of people don't know how fights really end up going."

Speaking of García, Herrera has not given up hope of eventually securing a rematch with the Philadelphian and would even move up to welterweight if necessary should García himself change weight class.

"He should rematch Rod Salka, that was a nail biter! I haven't given up, I'll fight anyone. I want to fight Danny again, I'll still be on top of him, I'm not gonna let him breath, I'm going to remind him any chance I get. I don't care how long it takes, I'll keep rubbing it in that I beat him."