LONDON (Feb. 28, 2016) – Canelo Alvarez (46-1-1, 32 KOs) and Amir “King” Khan (31-3, 19 KOs) took time on Sunday, Feb. 28 to kick off their press conference tour week visiting some of London’s most recognizable landmarks. The fighters posed for photos alongside their teams at the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, The Shard, London Bridge, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Oxo Tower, London Eye and Westminster-House of Parliament.

The press tour will continue for the fighters with a press conference at The Park Plaza Riverbank London on Monday, Feb. 29. The tour will move on to New York on Tuesday, March 1 at the Hard Rock Cafe’s Live Venue in Times Square and will finish off at the Five Tower Stage at Universal City Walk Hollywood on Wednesday, March 2. All events are open to the public.

Current WBC, Ring Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez is set to clash with former two-time world champion and resurgent contender Amir “King” Khan in a 12-round world championship battle on Cinco De Mayo weekend, Saturday, May 7 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The event will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

Canelo vs. Khan, a 12-round fight for Canelo’s WBC, Ring Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Championships, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Canelo Promotions and sponsored by Cerveza Tecate, BORN BOLD, O’Reilly Auto Parts and Casa Mexico Tequila. The mega-event will take place on Saturday, May 7 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

B-roll and images of the fighters are available for use and download
here: bit.ly/canelokhan. Video and photo credit must be given to Golden Boy Promotions.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com or www.HBO.com/boxing, follow us on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @TMobileArena, @canelo, @amirkingkhan, @OscarDeLaHoya @HBOboxing, become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.Facebook.com/tmobilearena and www.Facebook.com.HBOboxing, join us on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing, @tmobilearena, @canelo, @amirkingkhan, @OscarDeLaHoya and @HBOboxing, and follow the conversation using #CaneloKhan.

LOS ANGELES (Feb. 24, 2016) – The boxing world was shocked when Golden Boy Promotions announced on Feb. 2 that WBC, Ring Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez (46-1-1, 32 KOs) would make his first title defense of 2016 against former two-time world champion and resurgent contender Amir “King” Khan (31-3, 19 KOs) on Cinco de Mayo weekend, Saturday, May 7 at the new T-Mobile Arena, in Las Vegas. The event will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

Canelo and Khan will kick-off a three city, international press tour in London on Feb. 29 that will travel to New York on March 1 and end in Los Angeles on March 2.

**PLEASE NOTE: Individual media alerts with more details for each city are forthcoming.

Monday, February 29 – London, United Kingdom
Location: The Park Plaza Riverbank London – Ballroom
18 Albert Embarkment
SE1 7TJ London, UK
Press Arrival Time: 10:00 a.m. GMT
Fan Arrival Time: 11:00 a.m. GMT
Press Conference Begins: 12:00 p.m. GMT

Tuesday, March 1 – New York, New York
Location: Hard Rock Café New York – Live Venue
1501 Broadway New York, NY 10036 (Corner of Broadway and 43rd St.)
Press & Fan Arrival Time: 12:00 p.m. ET
Press Conference Begins: 1:00 p.m. ET

Wednesday, March 2 – Los Angeles, California
Location: Universal CityWalk – Five Towers Stage
100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, CA 91608 (Adjacent to AMC Theaters)
Press & Fan Arrival Time: 3:00 p.m. PT
Press Conference Begins: 6:00 p.m. PT

Canelo vs. Khan, a 12-round fight for Canelo’s WBC, Ring Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Championships, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Canelo Promotions and sponsored by Cerveza Tecate, BORN BOLD, O’Reilly Auto Parts and Casa Mexico Tequila. The mega-event will take place on Saturday, May 7 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com or www.HBO.com/boxing, follow us on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @TMobileArena, @canelo, @amirkingkhan, @OscarDeLaHoya @HBOboxing, become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.Facebook.com/tmobilearena and www.Facebook.com.HBOboxing, join us on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing, @tmobilearena, @canelo, @amirkingkhan, @OscarDeLaHoya and @HBOboxing, and follow the conversation using #CaneloKhan.

NEW YORK (February 24, 2016) – After a banner 2015 in boxing, Tecate, the Mexican beer with bold flavor, announced today it will enter 2016 as the exclusive beer and presenting sponsor for Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions and has signed an endorsement contract with boxing’s biggest star, current WBC, RING Magazine and Lineal Middleweight Champion and Golden Boy Promotions fighter, Canelo Alvarez.

In 2016, Tecate will continue to become more synonymous with legendary boxing matches and for the first time in the brand’s history, will endorse an individual boxer, Canelo, leveraging his popularity to promote the brand’s 2016 ‘BORN BOLD’ campaign. As part of the endorsement, Canelo will wear Tecate branded boxing trunks in the ring in his upcoming marquee fights in May and September, 2016.

“The new partnership with Tecate establishes Canelo as the biggest star in all of boxing, period,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “With this partnership with Tecate and his commitment to fight on Cinco de Mayo and Mexican Independence Day weekends — boxing’s two biggest annual dates — Canelo’s popularity will only continue to soar for years to come.”

“Tecate is a world recognized company and I am very happy to have a strong and serious sponsor be part of my team,” said Canelo Alvarez. “With Tecate on my side, I know that we will take our brands to new heights. Through our partnership will be able to achieve our mutual goals and lead boxing into its next great era.”

“This sponsorship is an incredibly natural fit,” said Gustavo Guerra, brand director for Tecate. “Not only is boxing one of our consumer’s biggest passion points, but Golden Boy Promotions, Canelo and Tecate share common ground for being Mexico’s best in their respective categories – boxing and beer.”

The multi-year sponsorship contract with Golden Boy Promotions will have Tecate featured prominently in the center ring, around the mat and throughout the arena.

For additional details on Tecate’s “Born Bold” campaign, the sponsorship of Golden Boy Promotions fights, or to speak with a Tecate and Tecate Light representative about the brand’s support of boxing, contact BRAYA at HUSA@BRAYAUS.com.

For more information on Golden Boy Promotions and Canelo Alvarez, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing and @Canelo.

About HEINEKEN USA
HEINEKEN USA Inc., the nation’s leading upscale beer importer, is a subsidiary of HEINEKEN International NV, the world’s most international brewer. European brands imported into the U.S. include Heineken®, the world’s most international beer brand, Strongbow Hard Apple Ciders, Amstel Light, and Newcastle Brown Ale. HEINEKEN USA also imports the Dos Equis Franchise, Tecate Franchise, Sol, Indio, Carta Blanca and Bohemia brands from Mexico. For the latest information on our company and brands, follow us on Twitter @HeinekenUSACorp, or visit HEINEKENUSA.com.

About Golden Boy Promotions
Los Angeles-based Golden Boy Promotions was established in 2002 by 10-time world champion in six divisions Oscar De La Hoya, the first Hispanic to own a national boxing promotional company. Golden Boy Promotions is one of boxing’s most active and respected promoters, presenting shows in packed venues around the world and has worked with networks such as HBO, HBO Latino, Estrella TV, ESPN, TeleFutura, FOX Sports 1, FOX Deportes, Televisa and TV Azteca. The company has also promoted some of the top boxing events in the history of the sport including De La Hoya vs. Mayweather, Mayweather vs. Canelo and other notable pay-per-view fights featuring fan-favorites Bernard “The Alien” Hopkins, Juan Manuel “Dinamita” Marquez, Miguel Cotto, Marco “Baby Faced Assassin” Antonio Barrera, Erik “El Terrible” Morales and Sugar Shane Mosley.

About Canelo Alvarez
At the age of 25, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico’s Canelo Alvarez (46-1-1, 32 KOs) has conquered the boxing world, captivating fans both at home and around the globe with his action-packed fighting style, charisma and willingness to take on the toughest challenges. The current WBC, RING Magazine and Lineal Middleweight Champion, was last seen in the ring against former four-division world champion Miguel Cotto on November 21, 2015, defeating him via unanimous decision. The 2015 Fighter of the Year candidate’s road to stardom began in 2011 with a win over Matthew “Magic” Hatton for the vacant WBC Super Welterweight World title, his first title defense against Ryan Rhodes and stoppage victories over Alfonso Gomez and Kermit Cintron. Then in 2012, Canelo defended his belt against future Hall of Famer Sugar Shane Mosley and showed the veteran his first retirement, winning via unanimous decision in 12 rounds. Canelo continued on the path to superstardom in 2013 with a fifth round technical knockout of Josesito Lopez, followed by a 12-round unanimous decision victory over then world champion, Austin Trout in front of over 40,000 fans at San Antonio’s Alamodome. The victory earned, Canelo the WBA Super Welterweight World Championship and proved his dominance at 154-pounds and a clear, bonafide ticket seller. On September 14, 2013, Canelo faced the man on top of the pound-for-pound list – Floyd “Money” Mayweather – giving a stellar effort before falling short of victory for the first time via 12-round majority decision. The fight ended up being the biggest of 2013, but also the second highest grossing bout of all-time and the second most watched boxing event ever on Mexican television (only behind 2015’s Mayweather-Pacquiao). Since then, Canelo has won four straight fights, defeating top stars Alfredo “Perro” Angulo via 10th round technical knockout and Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara via split decision in 2014 and achieved 2015’s Knockout of the Year over James “Mandingo Warrior” Kirkland on May 9, at Minute Maid Park in Houston in front more than 31,000 fans.

LOS ANGELES (Feb. 19, 2016) – T-Mobile Arena, the hottest new sports and entertainment venue located just west of the famed Las Vegas Strip, will host the showdown between two of the biggest stars in boxing – WBC, Ring Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez (46-1-1, 32 KOs) and former two-time world champion Amir “King” Khan (31-3, 19 KOs) – on Cinco de Mayo weekend. T-Mobile Arena will open Wednesday, April 6 and on Saturday, May 7 will host its first boxing event featuring Canelo vs. Khan.

Canelo Alvarez vs. Amir Khan will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. The mega-fight promises intense action between two of boxing’s most popular and powerful fighters. Information regarding ticket availability and a press tour for the fight will be announced shortly.

“The new T-Mobile Arena was clearly the perfect venue choice to host the battle that will be Canelo vs. Khan on May 7,” said Golden Boy Promotions Chairman and CEO, Oscar De La Hoya. “Boxing in Las Vegas is truly an exciting event, and the fans with tickets to the fight will be in for a treat watching the fight in this new, state-of-the-art venue.”

Richard Sturm, president of Entertainment and Sports for MGM Resorts International, said, “As the newest sports and entertainment venue in Las Vegas, T-Mobile Arena was designed to host major boxing events including the first-ever fight featuring Canelo vs. Khan. Fight fans will have the opportunity to experience pre-fight activations at Toshiba Plaza as well as the arena’s multiple food and beverage options. We are excited to welcome the two fighters back to Las Vegas and look forward to a great event in May.”

Located west of the Las Vegas Strip between New York-New York and Monte Carlo, T-Mobile Arena is expected to host more than 100 events annually including UFC, boxing, hockey, basketball and other sporting events, major headline entertainment, awards shows, family shows and special events. Las Vegas’ newest landmark will feature 50 luxury suites, more than two dozen private loge boxes, complete broadcast facilities, and other specially designed exclusive hospitality offerings and fan amenities destined to create a guest experience second to none.

Canelo vs. Khan is a 12-round fight for Canelo’s WBC, Ring Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Championships taking place Saturday, May 7, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Canelo Promotions and is sponsored by Cerveza Tecate, BORN BOLD. The mega-event will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, follow us on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @TMobileArena, @canelo, @amirkingkhan and @OscarDeLaHoya, become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.Facebook.com/tmobilearena,join us on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing, @tmobilearena, @canelo, @amirkingkhan and @OscarDeLaHoya, and follow the conversation using #CaneloKhan.

The Canelo Alvarez -Amir Khan bout on May 7 has been cheered, booed, hyped, ridiculed, praised and trashed in the days since Oscar De La Hoya announced the stunning deal this week.

Reactions pretty much cover the proverbial waterfront. For the promoter, that qualifies as a promotional triumph. Lots of opinions generate a lively debate. The bigger the argument, the bigger the box office.

In large part, De La Hoya was able to create so much attention on the bout because he had kept it quiet. There wasn’t a peep from the twitter crowd about whether it might, should or could happen. Not a whisper. Nada.

The absence of even a single rumor already ranks as the Upset of the Year. It’s a bigger upset than a Khan victory would be.

For now, surprise is the only consensus about a bout that matches the bigger Canelo against the smaller, yet faster Khan. If boxing is the circus everybody says it is, there has to be an unpredictable twist, a wild ride, somewhere along the midway.

At its bottom line, however, Canelo-Khan is more than that. For Canelo, it’s a concession that he’s still not a true middleweight, despite his WBC version of the 160-pound title he took in a decision over an undersized Miguel Cotto in September.

In the wake of his victory over Cotto, there was some thinking that Canelo would face a legit middleweight, instead of another blow-up welterweight and/or junior-welter, in his attempt to get ready for Gennady Golovkin.

Against Khan, however, the 25-yar-old Canelo will again be at his favorite catch-weight, 155 pounds, at the formal weigh-in. Those close to him in Mexico say that weight is his comfort zone. It represents a milestone in training. It’s a sign that his conditioning is right. At 155, he knows he’s ready

It also means GGG, the consensus middleweight champ, will have to wait, perhaps until early 2017 for a showdown with Canelo, who in the meantime figures get a big payday while heightening his international celebrity against a name fighter from the UK, boxing’s liveliest market.

Is it fair to argue that Canelo blows away Khan in short order? Of course. Canelo, who opened as nearly a 4-to-1 favorite, might out-weigh Khan, a junior-welterweight just a few years ago, by twenty pounds at opening bell. By now, the fragility of Khan’s chin isn’t exactly a secret. Neither is his willingness to trade punches.

When the first big one lands, Khan’s caution has often been the first thing to go. That leaves him with only his instinct, which is to brawl. Next to go, his consciousness. The heavy-handed Canelo is at his lethal best against a fighter willing to stand in front of him.

At 29, however, the intriguing question is whether Khan has matured enough to know his weaknesses. He’s no dummy. He has the foot speed to stay out of range of Canelo’s power, especially over the first six rounds. If he can retain his wits and adhere to his fight plan, he might be able to pull off a stunner on the scorecards.

It’s hard to imagine Canelo chasing an agile Khan around the ring. Canelo has the clop-clop-clop footwork of a Clydesdale. Khan’s fast feet and faster hands could leave Canelo looking as confused as he did in a 2013 loss to Floyd Mayweather, Jr.

Can it happen? Could Khan actually win? Probably not. Then again, did anybody think a week ago that there was any chance he’d ever fight Canelo?

LOS ANGELES (Feb. 2, 2016) – WBC, Ring Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez (46-1-1, 32 KOs) will make his first title defense of 2016 against former two-time world champion and resurgent contender Amir “King” Khan (31-3, 19 KOs) on May 7, Cinco De Mayo weekend, in a match-up of two of the biggest stars in boxing. The event will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View®.

Golden Boy Promotions will exclusively promote the fight, with Khan returning to his former home at Golden Boy Promotions for the showdown. The mega-fight promises high-intensity action between two of boxing’s most popular and powerful fighters competing in the primes of their careers. Information regarding, the venue, ticket availability and a press tour for the fight will be announced in the coming weeks.

“As the middleweight champion of the world, I will take on the best fighters in the sport and on Cinco De Mayo weekend, I look forward to making the first defense of my titles,” said Canelo Alvarez. “Amir was a decorated amateur, a two-time world champion and is in the prime of his career. Fans are in for a great fight on May 7.”

“I know Canelo fights the best and wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to face me like others have,” said Amir Khan. “My goal is to always fight the biggest names and the best fighters that is why I’m excited for this fight. Also, I would like to thank my team and Golden Boy Promotions for this opportunity. I know I have the speed and ability to beat him and will give my fans what they deserve on May 7.”

“We are committed to putting on the biggest and best fights in boxing,” said Golden Boy Promotions Chairman and CEO, Oscar De La Hoya. “Canelo is the biggest star in the sport and as he demonstrated against James Kirkland and Miguel Cotto last year, he is only getting better. Those who predicted that he would take an easy fight for his first defense have been proven wrong once again. As for Amir, he has won his last five fights including an incredible performance against Devon Alexander, and now that he is back where he belongs at Golden Boy Promotions, his future is very bright, once again.”

At the age of 25, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico’s Canelo Alvarez, the current WBC, Ring Magazine, and Lineal Middleweight World Champion has conquered the boxing world, captivating fans both at home and around the globe with his action-packed fighting style, charisma and willingness to take on the toughest challenges. The 2015 Fighter of the Year candidate’s road to stardom began in 2011 with a win over Matthew “Magic” Hatton for the vacant WBC Super Welterweight World title, his first title defense against Ryan Rhodes and stoppage victories over Alfonso Gomez and Kermit Cintron. Then in 2012, Canelo defended his belt against future Hall of Famer Sugar Shane Mosley and showed the veteran his first retirement, winning via unanimous decision. Canelo continued on the path to superstardom in 2013 with a fifth round technical knockout of Josesito Lopez, followed by a unanimous decision victory over then world champion, Austin Trout in front of over 40,000 fans at San Antonio’s Alamodome. The victory earned, Canelo the WBA Super Welterweight World Championship and proved his dominance at 154-pounds and a clear, bonafide ticket seller. On September 14, 2013, Canelo faced the man on top of the pound-for-pound list – Floyd “Money” Mayweather – giving a stellar effort before falling short of victory for the first time via 12-round majority decision. The fight ended up being the biggest of 2013, but also the second highest grossing bout of all-time and the second most watched boxing event ever on Mexican television (only behind 2015’s Mayweather-Pacquiao). Since then, Canelo has won four straight fights, defeating top stars Alfredo “Perro” Angulo via 10th round technical knockout and Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara via split decision in 2014. On May 9, 2015, Alvarez dazzled with a victory over the fierce James “Mandingo Warrior” Kirkland at Minute Maid Park in Houston in front of more than 31,000 fans that featured what many have already deemed the “Knockout of the Year.” Finally, On November 21, 2015, Alvarez defeated future Hall-of-Famer Miguel Cotto for the WBC, RING Magazine and Lineal Middleweight Championship in front of a packed arena at the Mandalay Events Center in Las Vegas and more than 900,000 homes across the country. The unanimous decision victory cemented Canelo’s status as boxing’s biggest draw and among the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world.

Bolton, Lancashire, England native, Amir “King” Khan catapulted into the media spotlight after winning the silver medal at the 2004 Olympics in Athens. Khan turned professional on July 16, 2005 with a first round technical knockout victory over Phil Edwards. Since then, Amir Khan has exploded onto the international sports scene. In July 2009, Khan competed for his first world title against Andriy “Kotelya” Kotelnik where Khan was crowned as the WBA Super Lightweight World Champion via a unanimous decision victory. Khan went on to successfully defend the title five times against tough competition in Dmitriy “Star of David” Salita, Paul “Magic Man” Malignaggi, Marcos “El Chino” Maidana, and Paul “Dudey” McCloskey. In July 2011, Khan faced Zab “Super” Judah and added the IBF Super Lightweight World Championship to his collection when he knocked out Judah in the fifth round. The victory was short lived however; as Khan lost a controversial 12-round split decision to Lamont “Havoc” Peterson on December of 2011. The controversy surrounding the officiating prompted a rematch, but that bout was canceled when Peterson failed a pre-fight drug screening. Disappointed but not discouraged, Khan faced Danny “Swift” Garcia in July 2014 for a chance to become a world champion once more but was stopped in the fourth round. Since then Khan has rebounded giving Carlos Molina his first professional loss in December 2012, defeating former IBF Lightweight World Champion Julio “The Kidd” Diaz in April 2013, securing the WBC Silver Welterweight and the WBA International Welterweight Titles against Luis Collazo in May 2014, and defending his titles in spectacular fashion against former three-time world champion Devon “The Great” Alexander in December 2014 and former WBO Super Lightweight World Champion Chris Algieri in May 2015. Now, “King” Khan will be looking to become a world champion again when he faces Canelo on May 7.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, follow us on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @canelo, @amirkingkhan and @OscarDeLaHoya, become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, join us on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing, @canelo, @amirkingkhan and @OscarDeLaHoya, and follow the conversation using #CaneloKhan.

LOS ANGELES (Jan. 20, 2016) – Golden Boy Promotions has a great reputation in the sport as one of the leading promoters as well as a skill for creating and promoting world champions and boxing superstars. Having worked and promoted multi-divisional world champions including: Bernard “The Alien” Hopkins, Erik “Terrible” Morales, Juan Manuel “Dinaminta” Marquez, Miguel Cotto, Marco Antonio “Baby Face Assassin” Barrera, Sugar Shane Mosley, Canelo Alvarez, Lucas “La Maquina” Matthysse, Jorge “El Nino De Oro” Linares, Randy “El Matador” Caballero, Abner Mares, Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder, Danny “Swift” Garcias, Keith “One Time” Thurman, Daniel “Miracle Man” Jacobs, Leo “Terremoto” Santa Cruz, Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin, and Adrien “The Problem” Broner. In 2016, Golden Boy Promotions is looking to the future to usher in the New Era of Boxing spearheaded by current WBC, RING Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez (46-1-1, 32 KOs).

For 2015, Golden Boy Promotions received extraordinary media acclaim for exciting fights year-round and was awarded the honors of Promoter of the Year, Event of the Year, Fight Cards of the Year, Fight of the Year, Fighter of the Year, and Knockout of the Year. Also, top prospects Joseph “Jo Jo” Diaz Jr. (19-0, 11 KOs), Vyacheslav “Lion Heart-Chingonsky” Shabranskyy (15-0, 12 KOs), Jason “El Animal” Quigley (9-0, 8 KOs), and Diego De La Hoya (13-0, 7 KOs) not only graduated into contender territory, but also received honorable mentions for Prospect of the Year while Shabranskyy debuted at number nine on the light heavyweight pound-for-pound list.

Luis “The Real King Kong” Ortiz (24-0, 21 KOs), also debuted on the pound-for-pound list at number five in the heavyweight division after defeating former world champion challenger Bryant “By-By” Jennings via seventh-round technical knockout. Other fighters on the divisional pound-for-pound list include Canelo Alvarez, Francisco “El Bandido” Vargas (23-0-1, 17 KOs), Jorge “El Nino de Oro” Linares (40-3, 27 KOs), Bernard “The Alien” Hopkins (55-7-2, 32 KOs), Lucas “La Maquina” Matthysse (37-4, 34 KOs), Sadam “World Kid” Ali (22-0, 13 KOs), Mauricio “El Maestro” Herrera (22-5, 7 KOs), Randy “El Matador” Caballero (22-0, 13 KOs), Antonio “Relentless” Orozco (23-0, 15 KOs), Ronny Rios (25-1, 10 KOs), David Lemieux (34-3, 31 KOs), Sergio “Yeyo” Thompson (30-4, 26 KOs), and Jayson “Star” Velez (23-1-1, 16 KOs).

Golden Boy Promotions’ top picks for “Fighters to Watch in 2016” include (in alphabetical order):

WORLD TITLE CONTENDERS:

WBA International Welterweight Champion, Sadam “World Kid” Ali

Sadam “World Kid” Ali: A member of the 2008 United States Olympic team fighting out of Brooklyn, New York, Sadam “World Kid” Ali (22-0, 13 KOs) impressed boxing fans with his unanimous decision victory over Francisco “Chia” Santana in April, 2015 that earned him the WBA International Welterweight Title and also made him the mandatory challenger for the WBO Welterweight World Championship.

Randy “El Matador” Caballero: Indio star Randy “El Matador” Caballero (22-0, 13 KOs) hit the heights of the boxing world in 2014 when he defeated Stuart “Stuey” Hall for the vacant IBF Bantamweight World Championship. In 2015, forced Caballero to vacate the title, however, 2016 looks promising for the fighter as he prepares his big return to the ring on February 5 against Ruben Garcia at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino.

Pablo Cesar “El Demoledor” Cano: Already a respected welterweight contender after bouts against the likes of Erik “El Terrible” Morales, Paulie “Magic Man” Malignaggi and “Sugar” Shane Mosley, Mexico’s Pablo “El Demoledor” Cesar Cano (29-4-1, 21 KOs) kept his march to a world title going in 2015, as he went unbeaten in three bouts against Jorge “Pantera” Silva, Juan Carlos “Merengue” Abreu and Silverio “Chamaco III” Ortiz.

Robinson “Robin Hood” Castellanos: The mandatory

WBC Featherweight World Championship Mandatory Challenger, Robinson “Robin Hood” Castellanos

challenger for the WBC featherweight world title, Celaya, Mexico’s Robinson “Robin Hood” Castellanos (23-11, 13 KOs) started his journey to become a champion very differently in 2014. Coming off a loss to Rene “Gemelo” Alvarado in February 2014, Castellanos followed it up with a dominant victory over Ronny Rios in October 2014, stopping the then-unbeaten prospect in the fifth round. Castellanos continued to show his power in January of 2015 facing the warrior Rocky Juarez for the chance to win the WBC Silver Featherweight title and become the mandatory challenger for the WBC Featherweight World Championship. Both fighters showed a lot of heart and put on one of the bloodiest fights of 2015, but it was Castellanos’ dominance that was on display as his powerful jabs, brutal uppercuts and well-timed counter-punching knocked down Juarez in the fifth and twice in the 10th round to win via unanimous decision with scores of 118-106, 118-106 and 118-107. Now, Castellanos is the WBC Feather World Championship mandatory challenger.

Mauricio “El Maestro” Herrera: One of the truest warriors in the sport today, Mauricio “El Maestro” Herrera (22-5, 7 KOs) continued to show his supreme boxing skills and heart in a decision win over “Hammerin'” Hank Lundy in July to win the vacant NABF Super Lightweight title, and in 2016, big things are expected from Riverside’s “El Maestro” once more.

Tureano Johnson: A native of Nassau in the Bahamas, 31-year-old Tureano Johnson (19-1, 13 KOs) proudly represented his nation in the 2008 Olympics, making it to the quarterfinals in Beijing. In 2010, he turned professional and soared up the middleweight ladder before a controversial 2014 loss to Curtis Stevens. Undeterred, Johnson has since won five fights, four by knockout, and is one of the newest members of the Golden Boy Promotions roster. In his first fight since signing with Golden Boy Promotions, Johnson gave the fans a thrilling performance in the undercard of Gennaday Golovkin vs. David

Antonio “Relentless” Orozco

Lemieux at Madison Square Garden on October 17, 2015. Johnson faced Ireland’s Emmon O’Kane for the IBF Middleweight Title Eliminator, knocking down O’Kane twice in the first round and winning the fight via unanimous decision with scores of 118-108, 117-109, 119-107. Now the Nassau native is next in line for a shot at the unified middleweight championship in 2016.

Antonio “Relentless” Orozco: Unbeaten as a professional, San Diego’s Antonio “Relentless” Orozco (23-0, 15 KOs) made his move to the elite level of the super lightweight division in 2015. In May, Orozco defeated fellow rising star Emmanuel “Tranzformer” Taylor in Phoenix, but the best was yet to come, as he decisioned multi-division world champion Humberto “La Zorrita” Soto in their October bout at StubHub Center.

Luis “The Real King Kong” Ortiz: On Dec. 19, at Turing Stone Resort Casino inVerona,New York, Luis “The Real King Kong” Ortiz (24-0, 21 KOs) defended his WBA Interim Heavyweight World Championship against one of the toughest fighters in the division, Bryant “By – By” Jennings in a fantastic display of boxing skill with a dramatic seventh round knockout of the former world champion challenger Jennings. Ortiz, dominated the fight early on with powerful hooks, uppercuts and jabs that kept him in

WBA Interim Heavyweight World Champion,
Luis “The Real King Kong” Ortiz

control of the pace throughout the 12-round heavyweight brawl. The victory allowed Ortiz to keep his undefeated status but also made a loud announcement to the boxing community that a new heavyweight threat had arrived to the division. This fight catapulted Ortiz on the heavyweight pound-for-pound list debuting at number five.

Michael “The Artist” Perez: Undefeated since 2012, exciting New Jersey native Michael “The Artist” Perez (23-1-2, 11 KOs) had one of the biggest years of his career in 2015, as he decisioned always toughMiguel “Aguacerito” Acosta in January and then knocked out Luis “Chespi” Sanchez in six rounds in July to win the vacant NABO lightweight title.

Ronny Rios: After suffering the first loss of his career to Robinson “Robin Hood” Castellanos in 2014, Santa Ana, California’s Ronny Rios (25-1, 10 KOs) came back more determined than ever in 2015, and his performances in defeating Sergio “El Frio” Frias and previously unbeaten Jayson “Star” Velez proved that this 25-year-old was ready for prime time again.

USNBC Light Heavyweight Champion, Vyacheslav “Lion Heart-Chingonsky” Shabranskyy

Vyacheslav “Lion Heart – Chingonsky” Shabranskyy: People might have troublespelling the name of Vyacheslav Shabranskyy (15-0, 12 KOs), but among boxing fans, his name spells action, and he continued to deliver the goods in 2015, moving to 15-0 with wins against Garrett “The Ultimate Warrior” Wilson, Fabiano “Pit Bull” Pena, Paul “Pay Per View” Parker and Yunieski “El Monstro” Gonzalez, the latter three foes owning a combined 34-1-1 record and breaking him into the top 10 light heavyweight rankings on USA Today’s Boxing Junkie and ranking number 12 on the WBC’s rankings.

Patrick Teixeira: Brazil’s best boxing import since beloved former champion Acelino Freitas, unbeaten southpaw Patrick Teixeira (26-0, 22 KOs) fought twice in the United States in 2015, impressing fans in New York and California with knockouts of Patrick Allotey and Don Mouton that sent a warning to his fellow 154-pound fighters that he was here to stay.

CONTENDERS TO WATCH:

Manuel “Tino” Avila: Fairfield, California’s Manuel “Tino” Avila (19-0, 8 KOs) has long been one of the most exciting prospects on the local scene, and in 2015, he made his name on the national scene with wins over Erik Ruiz, Yoandris “El Nino” Salinas and Jose Angel “Pepe” Beranza, the Salinas fight earning him the interim NABF super bantamweight title.

WBC Youth Super Bantamweight Champion,
Diego De La Hoya

Diego De La Hoya: Highly-touted super bantamweight Diego De La Hoya (13-0, 7 KOs)made the jump to eight and ten-round bouts in 2015 and he continued to impress every step of the way en route to five more victories. In September, De La Hoya won his first pro title, decisioning against former world title challenger Jesus “Estrella” Ruiz for the vacant WBC Youth World Super Bantamweight belt.

Joseph “Jo Jo” Diaz Jr.: A member of the 2008 United States Olympic team, South El Monte, California’s Joseph “JoJo” Diaz Jr. (19-0, 11 KOs) won his first professional title in his fifth victory of 2015, as he impressively stopped Hugo “Olimpico” Partida in December to win the vacant NABF featherweight title and an honorable mention as one of ESPN.com’s 2015 Top 20 Rising Stars.

KeAndre “Black Magic” Gibson: 24-year-old welterweight undefeated fighter, KeAndre “Black Magic” Gibson (14-0-1, 6 KOs), who now makes his home in Las Vegas, has become quite popular with impressive victories over John Nater, Jose Hernandez and Nelson Lara. In his second fight of 2015, Gibson faced Jorge Ramos in an eight round fight winning the bout via unanimous decision in the undercard of Canelo-Kirkland on May 9.

Frankie “Pitbull” Gomez: East LA’s Frankie “Pitbull” Gomez (19-0, 13 KOs) is known for his exciting style and powerful punches. He is the owner of 13 knockouts in three rounds or fewer and can also box, as shown in his near-shutout victories over longtime contenders Vernon “Ice Man” Paris in July of 2014 and Jorge “Pantera” Silva in October of 2015. A decorated amateur who won the 2009 United States Championship and earned a Silver medal in the 2009 World Championships, Gomez is ready to face the top opposition in the division and chase his dreams of a world championship in 2016.

Gilberto “El Flaco” Gonzalez: A former WBC Youth World Lightweight champion,

Abraham “Chamaco” Lop
Gilberto “El Flaco” Gonzalez (25-3, 21 KOs) picked up two early knockout wins in 2015, halting David “Nene” Rangel and Hevinson Herrera to set up a big 2016 for the Mexico City native.

Abraham “Chamaco” Lopez: Featherweight standout Abraham “Chamaco” Lopez (19-0-1, 14 KOs) returned from three years away from the sport in 2015 and the El Puente product picked up where he left off with knockout victories over former Ghana Olympian Alfred “The Stinging Bee” Tetteh and Jorge “King” Diaz and a draw against Juan “El Pez” Carlos Martinez.

Marcelino “Nino” Lopez: The latest star to emerge from the boxing hotbed of Argentina, Buenos Aires’ Marcelino “Nino” Lorenz (32-1-1, 17 KOs) continued dominating the local scene in his home country, but in October of 2015, he finally got the chance to introduce himself to United States fans when he knocked out David Rodela in three rounds at the StubHub Center in Carson, California.

Roberto “Tito” Manzanarez: Los Mochis, Mexico native Roberto “Tito” Manzanarez (32-1, 26 KOs) continued romping through the lightweight division in 2015, adding to his stellar record with a decision over Edgar “Lupillo” Ramirez and knockouts of Daniel “El Mulato” Valenzuela and Cristian “Veneno” Lopez.

NABF Lightweight Champion, Marvin “Cachorro” Quintero

Marvin “Cachorro” Quintero: Born in Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico, but now making hishome in Tijuana, Marvin Quintero is a former world title challenger whose first title fight was a razor-thin split decision loss to Miguel Vazquez in 2012. Since then, the 29-year-old southpaw has won two fights by knockout over Carlos Sanchez and Cesar De la Mora. In September of 2015 the veteran fighter proved he still had what it takes to chase championship gold when he defeated Puerto Rico’s Jeffery Fontanez via fifth-round knockout to gain the NABF Lightweight Title.

PROSPECTS TO WATCH:

Damon Allen: 23-year-old Philadelphian Damon Allen (8-0, 3 KOs) stepped through the ropes twice in 2015, stopping Luis “Yeye” Rodriguez in three rounds at home in Philly before making his Los Angeles debut in November with a decision victory over Oscar Santana.

Nick Arce: Hard-hitting 19-year-old Nick Arce (6-0, 6 KOs) didn’t stick around long for his five wins in 2015, as he knocked out each of his opponents before the final bell. This power and finishing ability has made this featherweight a must see for California fight fans, and the rest of the country should get introduced to him in the coming year.

D’Mitrius “Big Meech” Ballard

D’Mitrius “Big Meech” Ballard: 2015 was a pivotal year for Maryland supermiddleweight D’Mitrius Ballard (11-0, 7 KOs), and he passed his tests with flying colors, showing that he could box as well as bang in decision victories over Josue “Chiquilin” Ovando, Juan Carlos “Chiflado” Rojas and Fabiano “Pit Bull” Pena.

Ivan “Striker” Delgado: Keeping a steady pace throughout 2015, 25-year-old lightweight prospect Ivan “Striker” Delgado (8-0-1, 2 KOs) won five more bouts, and with fans packing the Belasco Theater in Los Angeles to see him fight on the LA Fight Club events, the future is bright for this up and comer.

Christian “Chimpa” Gonzalez: 20-year-old Christian “Chimpa” Gonzalez (12-0, 11 KOs) added four more wins to his perfect pro record in 2015, and while he went the distance for the first time against Darryl Hayes in June, he closed out the year with a pair of second-round knockouts of Luis “Lichito” Lizarraga Jr. and Alejandro Ochoa.

Joet Gonzalez: Former amateur standout Joet Gonzalez (12-0, 6 KOs) is finding his way onto many hot prospect lists after a 2015 campaign that saw him go 4-0 with three knockouts. Included on that slate is a third-round KO of 12-0-1 prospect Marcos Rios in November.

Rashidi “Speedy” Ellis: A swift and ferocious striker, the undefeated Rashidi “Speedy”

WBA Fedecentro & WBC Interim Latin Welterweight Champion,
Rashidi “Speedy” Ellis

Ellis (14-0, 11 KOs) has repeatedly showcased his skills to audiences, most recently with a fourth-round technical knockout victory in Puerto Rico over Victor “Pambele” Gonzalez in March 2015 to claim the vacant WBA Fedecentro and the WBC Interim Latin Welterweight titles. Ellis won his three previous fights via technical knockout, defeating Joseph De los Santos and Joanthony Vazquez in Puerto Rico and Jose Martinez in the Dominican Republic. Later in 2015, Ellis played a key part in the training camp of Golden Boy Promotions fighter and now WBC, RING Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez. The 22-year-old Ellis trained with Canelo as a sparring partner in preparation for Alvarez’s November 21 super fight against Miguel Cotto. After “Speedy” put Alvarez to the test with his notoriously fast fists in training camp, Alvarez defeated Cotto via unanimous decision.

Travell “Black Magic” Mazion: 20-year-old Travell “Black Magic” Mazion (10-1, 10 KOs) is one of the top prospects in boxing, a fact evidenced by his a perfect professional record and knockout ratio, ending six fights in the first round. Now ready for his biggest year yet, Mazion is looking forward to start off the year strong in 2016.

Oscar “El Jaguar” Negrete: Now making his home in Los Angeles, 27-year-old Colombia native Oscar “El Jaguar” Negrete (12-0, 5 KOs) was a stellar amateur before turning professional on May 24, 2013 with a four-round decision victory over Cristian Ciciliano. Two more wins would follow in 2013 for Negrete, but it was in 2014 that he began to get noticed in his adopted home state of California, as he stepped up to the plate four times and hit it out of the park with each appearance, decisioning unbeaten Carlos

Zachary “Zungry” Ochoa

Medina and stopping Pablo Cupul, Gabriel Braxton, Salvador Perez. 2015 proved to be a
busy year for Negrete as he fought five times winning all his bouts via decision excluding the most recent in December, where he defeated Ernesto Guerro via third-round technical knockout.

Zachary “Zungry” Ochoa: After winning the first nine fights of his professional career onthe east coast, Brooklyn’s Zachary “Zungry” Ochoa (13-0, 6 KOs) took his show on the road in 2015 and he continued to show off the skills that have made him a top prospect as he picked up four wins, including a big victory in Los Angeles over David Rodela and Alejandro “Soma” Rodriguez.

Jason “El Animal” Quigley: Former Irish amateur star Jason Quigley (9-0, 8 KOs) began his professional career in the United States in 2014, and he never left, learning his craft in Southern California. In 2015, Quigley scored five more wins by knockout before decisioning Marchristopher Adkins on November 20 and earning an honorary mention by Boxing News Magazine UK as one of the top prospects in the sport.

Julian “El Camaron” Ramirez: 22-year-old southpaw sensation Julian Ramirez (15-0, 8 KOs) kept piling the wins on in 2015, with his victories over seasoned veterans Raul “Bule” Hidalgo and Hugo “Olimpico” Partida setting Los Angeles’ “El Camaron” up for even bigger bouts when 2016 rolls around.

Lamont Roach Jr.

Lamont Roach Jr.: Washington D.C.’s Lamont Roach Jr. (9-0, 3 KOs) nearly doubled his
professional experience in 2015 with four victories that proved this 20-year-old super featherweight prospect is the real deal and a fighter to watch in 2016 and beyond.

Emilio Sanchez: Popular 21-year-old featherweight Emilio Sanchez (10-0, 7 KOs) had a busy year fighting in Golden Boy Promotions’ LA Fight Club series, going 5-0 with three knockouts at downtown Los Angeles’ Belasco Theater. The wins helped build Sanchez’ following and set the stage for another big year in 2016.

Hector “El Finito” Tanajara Jr.: Hailing from San Antonio, Hector “El Finito” Tanajara Jr. (4-0, 3 KOs) has been fighting since 2007 and during that time has won eight national championships. In 2012, he qualified to attend the Veles Cup in Kurgan, Russia and took the gold medal in his weight class and was selected as one of seven to go to the 2016 Olympic trails. Decinding instead to become a professional boxer and sign with Golden Boy Promotions in 2014, Tanajar Jr. is now the owner of an undefeated record of 4-0 with three knockouts. Tanajara will look to continue his winning streak in 2015 when he fights on Feb.5.

ABOUT GOLDEN BOY PROMOTIONS:
Los Angeles-based Golden Boy Promotions was established in 2002 by 10-time world champion in six divisions Oscar De La Hoya, the first Hispanic to own a national boxing promotional company. Golden Boy Promotions is one of boxing’s most active and respected promoters, presenting shows in packed venues around the world and has worked with networks such as HBO, HBO Latino, Estrella TV, ESPN, TeleFutura, FOX Sports 1, FOX Deportes, Televisa and TV Azteca. The company has also promoted some of the top boxing events in the history of the sport including De La Hoya vs. Mayweather, Mayweather vs. Canelo and other notable pay-per-view fights featuring fan-favorites Bernard “The Alien” Hopkins, Juan Manuel “Dinamita” Marquez, Miguel Cotto, Marco “Baby Faced Assassin” Antonio Barrera, Erik “El Terrible” Morales and Sugar Shane Mosley. For more information, visit www.GoldenBoyPromotions.com, or follow on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube @GoldenBoyBoxing.

MEXICO CITY (Jan. 11, 2016) – Canelo Alvarez, the current WBC, RING Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Champion, was presented today with his well-earned prestigious green and gold, WBC Diamond belt by Mauricio Sulaiman, President of the World Boxing Council (WBC) in a special ceremony for the new champion in Mexico City at Museo Soumaya de la Fundación Telmex – Telcel en Plaza Carso. Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, Eddy Reynoso, Head Trainer and Jose “Chepo” Reynoso, Manager and Trainer of Canelo Alvarez were also in attendance.

“I feel very honored to be here today to and receive the WBC Middleweight World Championship belt,” said Canelo Alvarez. “I am also very grateful to the WBC for granting me, my second division world title, this is a very big step in my career and I am looking forward to my upcoming fight in May.”

“We are very proud of Canelo and his accomplishments,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “Canelo is now one of the most recognizable faces of boxing, and we are grateful to the WBC for their support.”

“Saul Canelo Alvarez conquered the WBC Middleweight Championship and has become the greatest attraction in Boxing through his dedication to the sport,” said Mauricio Sulaiman, World Boxing Council President. “The WBC is very proud to see him join the Diamond Belt Champions with such icons like Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao, Sergio Martinez, and Bernard Hopkins. These are great and exciting times for Boxing.”

Canelo won the WBC Middleweight World Championship on November 21, 2015 by defeating Puerto Rico’s four division World Champion and future Hall of Famer Miguel Cotto (40-5, 33 KOs) via unanimous decision at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. Both Cotto and Canelo went the distance with each fighter landing a fair share of thundering strikes and furious combinations along the way. Canelo’s firepower proved to be too much for the veteran Cotto as the 25-year-old Mexican superstar claimed round after round to secure a convincing unanimous decision victory, taking home the middleweight championship. The battle was one of the biggest events in the Mexico vs. Puerto Rico rivalry and one of the most successful pay-per-view events not featuring Oscar De La Hoya, Manny Pacquiao or Floyd Mayweather since 2002, selling more than 900,000 units and crowning Canelo boxing’s next pay-per-view star.

Following this event, Canelo was awarded the honor of 2015’s Fighter of the Yearby ESPN.com, USA Today’s Boxing Junkie, The Bleacher Report, Fight News closing out a fantastic year for the middleweight champion and ushering in the “Era of Canelo.”

For more information, visit www.GoldenBoyPromotions.com, or follow on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube @GoldenBoyBoxing and @Canelo.

By Bart Barry-

Editor’s note: For part 1, please click here.

*

The May morning of 2015’s knockout of the year, the Saturday Mexican Saul “Canelo” Alvarez spearchiseled Texan James “Mandingo Warrior” Kirkland in Houston, no one was certain just yet how debasing for the sport of prizefighting 2015 would be, how mercenary, how joyless, but the previous weekend’s fare served notice to all aficionados, and the worst part, too: Mayweather-Pacquiao was what we asked for, demanded, allowed the sport to suspend itself in pursuit of, for five years that did nothing so much as hollow-out the fanbase by loitering in Las Vegas while more gymnasiums shuttered and fewer American boys explored boxing as more than a cynic’s plan-c moneymaking ruse, a trashtalking musicvideo to film after flunking football and basketball.

In March, Oscar De La Hoya promised Canelo Alvarez as a savior for the sport, and everyone applied the ironist’s filter, instantly and properly, hearing: Canelo Alvarez is the man the Golden Boy hopes will save his struggling brand. It was lost on no one how instrumental De La Hoya and “his” “promotional company” were to Money May’s ascent during the seven years De La Hoya vainly searched for someone, beginning with himself, to humble Floyd Mayweather; instrumental, in fact, is not strong enough – during the partnership years, Golden Boy Promotions was the fulcrum in Al Haymon’s lever, making De La Hoya and his former friend Richard Schaefer mechanically essential to a movement that, in 2015, changed its name from “HBO” or “Showtime” to Premier Boxing Champions, PBC, and began appearing on the same terrestrial television networks promoter Bob Arum convinced aficionados should be boxing’s rightful place (about a decade after Arum first moved boxing from terrestrial television, of course).

Very few pundits realized when Canelo fought Kirkland what an existential crisis the PBC presented, with its hostility to independent media and indifference to competitive matchmaking, and only marginally more recognize it today – choosing, symmetrically, to save such a collective revelation for the very moment their powerlessness to alter it achieves fullness and perfection (with writer David Avila a noble exception).

*

The May morning of 2015’s knockout of the year, the Saturday Mexican Saul “Canelo” Alvarez spearchiseled Texan James “Mandingo Warrior” Kirkland in Houston, brought merely one concern about a tardy arrival at the ballpark: There mightn’t be time for socializing and reminiscing with writers Kelsey McCarson, a fellow Texan, and David Greisman – not a fellow Texan but doing his level best that week to be one.

My fears were misplaced. The endless and uninspired undercard offered plenty of time for chatting and sharing a photo on the grass roamed by Astros outfielders. Seated directly in front of me, too, was Welshman Anson Wainwright, once a contributor to this very site and today a regular contributor to The Ring’s always engrossing “Best I Faced” series.

The ranks have thinned since my first visit to pressrow in 2004, and in the next five years the PBC’s subversion of media access will end either the PBC or pressrow, but wherever more than a halfdozen writers are gathered at a Texas fightcard, good health and good humor shall remain the rule.

*

The May morning of 2015’s knockout of the year, the Saturday Mexican Saul “Canelo” Alvarez spearchiseled Texan James “Mandingo Warrior” Kirkland in Houston, anyone who told you he was sure what to expect from Kirkland was embellishing the case a bit. Kirkland had done his preparations with San Antonio’s Rick Morones, instead of Austin’s Ann Wolfe, and while it likely made no difference to the outcome – Canelo is simply a higher level fighter than Kirkland, whatever Kirkland’s conditioning – it was not the plan in March when the Canelo-Kirkland presstour made its way to Alamo City’s historic Aztec Theatre and a pleasant and plump Kirkland confidently and ominously reported his manager was in negotiations with Ms. Wolfe.

Kirkland is a known entity in San Antonio, not quite a legend but one remembered in local gyms for having manstrength even as a boy. Kirkland was the right person to make Canelo look spectacular, a lie-detector type, rough and unrelenting, one to establish quickly the difference in caliber between a champion like Canelo and a local attraction.

Canelo had not before had a man of Kirkland’s class run across the ring at him on first bell and begin hurling punches without regard for anyone’s safety, but he managed the incident as if he had, and many times. That poise is a large reason Gennady Golovkin apologists, those who’ve amplified the Golovkin-camp line for three years, the risible assertion GGG, despite never fighting anywhere but middleweight, is ready to fight any man between 154 pounds and 168, strongly prefer 2016’s superfight happen at 160.

If that fight happens, this much will be made immediately clear: While Canelo Alvarez has fought at least one man considerably better than Golovkin, and maybe several, GGG’s reign of terror at middleweight has yet to include anyone close to Canelo’s talent.

*

The May morning of 2015’s knockout of the year, the Saturday Mexican Saul “Canelo” Alvarez spearchiseled Texan James “Mandingo Warrior” Kirkland in Houston, the 200-mile eastwards drive got justified by both men’s reputations and the increasingly unfortunate realization Canelo Alvarez will be the Mexican prizefighter most remembered in our current era – despite his technical inferiority to each member of our last era’s Mexican triumvirate: Juan Manuel Marquez, Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales.

Because of Mexican television rights and other complexities, including their standard-issue dark heads of hair, the best fighters of the last era accomplished fractionally much celebrity in their homeland as Canelo did before his 25th birthday. Canelo cannot be blamed for that. He’s squandered no opportunities, whatever his limitations of speed and power, and he remains a prompt and courteous interview even when he does not need to be. He has far surpassed his only realistic competition for Mexico’s heart, “Son of the Legend” Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., and he’s done it with discipline and class.

Any aficionado seated ringside for Canelo-Kirkland and knowledgeable of Mexican prizefighting history – practically a redundancy, that – left the experience balancing a sentiment like this: An era of Mexican prizefighting could do better than having Canelo Alvarez as its standard bearer, yes, but it could also do much worse.

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry

By Bart Barry–

The May morning of 2015’s knockout of the year, the Saturday Mexican Saul “Canelo” Alvarez spearchiseled Texan James “Mandingo Warrior” Kirkland in Houston, catalyzed no thoughts of making the 150-minute eastwards trek from Alamo City to Minute Maid Park, home of Major League Baseball’s Astros, a stadium with a functional train in left field in homage to its location on the hallowed grounds of a hundred-year-old station. The stadium, celebrating its fourth and surely not final appellation, was christened “Enron Field” 15 years ago – back when energy arbitrage, electronically creating shortages and satisfying them at usurious prices, eGouging as it were, appeared to Wall Street like the industry to make America great again.

The usual credentials hassle handled by fightweek intervention from a powerful editor, a man so respected I was seated onfield under the opening of the opening rooftop, I celebrated my newly unprecedented access by not beginning the 2 1/2-hour drive from San Antonio till after the opening bell of an eight-hour fightcard rang on its cavernous park.

There was an enormous Chinese heavyweight on the undercard, a 7-foot and 280-pound Dong, he may even have been co-main, but he was so dreadful, and what followed was so excellent, the enormous Dong barely got written to the hard drive.

San Antonio promoter Mike Battah, the man who put more than 40,000 folks in Alamodome for Alvarez-Trout, invariably expected a better turnout for Alvarez-FellowTexan than he got, but blessings be rained upon him, he was deep in the PBC fold before the year was out, anyway, scared neither by public uninterest nor oversized venues (he rented AT&T Center for NBC’s December PBC broadcast).

Kirkland swarmed Alvarez at the opening bell, acquitting himself more savagely than insiders feared he mightn’t – so often veteran aggressors choose matches like these to apply singleply boxing skills, making the young champion hunt instead of defend – and Alvarez demonstrated composure appropriate to his record more than age.

Canelo iced Kirkland spectacularly before 31,000 Texans in round 3.

There’s a presence about Alvarez – these things begin with selfbelief and color in the details later – that speaks to a pair of ideas at first not apparently kin: mythology and confidence.

*

The May morning of 2015’s knockout of the year, the Saturday Mexican Saul “Canelo” Alvarez spearchiseled Texan James “Mandingo Warrior” Kirkland in Houston, was not facinorous humid as feared when the match got announced, in fact, for as long as it took to open the rooftop, blow papers about, wet the bluemat, and close the rooftop, the May breeze off the Gulf was not facinorous at all.

In lieu of a mediacenter vending machine, the promoter gave each writer a giftcertificate to a ballpark vendor, and the balance bought an astrodog and cola, or nachos and change. The match happened a week after The Fight Boxing May Never Forgive, a legacymaking bore between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, a humiliating affair for all but one man and his advisor, and a humbling affair for the compliant media in attendance – men who knew the match would suck but didn’t dare opine so publicly lest their unassigned fightweek access remain unassigned come fightday.

Perhaps Kirkland was handpicked an opponent for Alvarez as critics insisted he was, but surely the tricky Austin Trout and dreadful Erislandy Lara were not, and Alvarez made fisticuffs with them willingly as he did with the Texan Mandingo.

What Alvarez came in boxing knowing still better than his promoter Oscar De La Hoya, who knew it rather well himself, is th’t we do not believe myths because they are true; myths become true when we believe them. Alvarez came to America believing his own myth, and excepting only his disgraceful showing against Money May, Alvarez, in both the opponents he’s selected and the way he’s undone them, has satisfied the requirements of his post.

*

The May morning of 2015’s knockout of the year, the Saturday Mexican Saul “Canelo” Alvarez spearchiseled Texan James “Mandingo Warrior” Kirkland in Houston, there was some question if Kirkland’s ferocity mightn’t give Alvarez a momentary fright, but it didn’t, whatever Kirkland claimed after the match about a brief exchange in the first round. Kirkland’s conditioning was a certainty to no one, his relationship with mentor Ann Wolfe switched to Off for the biggest event in Kirkland’s unpredictable career, and the opening minute allowed those with eyes to see an inferential chance they’d not miss:

Kirkland conditioned himself for a savage 10-minute assault and a dramatic conclusion, his hand raised or chest chinpinned, and the match’s conclusion was not surprising as its style.

Alvarez did not grindout Kirkland, keepaway jabbing till the Texan was soft. Alvarez clipped him with a hook, clipped him with an uppercut, and iced him with a telegraphed righthand he framed for photographers by exaggeratedly feinting low, halfjabbing Kirkland to the body and watching his sternum. Kirkland dropped everything, realized he’d been hoodwinked, and started a hopeless lefthook in time to complete the aesthetics, winning Canelo 2015’s best knockout by compliantly screwtopping himself ropes to canvas.

***

Editor’s note: Part 2 will be posted next Monday.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, Middleweight champions Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin have agreed to take interim fights before trying to put together a mega-fight with each other for 2016.

“If after their corresponding voluntary defenses one boxer is unable to fight the other for the undisputed WBC middleweight championship of the world, the unable fighter will lose his status as champion or interim champion,” said WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman. “The fighter able to fight will be named undisputed WBC world champion.

“Canelo versus GGG is one of the most important events in the sport of boxing, and their promotional companies and partners have been communicating openly and in good faith. The ultimate goal of all involved is to make certain that the best conditions are secured for their fighters and the boxing world, and to preserve their full commitment to abide by, and respect, the governing WBC rules and regulations.”

“Do we want to do the fight with Golovkin? Absolutely,” said Golden Boy vice-president Eric Gomez told ESPN.com. “It will come down to negotiation and making sure the terms are adequate enough to do the fight, but as far as Canelo wanting the fight to happen and as far as us wanting the fight to happen, yes, we want the fight. It’s the fight the fans want and we want to give it to the fans. We will sit down and negotiate the terms and make sure they’re fair and everybody is happy, but first, we had to agree to do the interim fights. That was a big step.

“We have a very, very good relationship with Tom, but right now, we’re focused on May. Canelo is excited about fighting on Cinco de Mayo. We’ll concentrate on that and focus on who he will fight next, and then we’ll turn our attention to Golovkin and sit down with K2 and see what we come up with.”

“Canelo just made 155 with no problem,” Gomez said. “[The weight] is hard to discuss right now. We both agreed to do voluntary fights. After, we will sit down like gentlemen and negotiate everything.”

“Whatever the WBC sets forth we will follow,” Gomez said. “We always have. But the way we’re working with Tom and the relationship we have, it would be hard to see a scenario where this goes to a purse bid.”

“We will negotiate everything in good faith,” said K2’s Tom Loeffler. “It was agreed between both parties to build up the fight and maximize the exposure and revenue. Everyone believes this would be the biggest fight in boxing. The agreement we reached with Golden Boy and the WBC means that by the end of May, Gennady will be part of the biggest fight in boxing or he will add the WBC title to his other two titles.

“Canelo is a proud fighter. If he didn’t care about the title, he wouldn’t have bothered with this agreement [for the voluntary fights]. The purpose of agreeing to it is to make their fight even bigger.”

It’s a holiday treat for HBO Boxing fans. Over four consecutive nights in late December, the HBO service will present nine of the year’s standout fights, spotlighting some of the biggest names in the sport in riveting performances. Featured are signature wins by Canelo Alvarez, Gennady Golovkin, Sergey Kovalev, Terence Crawford, Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez and Timothy Bradley Jr.

Starting Sunday, Dec. 27, HBO will replay nine major league showdowns from this year sprinkled over four consecutive nights. All the fights will also be available on HBO ON DEMAND® as well as the HBO NOW and HBO GO® services.

The “Boxing’s Best” lineup airs at 11:00 p.m. each night and includes:

Sunday, December 27 Sergey Kovalev vs. Jean Pascal I
Terence Crawford vs. Dierry Jean
Canelo Alvarez vs. James Kirkland

Monday, December 28 Lucas Matthysse vs. Ruslan Provodnikov
Timothy Bradley Jr. vs. Brandon Rios

Tuesday, December 29 Gennady Golovkin vs. David Lemieux
Takashi Miura vs. Francisco Vargas

Wednesday, December 30 Miguel Cotto vs. Canelo Alvarez
Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez vs. Brian Viloria

*Winners names are in italics
All Times ET/PT

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, the November 21 fight that saw Canelo Alvarez win the Middleweight championship generated 900,000 Pay Per View buys.

“At 900,000 buys and $58 million in PPV revenue, Cotto-Canelo performed superbly,” said HBO senior vice president Mark Taffet, who oversees the network’s pay-per-view franchise. “Not since [Lennox] Lewis-[Mike] Tyson in 2002 has a pay-per-view fight generated at least 900,000 buys without featuring [Floyd] Mayweather, [Manny] Pacquiao or [Oscar] De La Hoya.

“It puts an exclamation point on the biggest year in pay-per-view history. I couldn’t be more thrilled for boxing, Golden Boy, Roc Nation and the fans.”

“It was an incredibly strong performance in a historical context,” Taffet said. “It’s very significant for a fight to do 900,000 when it doesn’t involve one of the biggest stars in the history of pay-per-view: Mayweather, De La Hoya, Pacquiao, Tyson and [Evander] Holyfield.”

“Canelo is now officially the biggest star in all of boxing. Period,” De La Hoya said. “And by committing to fight on Cinco de Mayo and Mexican Independence Day — boxing’s two biggest annual dates — Canelo’s popularity will only continue to soar for years to come.”

“I was fortunate to do [the first pay-per-view] Evander Holyfield-George Foreman and then have a few pretty good fights in between,” Taffet said with a laugh. “So to end with Cotto-Canelo, it couldn’t have been a more satisfying finale for me.”

By Norm Frauenheim

Canelo Alvarez showed he learned a lot from Floyd Mayweather Jr. in a painful loss that, among other things, taught him how to use power that comes with being the so-called A-side.

It’s hard to know where talks are headed for a Canelo-Gennady Golovkin fight, the biggest on boxing’s board of possibilities. But there are signs that Canelo will make demands, including a problematic one about a 155-pound catch weight.

Why? Because he can.

If and when the respective parties get to the table, we’ll know HBO’s pay-per-view numbers from Canelo-Cotto. At midweek after the Nov. 21 bout, it was reportedly tracking at about 900,000. That’s a long way from the 1.5 million that Canelo promoter Oscar De La Hoya had projected. But it’s still very good.

It adds up to leverage, all on Canelo’s side of the table. In Golovkin’s only PPV venture – an Oct. 17 victory over David Lemieux, the PPV number was reported to be 150,000.

The difference between 900,000 and 150,000 adds up to 750,000 reasons for Canelo to get his way, in much the same manner that Mayweather did. Mayweather bragged about the perks and power he had. Like it or not, he used them, too.

Canelo might not brag about his newfound role on the A-side. But he’d be fool not to make full use of them.

There already have been a few preliminaries. GGG’s representative, Tom Loeffler of K2 Promotions, went to Canelo’s post-fight party and congratulated the World Boxing Council’s new middleweight champ Saturday after his unanimous decision over Miguel Cotto at Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay.

“Gennady thought it was great performance by Canelo,’’ said Loeffler, who said GGG was in the arena for the fight.

If GGG-Canelo were to happen in May, Golovkin, first or second in pound-for-pound ratings, would be favored. With the victory over Cotto, Canelo has climbed into the debate’s top 10, but he’s in the second five.

It’s a sign, perhaps, that the 25-year-old Mexican, who won the WBC’s 160-pound title at a 155-pound catch weight, still needs more experience at middleweight.

Truth is, he has yet to face a real middleweight with first-class skill. Cotto has the skills, but he’s never been a middleweight, despite the WBC title stripped from him because he didn’t pay the sanctioning fee.

At 153.5 pounds, Cotto was half-a-pound under the junior-middleweight limit at the weigh-in. At opening bell, his trainer, Freddie Roach, said he was at 159, one pound under the middleweight limit.

As it should, GGG’s corner argues that Canelo is more of a light-heavyweight than a middleweight at fight time. He was at 170 to 175 pounds against Cotto, says GGG trainer Abel Sanchez. That’s a guesstimate, because declined at step on HBO’s scale the night of the fight. But it’s reasonable.

For now, however, the 155 mark on the day before the bout is a sure sign that Canelo is ready. Rafael Mendoza, his former advisor and manager, said that if he is a pound or two lighter, it’s a sign he weakened himself in a battle to make weight.

A pound or two heavier than 155 pounds, and he figures to be sluggish, according to Mendoza, a Hall of Famer. Canelo doesn’t have foot speed anyway. If he hits the 155 mark, however, it’s a sign that he’s in shape to move his upper body and head throughout 12 rounds. He did that, effectively and consistently against Cotto.

In the immediate aftermath of his victory of over Cotto, Canelo said he’s willing to fight GGG, yet he sidestepped the question about a 155-pound catch weight. He might have been waiting to hear the pay-per-view. That’s when he’ll really know how much power he has as boxing’s new A-sider.

By Bart Barry-

Saturday at Mandalay Bay, Mexican junior middleweight Saul “Canelo” Alvarez widely decisioned Puerto Rican junior middleweight Miguel Cotto to become the lineal middleweight champion of the world. If there were any surprises during the pay-HBO telecast, they came on the undercard – Guillermo Rigondeaux finally fought old as he looks, and Francisco Vargas and Takashi Miura made an incredible match – because nothing unexpected happened during the main event.

It’s the ferocity that counts with Canelo, and until an aficionado has been within earshot of a Canelo fight, he doesn’t know that. After four rounds in which Cotto and Canelo appeared to land an equivalent number of blows, on television anyway, analyst Roy Jones was not hesitant in his analysis: Canelo was clearly the more effective man in the match. Jim Lampley turned to big data – his buddies’ ringside Twitter scorecards – and learned they had Canelo winning every early round.

That announcement brought guffaws of disbelief from my viewing party, a group about inversely proportionate to the Mandalay Bay crowd – we had five Puerto Ricans and two Mexicans and a token white guy – with a curious exception among the guffawing Puerto Ricans: The one guy who’d been a few rows back of ringside when Canelo decisioned Austin Trout agreed absolutely Canelo was handling Cotto from the opening bell.

By round 6 it was apparent to all but Coach Freddie th’t Cotto needed a plan b, and when Coach Freddie returned Cotto to the blackmat armed only with a double-jab idea a few minutes later, a bad idea Canelo blasted crosses over, at will, Cotto decided to treat Canelo like the sort of overmatched b-level guy Cotto feasts on (excepting only Trout, a b-level guy Cotto did not feast on, Cotto’s losses come to a-level guys [or a b-level guy with an a-level equipment advantage {allegedly, allegedly!}]), and when that approach endangered Cotto’s consciousness, Cotto returned to Coach Freddie’s plan, which, in its perspicacity and nuance and adaptability, bore a frightening resemblance to Coach Freddie’s masterplan for Manny Pacquiao’s lame effort against Money May, and the only suspense that remained after that concerned the question of Canelo stopping Cotto, which Canelo simply was not good enough to do. Simply.

That’s a terrible thing to write, of course, on this, the second day of the Cinnamon Era, but aside from his impressive physicality and ferocity, Canelo is not that spectacular. And straining one’s throat to make it so will not make it so. Canelo is much, much better than anyone else Cotto fought during his rehabilitation – a vivacious union with Coach Freddie in which Cotto whispered to Coach Freddie sweet nothings about how much better things might have gone for the starcrossed men if only they’d met sooner, and Coach Freddie whispered sweet nothings to reporters and HBO cameras about the houses he’d bet on Cotto (how does one do this at the sportsbook?) – and Canelo revealed the quality of the Cotto rehabilitation almost deftly as Juan Manuel Marquez once revealed Coach Freddie’s actual improvement of Manny Pacquiao’s footwork.

If that’s ungracious, it’s also written without a hankering for a cinéma-vérité sequel to “On Freddie Roach”: The depth of Roach’s craft has not gotten shallower so much as it has splashed its way from training to marketing. Coach Freddie no longer improves his prizefighters so much as their purses; during training camp Roach sold the certainty of a Cotto victory far better than he assured it. Quite a few times Saturday, in fact, Cotto resembled no previous version of himself so much as the man anxiously scrambling away from Antonio Margarito seven years ago: face swelling, mouth agape, leadhand lowered, backhand alternately wiping and bracketing his face, four steps back-sidewaysback for every one step forwards. Aside from the obvious advantage Margarito may have had over his firehaired countryman, when they confronted Cotto, he also had this: Margarito never misspent a second of his career proving he could avoid a smaller man’s punches.

Because he couldn’t? Well, yes, but. Or perhaps, yes, and.

Margarito was an embodiment of the puncher’s compact: You hit me, and I’ll hit you, and we’ll do this until one of us is unconscious, and I don’t much care which. Had Canelo taken his gumshield more fiercely betwixt the molars and entered the same compact Saturday, there’s a very good chance he would have stopped Cotto, who showed nervous energy, ineffective nonaggressiveness, as it were, from the match’s opening minute.

There’s something like a “geometry of boxing” – Roach’s phrase – that did not fail to favor Canelo every round Cotto committed to stepping round him. More precisely put: Cotto’s circles got wider and wider as the fight progressed, which mightn’t have been a damnable thing if it were the plan, which it could not have been. If a man sets out to make as many laps possible with as little energy expended, that man should choose shorter laps and not longer ones. Cotto’s early steps-around became walks-around became skips-around became laps-around. Frankly, it’s a testament to the conditioning enhancements Wild Card fighters discover at Coach Freddie’s rejuvenating gym that Cotto stayed fresh as he did, working at a rate so much more frantic than Canelo’s.

Now we are told to ready for an epic stripping, if, according to HBO and the other handlers of the network’s middleweight champion, in the next two weeks Canelo fails to agree to open conceivable preliminary negotiations in principle for a potential fight possibly to come in the future with the undisputed HBO middleweight champion. It bears repetition: Not in this universe or the next will a sanctioning body in Mexico City strip Mexico’s most popular fighter of his middleweight title. Call it corruption or greed or scrofulous roguery, whatever, but vague as the WBC’s requirements appear, by ordering Max Kellerman to fetch his gloves in Saturday’s essential postfight interview, Canelo undoubtedly just satisfied Mexico City’s negotiation mandate, even if he shamelessly goes on to make consecutive defenses against the likes of Marco Antonio Rubio, Martin Murray and Willie Monroe Jr.

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry

HBO Sports serves up the exclusive replay of the world middleweight super fight MIGUEL COTTO VS. CANELO ALVAREZ, SATURDAY, NOV. 28 on HBO. The HBO Sports team, which was ringside for the live coverage at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, called all the action. Available in HDTV, the hard-hitting ring action will be presented along with the encore replay of the “HBO World Championship Boxing®” event featuring Wladimir Klitschko vs. Tyson Fury from Dusseldorf, Germany, beginning at 10:15 p.m. (ET/PT).

Other HBO playdates for both bouts: Nov. 29 (9:00 a.m.) and 30 (11:15 p.m.)
HBO2 playdates for both bouts: Nov. 29 (5:00 p.m.) and Dec. 1(11:00 p.m.)
The highly anticipated super fight took place Saturday, Nov. 21, live on HBO Pay-Per-View®, with 160-pound attractions Cotto and Canelo colliding in the ring.

EDDY REYNOSO: “We are very proud of Canelo today. As we all know, he started from the bottom and now he is the champion. I was never worried about him from the first round through to the 12th round. He has great defense strategy, but I was hoping that he would have finished Cotto sooner. I know that he was looking for the knock out and as a result didn’t throw as much as he should have to put Miguel on the canvas. We have a lot of respect for Miguel, he is a great fighter, and we have tremendous respect for Freddie Roach as a trainer.

CHEPO REYNOSO: “I knew he was winning. He went into this fight with a clear head and a full heart and that is what he needed to be successful tonight. I am proud of him, proud of his simplicity to admit that we were once no one and now he is the middleweight champion. I wish he would have put more pressure on Cotto from the beginning, but I knew he was enjoying himself. He showed how beautiful the sport can be when you fight in an intelligent way.”

“I have a lot of respect for Miguel. He is a great champion and a great fighter. We knew going into this fight that it would be a difficult journey, but I feel that I was the faster and stronger fighter tonight. I wasn’t hurt by his punches. I want to thank my trainers, they are like my family and the best people I know and I couldn’t have done this without them.”

I’m not afraid of any fighter. GGG is a great fighter, and he is my friend. I have respect for him, but if we do fight it’s going to be at my weight class. I’m the champion, I don’t have to do what he wants.”

“I was fully prepared for what Cotto was going to do in the ring, whether that was take a defense stance or be the aggressor.”

“Im very disappointed and upset I got caught in the first round, then I recovered and after that I thought I was winning the fight,” said Takashi Miura. “I think if I could have clenched better…I would definitely like a rematch.”

“I’m the champ, I’m the champ!” said Francisco “El Bandido” Vargas. “This is a dream come true for me, something I have been fighting for my whole life. I knew Takashi was going to be a tough opponent, that’s why he is the champion, so I had to make sure I was prepared to face a fighter like him. I feel that my preparation paid off for this fight. I knew I had to be very aggressive, and I showed that in the first round so he knew that I would not be bullied. When I was knocked down in the fourth round, I felt even more motivated to win this fight. I made sure to fight the way I wanted, how I wanted and my style and now I’m the champion of the world! I hope all the fans enjoyed themselves tonight with my performance.”

“I feel terrific after the fight,” said Guillermo Rigondeaux. “He threw heavy but his style has nothing on mine. My style outmatched his. It’s been 11 months since I’ve been in the ring and I definitely felt some cobwebs but I d like to see some other fighters be out 11 months and come back with a win. I definitely wanted to give the fans a better fight so I need to get back in to the gym, get more active to give a better performance. I promise that with the tools I have now after signing with Roc Nation that next time I’ll be explosive. Thank you to my team for helping me get this win.”

“Rigondeaux is not a fighter, he is a runner,” said Drian Francisco. “He is afraid of getting hurt and doesn’t want to fight. I felt pressured into being the aggressor during this fight because he wasn’t fighting, he was running away. He is not a power puncher and won by points. I trained really hard for this fight and I feel like it was a waste of time because I didn’t encounter a fighter tonight.”

“I was expecting that to be a tough fight, but I did my job,” said Jayson “Star” Velez. “He had some good rounds, I had some good rounds. I think the deduction is what really got me. I did my job tonight but he was better at his job tonight.”

“I felt like I dictated the pace of the fight, and I felt like I was landing more power punches than him,” said Ronny Rios. “He did throw a few body shots at me that hurt but they weren’t significant enough for me to stop pressuring him and doing what I needed to do to secure this victory. He actually surprised me; I thought he was going to use the jab all night but he was definitely getting in the inside. This is a really big victory for me. I have a belt now, and I know that bigger things will come my way because of it.”

“This was a great opportunity for me on the biggest stage,” said Alberto Machado. “We did great; this is what we worked for in the gym. I like to consider myself a diamond on the rope, but this was only a 6.5 out of 10 performance. I have to keep working and learning, and I am working toward a world championship. I am so happy for my team.”

“I’m proud of my team and myself,” said Jose “Chiquiro” Martinez. “I want to thank God and my family. This was a very tough fight, but I am just going to keep working to achieve more wins.”

“I feel very good that I am still undefeated,” said Zhang “Big Bang” Zhilei. “I was careless during that knock down. I am going to keep finghting until I am a world champion.”

LAS VEGAS (Nov. 20, 2015) An action-packed card kicked off a weekend of back-to-back fight nights in Las Vegas, preceding the highly-anticipated Miguel Cotto vs. Canelo Alvarez card at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino on Saturday, November 21 on HBO PPV. Attracting a crowd of 1,339, the night featured undefeated boxing legacy and fan-favorite Diego De La Hoya (13-0, 7 KOs) of Mexicali, Mexico facing fellow countryman Giovanni “Lloviznas” Delgado (15-4, 9 KOs) of Mexico City, Mexico in what was an explosive eight-round super bantamweight main event, live on Boxeo Estelar on Estrella TV.

Ring legend Bernard “The Alien” Hopkins, former world champion Fernando “Feroz” Vargas and Golden Boy Promotion’s fighters “King” Gabriel Rosado, who also stars in the upcoming film CREED, Ivan “Striker” Delgado, Oscar “El Jaguar” Negrete and Zachary “Zungry” Ochoa were all on hand to enjoy the night of action.

De La Hoya shined with a unanimous decision victory over Delgado in his grand return to Las Vegas and to the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. The fight saw back and forth action as both fighters traded combinations in the middle of the ring. Delgado proved a difficult opponent, landing hard combinations to the body and then following up with shots to the head of De La Hoya. De La Hoya showed his toughness and durability, taking Delgado’s shots and countering with clean effective punches of his own.

“I knew he (Delgado) was going to be a tough opponent,” said De La Hoya. “I used to spar with him when I was 15 years old so I was familiar with his style but I think now I am a faster and more intelligent fighter and that’s what gave me the victory tonight. This victory also proved to me that I have a great passion for the sport and hope to become a world champion soon. I’m not going to quit until I achieve my goal. I want to thank all the fans that came out to support me and I’m glad I closed out the year with victory.”

In the co-main event, undefeated John Karl Sosa (13-1, 6 KO’s) of Caguas, Puerto Rico battled Alan Sanchez (17-3-1, 9 KO’s) of Fairfield, CA in an eight-round welterweight bout. A tactical affair in the first few rounds, the two fighters showed their skill and ring intelligence as they got accustomed to the other’s style. Entering the final stanza of the fight, Sanchez was able to catch Sosa with a powerful shot that sent him to the canvas. Clearly hurt, Sosa bravely met the count but was sent down twice more, forcing the referee to call a stop to the bout, awarding Sanchez the win by sixth round technical knockout.

“I think my experience showed tonight. I was able to beat the favorite tonight, a young undefeated top prospect and this win means a lot to me and my career. I won and in a great way dropping him three times in the sixth round. This win proves that I have grown as a fight and am ready to go to the next level and compete for a regional title,” said Sanchez.

In the first televised bout of the evening, Guadalajara, Chihuahua, Mexico’s Horacio Garcia (30-1, 21 KO’s) took on Raul “Bule” Hidalgo (24-14, 8 KO’s) of Nuevas Casas Grandes,Chihuahua, Mexico. With Jose “Chepo” Reynoso, trainer of Canelo Alvarez in his corner, Horacio attacked Hidalgo from the opening round, landing hard shots to the head and body. The second round saw more of the same, as Garcia cornered Hidalgo on the ropes and landed clean, unanswered shots, prompting the referee to stop the fight, declaring Horacio the winner by second round technical knockout.

“This is my first time fighting in the U.S. and I feel that I gave a great performance. I am a strong, hungry fighter and this victory impressed the fans. I was prepared and I am ready to come back and show fans more,” said Garcia.

The last bout on The Ring TV’s live stream, Roy “Pitbull” Tapia (11-0-2, 6 KO’s) of East Los Angeles faced Erik Ruiz (14-4, 6 KO’s) of Oxnard, CA in an eight round super bantamweight matchup. The bout was close throughout, with both fighters landing shots at close range and trading momentum back and forth. Going to the scorecards, Ruiz was able to come away with a win via split decision.

“I thought I won the majority of the rounds but I got the win and that’s all that matters. Roy was a really tough guy and he came out throwing hard to the body like he said he would. It was a good fight and I’m glad the fans enjoyed it,” said Ruiz.

“He was beating me to the punch from the first round and it made it difficult to keep my rhythm. Honestly, I felt like I had lost but I know that I will come back stronger when I am in the ring next,” said Tapia.

As part of The Ring TV’s live stream, crowd favorite, Jason “El Animal” Quigley (9-0, 8 KO’s) put on a show as always in a four-round super middleweight bout against Marchristopher Adkins (5-2, 2 KO’s) of Dallas, TX. Quigley boxed effectively, controlling the distance and landing clean, hard shots, earning his first unanimous decision victory.

“It’s very exciting to get a knockout, but it’s also good to go the distance. I felt I showed my fans that I can box as well. I was in control the whole time and able to pressure him whenever I wanted. At the end, I knew I won every round,” said Quigley.

Opening up The Ring TV’s live stream, Francisco Esparza (2-0, 1 KO) of Las Vegas, NV, battled Jose Rodriguez (2-2, 1 KO) of San Juan, Puerto Rico. In a thrilling opening bout, the two fighters traded shots in the center of the ring, setting the tone for the card. At the end of the bout, Esparza was awarded a majority decision victory making his trainer Fernado “Feroz” Vargas proud.

“This was my second professional fight and I felt more comfortable and able to pace myself. I was also able to apply pressure when I wanted. My strategy was to move my head and break him down on the inside and I feel I did that efficiently tonight,” said Esparza.

Diego De La Hoya vs. Giovanni Delgado was presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona Extra and Carmelita Chorizo. Doors opened at 4:30 p.m. and the first bout began at 5:00 p.m. The Boxeo Estelar broadcast aired live on Estrella TV at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00p.m. PT. The card also streamed live on EstrellaTV.com and on YouTube via FenomenoStudios. The Ring TV live stream began at approximately 5:00 p.m. PT through 6:00 p.m and was viewed on RingTVLive.com, YIPTV.com, Fightsports.tv, UCNLive.com,Facebook.com/RingTV, Livestream.com, and The Ring TV Channels on Roku and Amazon Fire.

For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.estrellatv.com, www.hardrockhotel.com, follow on twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @EstrellaTV, @HardRockHotelLV and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/EstrellaTVNetwork, www.facebook.com/HardRockHotelLV visit us on Instagram at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @EstrellaTV and @HardRockHotelLV and follow theconversation using #BoxeoEstelar.

By Norm Frauenheim-

LAS VEGAS – Measuring interest in a fight isn’t exactly a science. It’s more a haphazard adventure. Either a so-called buzz is there, or it isn’t. For a couple of days, media prospectors were sifting though all the events surrounding Miguel Cotto-Canelo Alvarez, searching for one.

For days, not much was there. Echoes instead of real noise created doubt about the pay-per-view hopes and suspicions about fans staying away from Mandalay Bay Saturday night because of skepticism left over from the Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao mess in May.

But the empty echoes were suddenly gone Friday. Instead, there was a buzz that filled three ballrooms from crowds of fans who waited in line for three to four hours to watch the Cotto-Canelo weigh-in.

The buzz was off-the-scale amid sudden optimism about pay-per-view numbers for an HBO telecast (6 p.m. PT/9 p.m. ET) that Golden Boy promoter Oscar De La Hoya has said could approach 1.5 million.

That expectation might still be too high. But a buzzing crowd at the weigh-in indicated that a very good PPV audience is likely. Latino fans – Puerto Rican for Cotto (40-4, 33 KOs) and Mexican for Canelo (45-1-1, 32 KOs) – jammed one ballroom for the live weigh-in and two adjacent ballrooms to watch the telecast.

Both made the catch-weight, 155 pounds, for a 160-pound, middleweight title that the WBC stripped from Cotto on Monday after he refused to pay the $300,000 sanctioning fee. A sculpted Canelo was right at the agreed-upon weight. Cotto was at 153.5, which is a half-pound lighter than the junior-middleweight limit. This is a middleweight fight in name only. But it doesn’t matter.

The anticipation is real for a classic, cut straight out of the rich tradition of the Mexican-Puerto Rican history.

“They are here because they think they are about see a war,’’ De La Hoya said.

The war parallel is little tired and probably too much, especially these days with all that is going in France and Syria. But boxing without hyperbole is a fight without a buzz. Nobody would care.

At the weigh-in, the roar said — again and again — that a lot people care intensely about one fight that might take the business beyond Pacquiao-Mayweather.

The weigh-in included at least one disappointing moment. Unbeaten Randy Caballero was at 123.5, or 5.5 pounds too heavy for the 118-mandtaory in a scheduled defense of his IBF bantamweight title against the UK”s Lee Haskins. About an hour after the weigh-in, the Nevada State Athletic Commission said that the title fight had been cancelled.

Did it matter? No, not at all. If there were any complaints, you couldn’t hear them. You could hear only that buzz.

LONDON (Nov 20) – Miguel Cotto’s trainer Freddie Roach wants the Puerto Rican ace to rematch and knockout pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather.

The Hall of Fame trainer believes he has the right strategy to overcome boxing’s number one fighter and wants four-weight champion Cotto to face him again should he be victorious in his middleweight blockbuster this weekend against Canelo Alvarez, live on BoxNation.

35-year-old Cotto was outpointed by Mayweather when they met in May 2012 but had not yet joined forces with the much respected Roach, someone who Cotto believes would have helped him knockout the now retired superstar.

“I would love for Miguel to win this fight [against Canelo] by knockout, call out Mayweather and then end his career,” said Roach.

“Miguel always tells me that if he had me in his corner when he fought Mayweather he would have knocked him out. He tells me that story all the time.

“I think Miguel could pull off the strategy I have to beat Mayweather. I think that would be a good fight for him. I think I could put Miguel in a very aggressive mode,” he said.

Any hopes of facing Mayweather however could be dashed this Saturday night when Cotto steps into the ring against Mexican foe Canelo.

The former unified light-middleweight champion goes in as the bookies favourite in the fight but trainer Roach says his man is in top shape and ready to expose the Latino boxing idol.

“Miguel has had a great training camp for this fight. We’re 100% ready for this fight, the biggest fight of the year. I’ve never seen Miguel better than this,” said Roach.

“We are going to box a lot in this fight. We’re not just going out there looking for a knockout. I don’t want him doing that. I want him using his foot speed and his angles. He’s a more complete fighter now than ever.

“Canelo’s defence is terrible. He follows you wherever you go. He’s like a robot. If you use angles on him, he will be lost. He cannot make adjustments well,” he said.

Flame-haired Canelo though is well aware of the threat he is up against but will be looking to continue the momentum from his last fight that saw him knockout James Kirkland inside three rounds.

“I’ve had a great preparation. I’ve worked very hard. I am patiently waiting for Saturday night to have my hand raised in victory once again. It’s going to be a difficult fight – I know that – but that is why I prepared properly, and I am ready to give a great fight,” said Canelo.

British fighter Lee Haskins is also set to feature on the undercard as he takes on Randy Caballero for the IBF bantamweight world title.

The Bristol boxer will get his chance to shine under the bright lights of Las Vegas and can’t wait to step into the ring.

“Fighting in Las Vegas, fighting in a fight of this magnitude, I never thought in my dreams I would be on an undercard like this, that’s what’s giving me the extra push. It feels absolutely amazing just to be here,” said Haskins.

“The magnitude of the fight, seeing everybody here, just up in the middle of the Vegas square, it’s incredible.

“I’m sure he’s done a lot of sparing and he’s just as ready as myself. I’m just looking forward to having a great fight,” he said.

Cotto v Canelo is live on BoxNation (Sky 437/490HD, Virgin 525, TalkTalk 415, online or app) this Saturday night. Visit boxnation.com to subscribe.

-Ends-
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By Alejandro Echevarria

Whether or not the WBC Middleweight Title is on the line this Saturday’s match between Miguel Cotto (40-4-0, 33Ko’s) and Saúl “Canelo” Alvarez (45-1-1, 32Ko’s) will decide who the lineal middleweight champion will be. If all the pieces fall in place, it will also decide who fights Gennady Golovkin for recognition as the best middleweight on the planet. That is one of the many aspects that make this fight interesting. The storied rivalry between Mexican and Puerto Rican boxers and the fact that both fighters are at (or close to) the peak of their popularity also adds to the significance of the bout.

With that being said, what makes this fight appealing to many boxing fans and insiders is that the match-up of styles suggests this will be a war. Both fighters are good boxers but both are fighters. They are usually willing to trade, they both have power and both have shown to have a fight instinct instead of the flight one.
Canelo brings more stopping power to the fight but Cotto’s recent displays as a middleweight suggest he can also hurt bigger fighters. Similarly, Canelo proved he can use his strength and aggression to overcome a more skilled boxer as he did against Lara. It is easy to imagine that Cotto’s edge in class is offset by Canelo’s youth and physical advantages leaving us with a very even playing field.

Even though odds makers have the young Mexican as a 3 to 1 favorite, boxing analysts see this as a much more even fight and I agree. I do believe that whoever wins the fight will probably do so in a convincing fashion but that will be more because of the way these fighters carry themselves in the ring than because there will be a significance difference between them as fighters. Both of them will leave everything in the ring and, as happens to most fighters who fight this way, when they lose they will do so in spectacular fashion.

Most agree that for Miguel to win he has to use his well timed jab, foot work and not a small amount of body work. Canelo should be looking to press the action. If he can impose his size and strength on Cotto, who has had problems with this in the past, he should be able to get a stoppage in the second half of the fight. This same fight plan could instead prove deadly for Saúl if Cotto is able to disrupt his momentum with jabs and footwork as this would eventually lead to openings for left hooks to the body.

Regardless of who is ahead on the scorecards after the sixth round, the manner in which these initial rounds are fought will probably determine the outcome of the fight. Canelo has to land some big shots. Otherwise he will succumb to frustration and be worn down by Cotto’s left hand. Cotto needs to avoid punishment and must conserve his energy. If he doesn’t, his 35 year-old, battle-ravaged body will not hold up for twelve rounds.

With Freddie Roach in his corner, the four-division Puerto Rican champion seems revitalized. Whether this is just a mirage or he has really regained part of the physical prowess that made him so dangerous early in his career is up for discussion but the fact that he believes it doesn’t seem to be. I expect to see a very confident Miguel Cotto use his timing and footwork to stop Canelo from putting combinations together. Alvarez will have his moments and will probably win some of these rounds but at too high a cost. Cotto’s jab will be there at all times zapping Canelo of the necessary confidence to press the action and if left hooks are landing, his stamina may very well be diminished before the twelfth round. It’s not impossible for Cotto to get a late stoppage but I don’t think it will happen. More likely we will see a Cotto, ahead on the score cards, do enough to win a unanimous. Canelo will prove too strong to go down.
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Quality of opponents – Within their last five fights, both fighters shared two opponents. They both lost against Floyd Mayweather while Alvarez defeated Austin Trout to whom Cotto lost. Against “Money” Mayweather, Cotto looked better and was more efficient but he was clearly beat by Trout whom Canelo knocked down en route to a unanimous decision victory.

Canelo looked impressive in his two stoppage victories against Alfredo Angulo and James Kirkland. Of these two, the Kirkland victory stands out because it was fought the way the “Mandingo Warrior” wanted, that is to say it was a slugfest, and still Canelo won with a “Knockout of the Year” candidate.

Regarding his split decision win against Erislandy Lara, many thought this fight could’ve gone either way. Canelo had trouble dealing with the lateral movements and angles Lara presented but nonetheless came out with a victory. In this fight, Canelo proved that he can press enough and has enough hand speed to deal with slicker boxers.
On his side, since losing consecutive fights against Mayweather and Trout, Cotto has stringed three stoppages in a row. He outclassed and out gunned an over matched Delvin Rodríguez then challenged linear middleweight champion Sergio Martínez. Martínez had gone down in his last three fights, was almost knocked out against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (after which he needed surgery on his knee) and squeaked by Martin Murray in a fight that could’ve gone either way. Still, Cotto looked sharp and powerful in his first fight as a middleweight.

Against Daniel Geale, a former middleweight beltholder, Cotto again looked impressive until Geale quit after going down twice in round four. It must be noted that Geale looked drained the day of the weigh-in where a catch weight of 155 pounds was set but not met by Geale.

These recent fights offer a bit of an insight into the fighter’s strengths and weaknesses. Cotto’s two losses came at the hands of slick boxers and before his switch to training with Freddie Roach. His three victories came against foes that were either not on his level or not in their prime. Canelo’s loss to Mayweather and struggles against Lara show that he also has issues with angles and speed. His victories against a diminished Angulo and a James Kirkland without Anne Wolfe in his corner were impressive but not unexpected.

If we look back at their entire records, Cotto’s is more impressive. He’s faced more undefeated fighters, more past and eventual champions and more A-level opponents. He’s also come up short on his two biggest matches (Mayweather and Pacquiao) but his experience will serve him well. Still, I believe Canelo has a slight edge based on his victories over Lara, where he edged an opponent with a wrong style for him, and Kirkland where he fought his opponent’s fight and still came out with the win. In a sport where the saying “what have you done for me lately?” is so important, Alvarez has made a statement with his three most recent victories.

Defense and Chin – Neither fighter is a defensive master. Cotto may hold a slight advantage because his footwork is more polished and effective than Canelo’s but Alvarez is definitely the stronger more resilient fighter. It helps Canelo that he is quite fresh despite having 47 fights under his belt and has not been through the wars Cotto has endured. Even though Cotto has not been cut or badly bruised in his last fights, he hasn’t been hit by a big puncher in some time.

Both fighters have been hurt by single punches in the past. Cotto against the likes of Ricardo Torres, “Chop Chop” Corley and Zab Judah and Canelo against Jose Cotto but those all seem to be in the distant past. If this becomes a give and take fight, Canelo will probably have more resilience down the stretch and that may prove to be the difference maker.

Skill an Technique – In terms of pure skill and boxing technique, it is Cotto who holds the upper hand. A decorated amateur and Olympic boxer, Cotto has proven he can outbox almost everybody (his victory over an almost prime Shane Mosley being the best example of this) when he is sharp. His well timed jab is a very disruptive weapon and carries enough pop to stun and stop the momentum for many fighters (he’s even floored several of his opponents with it).

Canelo has very good hand speed and when he feels comfortable in his stance, he can let those heavy hands go in good multi-punch combinations. Still, he has issues with moving targets and angles which Cotto could very well use to his advantage. If he freezes against Cotto, the Puerto Rican’s jab and left hook could prove deadly to whatever Canelo’s fight plan is.

At the end of the day, if Cotto could box for 12 rounds and avoid a give and take fight, he would probably come out on top.

Strength and Power – Here is another category where one of the boxers holds a clear advantage. Even though they both started at the welterweight limit, Canelo is the naturally bigger guy and seems to have a bit more pop in his punches. In his victories against Carlos Baldomir, Alfonso Gómez and most recently James Kirkland, The Mexican proved he can hurt opponents with single shots. Cotto usually needs to break down opponents before he can get his stoppages.

Both fighters can hurt each other but Canelo has a bigger opportunity of landing a single punch or combination that can determine the course of the fight. Cotto hasn’t been hurt by a single punch in some time but, has also not been hit by a big puncher in some time as well. Were they to trade punch for punch, Canelo would have a clear advantage.

Miscellaneous and Intangibles – As the name suggests, there are other aspects to consider. The last time Canelo was in a fight of this magnitude he lost and seemed frustrated by the end of the fight. Will the memories of the Mayweather fight haunt the young boxer and keep him from performing at his best? Is Cotto’s resurgence real or just the by-product of great matchmaking? Will Canelo’s lengthy training camp result in over training and drain him of the necessary explosiveness he will need to come out victorious? Can Cotto take the kind of shots that Canelo has landed on the likes of Angulo and Kirkland? And most important, are we in line to see a true classic? Out of all these questions, the one I would like most to be answered in the affirmative is the last one.

In anticipation of the upcoming fight, ESPN boxing experts share their forecast and analysis around the match between superstars Miguel Cotto and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez.

Julio Cesar Chavez, former boxing star and ESPN Deportes’ A Los Golpes analyst
As Mexican, logically I’m rooting for Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez. I also lean towards him for his youth, strength and hunger for winning the fight.

Ivan “El Iron Boy” Calderon, former professional boxer and ESPN Deportes’ boxing coverage analyst
If Miguel follows his style of blocking a giving at the same time, he could surprise. But I as things are looking, I have to lean towards Canelo.

Joe Cortez, ex boxing referee
This is a fight that will please fans […]. It’s going to be very close, but I align myself with Cotto winning by divided decision.

The boxing legends will appear as special guests in Cotto vs. Canelo: a One Nación & A Los Golpes Special, airing Thursday, November 19 at 7:30 pm ET on ESPN Deportes, and Friday, Nov. 20 at 6:30 pm on ESPNEWS. The pre-show show is hosted by the Networks’ boxing experts Bernardo Osuna, Claudia Trejos and Marysol Castro.

Bernardo Osuna, lead commentator and reporter for ESPN and ESPN Deportes’ boxing coverage
Any time a Mexican and a Puerto Rican fighter step into the ring, special things happen and I expect the same when Cotto and Canelo fight on Saturday night, giving us a battle worthy of this great rivalry.

Claudia Trejos, ESPN’s Friday Night Fights host
Puerto Rico vs Mexico is the most exciting rivalry in boxing. I expect Cotto-Canelo to be one for the books

Marysol Castro, ESPN’s Premier Boxing Champions host
Both of these fighters are looking to take home a title that is legendary between Puerto Rico and Mexico. It will be a thriller for sure and with national bragging rights on the line, I am going to go with Miguel Cotto.

For more information on ESPN and ESPN Deportes’ extended coverage around the fight, see http://es.pn/1WZGFim

LONDON (19 Nov) – Four-weight world champion Miguel Cotto has praised his legendary trainer Freddie Roach as the man to mastermind his victory over Mexican rival Canelo Alvarez.

The Puerto Rican icon’s fight week preparations have been marred in controversy after he was stripped of his WBC middleweight belt for failing to pay the governing bodies sanctioning fees.

As a result, Cotto will no longer be able to defend his world title for Saturday night’s megafight, exclusively live on BoxNation, but is certain he will emerge the victor after joining forces with the esteemed Roach, who has turned his career around with three wins in a row.

“Everything happens when it is the time to happen. I arrived three years ago, and my career had a different way to go right now because of Freddie, because of what Freddie did to myself,” said Cotto.

“I don’t know what would happen in my career if Freddie was with me before. Nobody can know that.

“We have developed a good chemistry between us. We can talk about our plans, what is going to be best for us during the fight. Our chemistry is the best thing we have with each other. Freddie has done such a great job and we are very prepared for this fight,” he said.

Hall of Fame trainer Roach is also upbeat, backing his man to take care of business in sensational style this weekend when he steps in against the formidable Canelo, who has 45 wins with just one loss – that coming against pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather.

“We’ve had three great fights so far, and I expect the best one to be coming up soon,” said Roach.

“I think Miguel is the best fighter he’s ever fought, and I think he’s handpicked opponents. Mayweather was a tough fighter but not a big puncher, and this is the first heavy puncher he’s going against.

“Miguel has looked great in his last three fights, and his punching power is improving, and he’s using every bit of his body weight to do that, and it’s something we have been working on, and he’s punching very well.

“I feel that this guy gets hit too much, and I think Miguel will knock him out somewhere along the way. It’s going to be a great fight, and we are looking for a knock out in this fight, and we will be the first person to knock out Alvarez,” said a confident Roach.

35-year-old Cotto will enter the ring as the more experienced man having turned professional nearly 15 years ago when he made his debut in February 2001 with a first round stoppage over Jason Doucet.

Cotto claims a win over Canelo will be his biggest victory and has revealed that the time is near at hand for him to hang up his gloves.

“Boxing is the only thing I know to do in life. I’ve been working for the benefit of my family. I said before that I’m going to retire myself. I am 35 years old. I plan to be in boxing no longer than a year from now,” said Cotto.

“I don’t want to be in the sport for that much longer. I see two or three more fights and that will be all.

“This win will probably be the biggest victory of my career, but at the end of the road it’s just going to be victory No. 41 for me,” he said.

Cotto v Canelo is live on BoxNation (Sky 437/490HD, Virgin 525, TalkTalk 415, online or app) this Saturday night. Visit boxnation.com to subscribe.

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LAS VEGAS (Nov. 19, 2015) – The Ring Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Champion Miguel Cotto (40-4, 33 KOs) and former WBC and WBA Super Welterweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez (45-1-1, 32 KOs) completed their final press conference yesterday at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas ahead of their Nov. 21 world championship showdown, which will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View.

Cotto vs. Canelo is shaping up to be the biggest fight in boxing this year and the biggest fight in the history of the famed Puerto Rico vs. Mexico rivalry. Below is what the fighters, trainers and dais guests had to say at today’s final main event press conference:

MIGUEL COTTO, The Ring Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Champion:

“We are hours away from the fight. We had a great training camp in Los Angeles for several weeks. All I have to say is that I am ready for the fight. I know that Canelo is ready too. Let’s give the fans the fight they need from us.

“Freddie brings his best to every day and every session. The least I can do is bring my best too. I think the chemistry between us grows every day.

“We are going to apply our strategy in the best way possible. And I have no doubt that what we worked on in LA for seven weeks is going to be the key for a victory.

“I don’t need a belt to fight Canelo.”

CANELO ÁLVAREZ, Former WBC and WBA Super Welterweight World Champion:

“Thank you all for the support you’ve given me and this great event. Also, the reception that each and every one of you have given to me, I’m very grateful. I’ve had a great preparation. I’ve worked very hard. I am patiently waiting for Saturday night to have my hand raised in victory once again. It’s going to be a difficult fight, I know that, but that is why I prepared properly, and I am ready to give a great fight.”

FREDDIE ROACH, International Boxing Hall of Famer & Seven-Time BWAA Trainer of the Year Award Winner, Miguel Cotto Trainer:

“Miguel has a great training camp for this fight. We’re 100% ready for this fight, the biggest fight of the year. I’ve never seen Miguel better than this.

“Miguel is stronger. His condition is great. We had about 6-7 sparring partners for this fight. And we’re headed into our last workout today.

“I would love for Miguel to win this fight by knockout, call out Mayweather and then end his career. Miguel always tells me that if he had me in his corner when he fought Mayweather he would have knocked him out. He tells me that story all the time. I think Miguel could pull off the strategy I have to beat Mayweather. I think that would be a good fight for him. I think I could put Miguel in a very aggressive mode.

“We are going to box a lot in this fight. We’re not just going out there looking for a knockout. I don’t want him doing that. I want him using his foot speed and his angles. He’s a more complete fighter now than ever.

“Canelo’s defense is terrible. He follows you wherever you go. He’s like a robot. If you use angles on him, he will be lost. He cannot make adjustment well.

“We need a fight like this. It’s great for the sport.

EDDY REYNOSO, Head Trainer for Canelo Álvarez:

“We are prepared to win our second WBC title on Nov. 21.”

CHEPO REYNOSO, Manager and Trainer for Canelo Álvarez:

“On the Canelo team we have a saying that, ‘what you do right cannot have a bad outcome.’ We worked very hard with 14 weeks of camp and not one day was without hard work and enthusiasm. We will see Canelo’s hand raised in victory on Nov. 21. After 14 weeks of hard work, we see him just days away with the same enthusiasm to be the champion, to be one of the best. Another saying we have on our team is, ‘the fight is won in the gym. In the ring, they just raise your hand.”

MICHAEL YORMARK, President & Chief of Branding and Strategy Roc Nation:

“The great Sugar Ray Robinson once said “rhythm is everything in boxing. Every move you make starts with your heart, and that’s in rhythm or you’re in trouble.”
When you think about these two great champions that sit before you – Miguel Cotto and Canelo Alvarez – I think it is fair to say that everything they do comes from their heart. Because when they step into that ring on Saturday night, under the lights of the Mandalay Bay Events Center and HBO Pay-Per-View, not only will they be fighting for themselves and their own glory, but also for the pride and glory of their family, their fans, and their country.
“There are over a million compliments I could pay the champ, Miguel Cotto.But one thing I can tell you is when I visited him in training camp, I walked away literally exhausted by his effort, his passion and his commitment – I came away feeling bad for Canelo. It is clear that Miguel Cotto fights for a purpose well beyond himself. He fights for family and he fights for country. He knows the history of the Puerto Rico-Mexico rivalry, he knows that Puerto Rico currently holds the advantage, and he fully intends to extend that advantage on Saturday night.”
OSCAR DE LA HOYA, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions:

“Miguel Cotto vs. Canelo Alvarez. Puerto Rico vs. Mexico. Puncher vs. puncher. Younger lion against….older lion. This fight has all the makings of an instant classic for the Lineal Middleweight World Championship. And, at least for Canelo, the WBC world championship.

“For Latinos all over the world, this is our Super Bowl. This is an event that not one Hispanic, not one Latino is going to miss. That is how important this event is to us. Puerto Rico vs. Mexico is like no other event for those countries. This is like our Super Bowl, that’s how important this event is.”

HECTOR SOTO, Vice President of Miguel Cotto Promotions:

“This Saturday, all of us will witness probably the best fight in the last 10 years. For the last eight weeks, Miguel Cotto has trained very hard to get ready for this fight. Thank you everybody for your support and we will see you Saturday night.”

MAURICIO SULAIMAN, President of the WBC:

“I am proud to celebrate this highly anticipated match between two icons representing their countries, their legacy and their pride.”

RICHARD STURM, President of Spoorts and Entertainment, MGM Resorts International:

“We are excited to host the clash of two champions who will bring a high level of intensity this Saturday night. They will provide fans with an exciting evening of world class boxing. Thanks to Roc Nation Sports, Golden Boy Promotions, Miguel Cotto, Canelo Alvarez, HBO, and Bob Bennet at the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Thanks to all for one of the greatest fights of the year.”

MARK TAFFET, Senior Vice President of HBO Sports Operations:

“This is an outstanding week and one we will remember forever. It’s exciting to be working as a fan on one of the most special events of boxing this year. Cotto-Canelo features the biggest stars in one of the biggest fights of the year.

“Earlier this year HBO was proud to feature events with both Cotto and Canelo. In May Canelo’s fight on HBO World Championship Boxing generated 2.1 million viewers and in June, Miguel generated 1.6 million views also on HBO World Championship Boxing. We can’t wait to bring this fight to all of their fans who tuned in earlier this year. We know that they carry their respective nations on their backs and we know that Cotto vs. Canelo will likely be a fight that will talked about for years to come.”

BERNARD HOPKINS, Future Hall of Famer and Golden Boy Promotions Partner:

“In any sport, you want to be the best and say you are the best but few prove it. Thanks to Cotto, thanks to Canelo for giving us this mega fight. This fight is why boxing hasn’t been forgotten and never will.”

Cotto vs. Canelo, a 12-round fight for the Lineal Middleweight World Championship, takes place Saturday, Nov. 21 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. The fight is presented by Roc Nation Sports, Golden Boy Promotions, Miguel Cotto Promotions and Canelo Promotions and sponsored by Corona Extra; Mexico, Live it to Believe it!; O’Reilly Auto Parts; Tequila Cazadores and Corporate Travel Made Simple (ctms). Also on the pay-per-view telecast will be Takashi Miura vs. Francisco Vargas in a 12-round co-featured fight for the WBC Super Featherweight World Championship presented in association with Teiken Promotions; Guillermo Rigondeaux vs. Drian Francisco in a 10-round super bantamweight bout presented in association with Caribe Promotions; and Jayson Velez vs. Ronny Rios is a 10-round featherweight bout which will open the Pay-Per-View telecast. The event will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

Randy Caballero vs. Lee Haskins, a 12-round fight for the IBF Bantamweight World Championship, is presented in association with Bristol Boxing Ltd. and will be featured as part of the preliminary undercards available on digital platforms starting at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT.

In addition to the great action inside the ring, the event will feature a special live performance by 2015 Latin Grammy nominee Yandel. The performance will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View after the second fight of the pay-per-view telecast.

A limited number of tickets priced at $2,000, $1,750, $1,250 and $650, not including applicable service charges, can be purchased at the Mandalay Bay box office, ticketmaster.com, mandalaybay.com, all Ticketmaster locations or by calling (800) 745-3000. Ticket orders are limited to four per person.

Tickets for closed circuit viewings of Cotto vs. Canelo at select MGM Resorts International properties in Las Vegas are priced at $75, not including applicable service charges, and can be purchased at all MGM Resorts International Ticket Offices, http://www.ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations or by calling (800) 745-3000.

Miguel Cotto vs. Canelo Alvarez will be presented live with Fathom Events in select theaters nationwide. Tickets for theater screenings of Cotto vs. Canelo can be purchased online by visiting www.FathomEvents.com or at participating theater box offices. For a complete list of theater locations visit www.fathomevents.com/event/cotto-vs-canelo-live.

Sports bars, restaurants, casinos (outside of Clark County, NV) and other commercial establishments can order Cotto vs. Canelo by contacting Joe Hand Promotions at 1-800-557-4263 or visit www.JoeHandPromotions.com. Joe Hand Promotions is the exclusive commercial distributor for Cotto vs. Canelo throughout the United States and Canada.

For more information, visit www.rocnation.com, www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.promocionesmiguelcotto.com, www.canelopromotions.com.mx, www.hbo.com/boxing and www.mandalaybay.com; follow on Twitter at @RocNation, @GoldenBoyBoxing, @RealMiguelCotto, @Canelo, @HBOBoxing, and @MandalayBay; become a fan on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/RocNation, www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/RealMiguelACotto, www.facebook.com/SaulCaneloAlvarez, www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing and www.facebook.com/MandalayBay; and follow on Instagram @rocnation, @GoldenBoyBoxing, @realmiguelacotto, @Canelo, @HBOboxing and @MandalayBay. Follow the conversation using #CottoCanelo.