LAS VEGAS (May 27, 2014) – The hottest fight of the summer of 2014 deserves a sizzling undercard, and Golden Boy Promotions and SHOWTIME PPV are pleased to announce the three bouts that will support the main event featuring Canelo Alvarez and Erislandy Lara on Saturday, July 12 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

In the co-main event, former three-division world champion Abner Mares returns to face Puerto Rico’s Jonathan Oquendo in a 10-round featherweight bout. In the SHOWTIME PPV opening bout, Johan Perez defends his interim WBA Junior Welterweight World Championship against Mauricio Herrera in s 12-round match up.

Rounding out the four-fight pay-per-view event, Puerto Rican star and former world champion Juan Manuel “JuanMa” Lopez battles Mexico’s Francisco “El Bandido” Vargas in a 10-round bout for the WBO International Super Featherweight Title.

“The Canelo vs. Lara card is shaping up to be an extraordinary one for fight fans around the world,” said Oscar De La Hoya, President of Golden Boy Promotions. “When you get a Mexican fighter like Francisco Vargas and a Puerto Rican fighter like JuanMa Lopez together-the greatest nationalistic rivalry in all of boxing-there will be fireworks. Then you have Johan Perez and Mauricio Herrera, two skilled hungry fighters who know their way around the sweet science, making this a dream fight. And, lastly, we have the highly anticipated return of Abner Mares against hard-hitting Jonathan Oquendo. So get ready for another memorable night at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.”

“I’m in great shape, I have momentum on my side after beating Daniel Ponce De Leon, and I’m ready for Francisco Vargas,” said Lopez. “The MGM Grand was where I had one of my biggest wins against Rafael Marquez, and I’m looking forward to more success there on July 12.”

“JuanMa Lopez is a great fighter and 2 time world champion, and we’re going to give the fans a fight to remember,” said Vargas. “I feel like this is my time, and with a win over JuanMa, it will get me that much closer to a world title shot.”

“It’s been a long time, but I can’t wait to step into the ring and hear my name called again,” said Mares. “Jonathan Oquendo is a respectable fighter and I know he’s coming to win, but he is in the way of another world title, so I have to get him out of there.”

“Puerto Rico vs. Mexico always produces great fights, and this fight won’t be any different,” said Oquendo. “A win over Mares will do big things for my career, and I plan on leaving Vegas with the victory.”

“Every fighter dreams of fighting in Las Vegas, and on July 12, I get my chance,” said Perez. “Mauricio Herrera is a great test and tough Challenger to my title. I feel Herrera beat Garcia and because of that he is the best and I want to fight the best. We’re going to give the fans a great battle.”

“You have to respect Johan Perez for all he’s accomplished in such a short time, and I see him as a very dangerous fighter,” said Herrera. “But my only goal is to win the title, and to get there, I have to beat him on July 12.”

Beloved Puerto Rican power puncher Juan Manuel “JuanMa” Lopez (34-3, 31 KOs) is undergoing a career resurgence at 30-years-old. With wins in three of his last four bouts, all by knockout, he is soaring in the 130-pound rankings. In his most recent match on March 15, Caguas’ Lopez stopped Daniel Ponce De Leon in the second round of their rematch. Considering that his last Las Vegas bout was a stirring eighth-round stoppage of Rafael Marquez in 2010, Lopez is confident of victory on July 12.

A member of the 2008 Mexican Olympic team, 29-year-old Francisco “El Bandido” Vargas (19-0-1, 13 KOs) has made his way to the top of the 130-pound division. After a trio of important victories over Brandon Bennett, Jerry Belmontes and Abner Cotto, the Mexico City standout is ranked No. 2 in the WBO and ready for his shot at a world title. But first he has to handle this step up in class and defeat former world champion Juan Manuel Lopez.

A member of the 2004 Mexican Olympic team, 28-year-old Abner Mares (26-1-1, 14 KOs) of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, and fighting out of Downey, Calif., earned a spot on boxing’s pound-for-pound list in 2013 when he stopped Ponce De Leon in nine rounds to win his third divisional world title, the WBC Featherweight crown. In his last start on Aug. 24, on SHOWTIME, Mares was upset by Jhonny Gonzalez. But Mares, the previous owner of world championships at bantamweight and super bantamweight is anxious to return to the ring to begin his quest for another world championship.

One of Puerto Rico’s top contenders for world title honors, Jonathan “Polvo’ Oquendo (24-3, 16 KOs) is a hard-hitting pro who has won 10 of his last 12 bouts, seven by knockout. A victor over Jose Luis Araiza, Eden Sonsona, and Alejandro Montiel, the 30-year-old native of Bayamon is coming off a 12-round unanimous decision win over top prospect Guillermo Avila, setting the stage for his showdown with Mares.

A native of Caracas, Venezuela, 30-year-old Johan “El Terrible” Perez (19-1-1, 13 KOs) has returned to the top of the 140-pound division, bouncing back from the lone loss of his career against Pablo Cesar Cano in 2012 to win four straight bouts. In November of 2013, Perez regained the interim WBA World Junior Welterweight title by handing former champion Paul Spadafora his first career defeat. Perez has since successfully defended the crown once, stopping Fernando Monte de Oca in 10 rounds last May 10.

Mauricio “El Maestro” Herrera (20-4, 7 KOs), of Riverside, Calif., has long been a favorite of hardcore boxing fans for his gritty determination and well-balanced attack in the ring. But this past March, the world got to witness just how talented the 33-year-old is, as he pushed junior welterweight champion Danny Garcia to the brink before losing a razor-thin majority decision. Eager to get back on top, Herrera gets his chance to do just that on July 12.

“Honor & Glory: Canelo vs. Lara,” a 12-round junior middleweight fight taking place Saturday, July 12 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Canelo Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. In the co-main event Abner Mares returns to face Puerto Rico’s Jonathan Oquendo in a 10-round featherweight bout. In the SHOWTIME PPV opening bout, Johan Perez defends his interim WBA World Junior Welterweight Title against Mauricio Herrera in a 12-round match up. Also featured, Juan Manuel “JuanMa” Lopez meets Francisco “El Bandido” Vargas of Mexico in a 10-round bout for the WBO International Super Featherweight Title.

Tickets are still available at the $750, $500, $250, $150 and $75 price ranges, not including applicable service charges. Tickets are limited to eighteen (18) per person with a limit of eight (8) at the $75 price ranges. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

The event will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. The event can be heard in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP). For information visit www.SHO.com/Sports. Canelo vs. Lara will be shown on the big screen in movie theaters across the country via Fathom Events. Information will be available at www.fathomevents.com.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, and www.mgmgrand.com, follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @CaneloOficial, @LaraBoxing, @abnermares00, @jonathanoquen, @juanma_lopez, @elbandido130, @elmaestro1, @mgmgrand, @SHOSports and @Swanson_Comm, follow the conversation using #CaneloLara and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing.

LONDON (May 21) – BoxNation’s bulging summer calendar has got even more crammed with the addition of two huge Golden Boy Promotions shows featuring Gary Russell Jr against Vasyl Lomachenko on June 21 and Erislandy Lara taking on Canelo Alvarez on July 12.

The two bills join an already jam-packed schedule which has recently seen WBC middleweight world champion Sergio Martinez’s clash with Miguel Cotto added, plus names such as Adonis Stevenson, Terence Crawford, Guillermo Rigondeaux, Tyson Fury, Dereck Chisora and many more featuring live and exclusive over the coming months.

The impending battle between Russell Jr and two-time Olympic gold medalist Lomachenko will see two of boxing’s best craftsmen compete for the vacant WBO featherweight world title.

Lomachenko made an historic bid for the world title in only his second professional bout when he was beaten via split decision by Mexican warrior Orlando Salido, who missed his chance at claiming the title at the scales by not making the featherweight limit.

Subsequently, Lomachenko gets his second bite at the cherry following a valiant display against Salido, but will be in against an equally adept foe in the unbeaten Russell Jr, who is looking to kick start his career following a lack of activity over the past year and a half.

The stacked card at the StubHub Center in Carson, California also welcomes back Floyd Mayweather challenger Robert Guerrero who takes on big-hitting Japanese welterweight Yoshihiro Kamegai, who has knocked out 21 opponents in his 24 wins.

Further night’s action will see the return of former two-weight world champion Devon Alexander who will be looking to bounce back from his world title defeat to Shawn Porter last December when he takes on the tough and respected Jesus Soto Karass.

Then, on July 12th, live and exclusive from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, BoxNation will bring viewers one of the very best fights of the summer when Cuban ace Lara looks to prove he is among the elite when takes on Mexican superstar Alvarez.

The 23-year-old Alvarez is still regarded as the next true superstar of boxing, despite his loss to pound-for-pound king Mayweather last September, with his convincing comeback win over the relentless Alfredo Angulo proving that he remains among the best around.

In Lara though, he goes up against one of the trickiest and skilled men in the sport, honed and polished in the fabled Cuban amateur schools, with ambitions of cementing his own place at the very top.

The victor will no doubt propel himself into the biggest money fights and a shot at a world title.

Also on the night, bantamweight stars Tomoki Kameda and Pungluang Sor Singyu will meet for Japanese hotshot Kameda’s WBO world title, with Juan Manuel Lopez back following his impressive victory over Daniel Ponce De Leon when he challenges undefeated Francisco Vargas.

To subscribe to BoxNation (Sky 437/490HD & Virgin 546) for only £12 a month (plus a one-off registration fee) please visit www.boxnation.com.

-Ends-

About BoxNation
BoxNation, the Channel of Champions and proud partner of Rainham Steel, is the UK’s first dedicated subscription boxing channel. For £12* a month and no minimum term customers can enjoy great value live and exclusive fights, classic fight footage, magazine shows and interviews with current and former fighters.

BoxNation is proud to support Fight for Peace, a charity that uses boxing and martial arts combined with education and personal development to realise the potential of young people in communities that suffer from crime and violence. Buy LUTA (www.luta.co.uk) clothing and support Fight for Peace.

Previous highlights have included Haye vs Chisora, Khan vs Diaz and Mayweather vs Alvarez.

The channel is available on Sky (Ch.437), Virgin (Ch.546), online at Livesport.tv and via iPhone, iPad or Android. BoxNation is also available in high definition on Sky (Ch. 490), at no extra cost to Sky TV subscribers, providing they are already HD enabled.

BoxNation is also available to commercial premises (inc. pubs, clubs and casino’s) in the UK and Ireland, for more information on a commercial subscription please call 0844 842 7700.

For more information visit www.boxnation.com

*Plus £8 one off registration fee for Sky TV and new Livesport.tv customers.

By Bart Barry–

AUSTIN, Texas – Somewhere round here, likely on currently gentrified streets once mean, James “Mandingo Warrior” Kirkland roamed and terrorized sparring partners en route to network-darling status, a falling-out or five with trainer Ann Wolfe, a prison stay, a brutal victory over Alfredo Angulo in 2011, and a brutaler victory over Glen Tapia in December. Where he is right now is a source of speculation, as usual, but this is not: Had he been present in San Antonio last week to announce a fight with Mexican Saul “Canelo” Alvarez at Alamodome, many more San Antonians would have been there as well.

One such San Antonian spent the weekend with Austin locals, instead, in the hopes of finding some evidence of cultural offerings greater than University of Texas’ Blanton Museum of Art and sanitized bars on West 6th Street. He found some, too, good contemporary- and folk-art offerings, and also a reason to reflect on what appears to be one of our sport’s greater missed-ticket-selling opportunities.

This city is not weird so much as haphazard and disorganized, a hippie enclave in a state that, since making a fortuitous discovery dinosaurs once died within its borders, has trended ever more conservative, free-market and likely to conflate luck with merit – convincing its citizenry one’s birth in a resource-rich state is evidence, somehow, of exemplary character or virtue. For every action a reaction: Austin, now enjoying a real-estate boom financed by those scrofulous knaves who brought ruin to sandy states from Florida to California, makes a fetish of embracing its eccentricities, not uncommon to college towns, and planting on its automobiles’ bumpers and townfolk’s t-shirts declarations about keeping itself weird and loving live music.

Ask most who embellish Austin’s merits to catalog this city’s cultural offerings, aside from live music, and they’ll tell you, “Live music!” It’s the sort of exhausting, end-of-boom chatter one encountered in Silicon Valley round 2001, when everyone intended to be a billionaire but no one knew how clicks-from-coffeeshops could be monetized. It’s marginally less cynical here, though, because it is a celebration of culture, such as it is, not capitalism.

To this city’s ever more gentrified climes comes West Austin Studio Tour 2014, a sprawling collection of 241 art galleries and exhibitions, for two weekends, this one and last, and it is, in its seeming disinterest, nearly an opposite of the South by Southwest festival that now makes Austin a destination for the coolest folks from all about our fruited plain. Disinterested because most artists are borrowing corners of their friends’ gallery spaces, have yet to name much less sign their works, and rarely take anything but cash or check. As one local put it: “That’s Austin. We don’t really plan things all the way through. We just sort of get them started and see what happens, you know?”

And there-across spans a bridge from one unplanning gaggle of artists to another: Wednesday afternoon, Oscar De La Hoya, whom business circumstances appear to be pushing from figurehead to manager, visited San Antonio’s historic Mercado district, about 70 miles southwest of here, to announce that the one prizefighter insiders are reasonably certain remains tied to him by promotional contract, Mexican Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, will be fighting Cuban Erislandy Lara in Las Vegas in a couple months, in an event called “Honor and Glory.” De La Hoya, freshly enthusiastic if not yet sincere, announced, in Spanish, the card was about “honor y gloria” before switching to English and explaining that honor is what men fight for, and glory.

It was vacuous and scripted, the way these things ever are – or perhaps it was the South Texas sun breaking unexpectedly through what Weather Channel’s app promised would be a cloudy day – but it sapped one’s humor and acted as a reminder of a question Alamo City insiders often ask ourselves when asked to cheerlead for Canelo: Why not James Kirkland at Alamodome? Surely Mike Battah of Leija-Battah Promotions, the man who risked a large sum of his own capital to bring Alvarez, on short notice, to San Antonio to fight an otherwise unknown New Mexican named Austin Trout 13 months ago, and then made of his opportunity one of the more groundbreakingly excellent promotions of the last decade, putting more than 40,000 people in Alamodome, expected such a debut effort would reap rewards many times greater than schlock like Fidel Maldonado against John Nater on a Monday night in February.

Battah once openly imagined 70,000-person gates for Canelo at Alamodome, regardless of opponent, and must now content himself with renting restaurant plazas on Wednesday afternoons to have the firehaired horseman of Jalisco, diminished in everyone’s eyes, make a few serious poses, promise redemption for all Mexicans from a Cuban, and tell the people of, let’s see, San Antonio, how very much he appreciates their support.

To resume his ascent after the Mayweather debacle in September, Canelo needed to do more than score a referee stoppage over a ruined countryman like Alfredo Angulo, on pay-per-view in March; and if we’re being honest, even if he’d put “El Perro” to sleep in 90 seconds, Canelo would have suffered mightily from an Argentine doing to Floyd Mayweather two months later what Mexicans verily expected Canelo would do. One shudders to think what comes of Oscar De La Hoya’s company if Lara undresses Canelo the way that, say, Winky Wright undressed Felix Trinidad in 2005.

Since, like their statesmen, American boxing promoters cannot be counted on to do the right thing till they’ve tried everything else, one might as well hope, too, that such an outcome would make the fight that makes much more ticket-selling sense than Canelo’s tilt in July will: A match with Austin’s James Kirkland at Alamodome.

Bart Barry can be reached at bart.barrys.email (at) gmail.com

CANELO ALVAREZ

“Thank you all. Yesterday we arrived and the reception we got showed the quality of people you are, and I am very pleased.

“I’ve heard a lot about Puerto Rico. I’ve always wanted to come; that’s why I decided that we make a stop here during the press tour.

“I’m always working, I’m always training and this was the chance to come here. I hope to have the opportunity to come here on vacations.

“Puerto Rico is much more beautiful than I thought. I want to thank everyone for their support and I just want to say that I am always 100 percent prepared.

“He [Lara] is a great fighter, a great boxer, a tough fighter, but I have fought against all styles.

“I have the experience and on July 12 may the best man win.”

ERISLANDY “THE AMERICAN DREAM” LARA

“On July 12, the fans are going to see Mexico vs. Cuba and history is going to repeat itself.

“Just like when the underdog at the time, Tito Trinidad defeated Oscar De La Hoya.

“Thanks to all my Puerto Rican brothers. Many will wonder why I have this t-shirt with the flag of Puerto Rico.

“I want to say that the flag of Puerto Rico is the same as Cuban, only change the colors around, but that does not mean anything.

“Puerto Ricans and Cubans are good brothers.

“On July 12 you will see Erislandy Lara giving the best of himself and I want to tell you that Erislandy Lara will beat Canelo Alvarez just like [Felix] Trinidad beat Oscar de la Hoya.

“I’m just waiting and training hard until July 12 which is nearby.”

OSCAR DE LA HOYA, President of Golden Boy Promotions

“Lara has surrounds himself with great people and he is focused and always trains hard for his fights.

“He does exactly what a champion should do. This is going to be an exciting, competitive fight.

“Lara is one of the best fighters to ever come out of Cuba and he has an incredible amateur background with 250 fights.

“He earned his WBA championship title when he fought 11 hard rounds with Angulo.

“Canelo won the WBC Junior Middleweight title in 2011 and defended it 11 times.

“He has victories over Austin Trout, then he beat Angulo and he was in the mega-event when he fought against Floyd Mayweather last September.

“He’s a fighter that always gives the fans what they want.

“This fight on July 12 is definitely one of the most difficult challenges that Canelo will face at 154 pounds.

“He is facing a tough opponent in Lara.”

(Oscar on Juan Manuel Lopez vs. Francisco “El Bandido” Vargas:

“In his last fight, JuanMa Lopez showed everybody what it means to be a warrior, what it means to be a true fighter, because he fought with his heart and he showed everybody what he’s made of.

“[Juan Manuel] Lopez vs. [Francisco] Vargas is going to be an exciting fight.”

FRANCISCO VARGAS

“This is the classic Mexico vs. Puerto Rico.

“It’s going to be a tough fight, we are both former Olympians, but I’m going to train very hard and stop JuanMa’s re-emergence as a champion.

“He [Lopez] is a tough fighter, he is very experienced.

“It’s complicated because he is a southpaw, but we have to fight with people like him to take it to the next step and get a title fight.

“We will make a tactic (startegy) for the fight. We know he gets tired, we know that the fight can end before what is agreed.

“We will be very careful because we know he hits hard.”

JUAN MANUEL LOPEZ

“I want to thank God for granting me the opportunity of having a championship fight.

“I’ve only seen Francisco’s Olympic videos and he’s not someone to overlook.

“He’s strong, he’s tough and stands up in front of you and fights his heart out.

“But, I know I can take him.”

JOSE “CHEPO” REYNOSO, Canelo’s Trainer

“I came to Puerto Rico for the first time 15 years ago, and I have to confess, this island stole my heart.

“We’ll see if he [Lara] can fight like he talks.

“Hopefully July 12 he comes to fight, so the fans are happy and so it can be a great night because if he shows up to fight, Canelo will knock him out for sure.”

EDDY REYNOSO, Canelo’s Manager

“Come fight night, Canelo Alvarez is going to knock out Erislandy Lara.

“Mark my words, we are going to win by way of knockout.

“It will be a very interesting fight. Both are very good boxers and technicians who are always well trained and disciplined.

“This is a fight that you cannot miss and I’m sure we will win by knockout.”

RONNIE SHIELDS, Lara’s Trainer

“In that fight [against Alfredo Angulo] we made a couple of mistakes and it cost us.

“In that fight, the most important thing I told him was, he can’t be on the ropes. He’s the fighter and he knows what he can do.

“It didn’t work and I told him again, stay off the ropes. Then he beat him bad.

“Let me tell you something, the Angulo that Lara fought was not the same Angulo that fought Canelo, he just wasn’t the same guy.

“Angulo was just walking around, all defensive, that was not the Angulo everybody knows.

“So he [Canelo] can’t say he really fought a very good Angulo because he didn’t.”

# # #

Canelo vs. Lara,” a 12-round junior middleweight fight taking place Saturday, July 12 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Canelo Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. The event will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. The event can be heard in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP). Canelo vs.Lara will be shown on the big screen in movie theaters across the country thanks to Fathom Events. Information will be available at www.fathomevents.com.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.sports.sho.com and www.mgmgrand.com, follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @CaneloOficial, @LaraBoxing, @mgmgrand, @SHOSports and @Swanson_Comm, follow the conversation using #CaneloLara and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing.

CANELO ALVAREZ

“These fans motivate me to keep training and to get up in the morning and run.

“I want people to say that I came up from Mexico to the boxing world. It’s a big responsibility for me because in Mexico there are a lot of legends. But our legends cannot be compared to any others. No two Mexican legends are alike.

“Lara has talked a lot, [to the fans] you guys asked for the fight, and here it is. What you guys ask from me, I will give you.

“A lot have asked me, ‘Why did you take this fight?’ I say ‘Why not? I will fight anyone. Style doesn’t matter.’

“The reality is that a year ago the fans didn’t really know Lara. Nobody really knew him. But he’s been talking so much that now it’s built up and the fans asked for it so I wanted to give them what they wanted.

“He disrespected me. But not only me, he disrespected all Mexicans. For him to be saying that he’s going to give me a boxing lesson and he’s going to take me to school…that’s very disrespectful.”

ERISLANDY LARA

“For the Mexican fans, we have a surprise for you July 12.

“I came from Cuba where I fought the best. I earned this in the ring, fighting the best in the division, not on a Mexican street corner.

“July 12 the best man is going to win.

“I’ve always done my job against the best fighters in the division. I’ve faced a lot of hard punchers so I’m not worried about his power.

“Canelo knows, just like everyone in the division knows. No one wants to fight me because I’m dangerous and I beat everybody. He took this fight because of the pressure I put on him.

“I feel like my opponent needs to be ready for my style. I’m not looking to be ready for anyone’s style. They have to be ready for mine.

“I’ve been in this sport since I was 12-years-old. It’s all I’ve done my whole life. I am a fighter. I’m not distracted in the ring or in training. My main focus is being well prepared and winning this fight.

“A win would be huge for Cubans and Cuban-Americans. That’s why I changed my name to ‘The American Dream.’ I came to this country and I was allowed the privilege to better my life. I go into that ring to win.

“I feel I’m one of the top three-pound-for-pound fighters. Some give me that credit but some won’t. My job is to keep winning and doing what I’m doing. The proof is in who I’ve fought and beaten.”

OSCAR DE LA HOYA, President of Golden Boy Promotions

“We feel that this event will be one to remember, because you have two fighters who are equally matched.

“We haven’t seen this type of event for a while. This reminds me of Julio Cesar Chavez vs. Pernell Whitaker, a ‘who is going to win?’ fight.

“As you know Golden Boy Promotions has the reputation for putting on the best cards ever and we will be putting the biggest names on the card July 12. It’s a treat for the fans that pay their hard-earned money to watch four good fights.

“Lara is a very, very dangerous opponent, there’s no way to sugar coat it. On July 12 they will try to prove who is the best on that night.

“These fighters are fighting for a lot of honor and glory. It will really be an honor to beat the other guy, because both guys have the ability to be great. It is an honor to be in the ring with another great fighter.

“Inside that squared circle, there’s no nationality. There are two fighters stepping in the ring who just want to win and put on a great fight. When they step in the ring, they are fighting for honor and glory for the whole world.”

JOSE “CHEPO” REYNOSO, Canelo’s Trainer

“Seeing the fans here, that’s love for Mexico, that’s love for Canelo.

“Lara keeps talking about the Cuban school of boxing but in Mexico we have universities of boxing.”

EDDY REYNOSO, Canelo’s Manager

“It’s going to be a very interesting fight, with interesting styles. Lara is going to be running all night and Canelo is going to be chasing him. At the end of the night everyone knows that we are going to knock him out.”

RONNIE SHIELDS, Lara’s Trainer

“This fight had to happen. There was no way either guy could go, but to fight each other. Canelo keeps showing that he is one of the best fighters out there by continuing to fight the best.

“Both fighters are great fighters and the fans are going to be the true winners of the fight. These guys have styles like thunder and when the thunder hits, it’s going to be a knockout.”

LUIS DECUBAS, Lara’s Manager

“On July 12 you will see the best two fighters at 154 pounds and there will only be one winner and it will be ‘The American Dream,’ Erislandy Lara.”

STEPHEN ESPINOZA, Executive VP & General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports®

“Over the last year we have seen Canelo go from an up-and-coming young star to one of the biggest names in the sport.

“There’s no question he is already boxing’s brightest young star. But he’s not interested in stardom. What is sometimes overlooked in all of this stardom and celebrity and ticket sales is that like many of the great Mexican fighters that came before him, he wants to fight the best fighters in his division.

“Again he is choosing to fight someone that no one wants to fight. Lara is one of the most talented and skilled boxers in the sport. This fight represents everything that is right about boxing; the best fighting the best. Number one versus number two in the division.

“These are the types of fights that Golden Boy Promotions has become known for and the types of fights that SHOWTIME has become known for. There is no sugarcoating this. This is the best versus the best. Number one versus number two. This fight sells itself.”

# # #

“Canelo vs. Lara,” a 12-round junior middleweight fight taking place Saturday, July 12 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Canelo Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. The event will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. The event can be heard in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP). Canelo vs. Lara will be shown on the big screen in movie theaters across the country via Fathom Events. Information will be available at www.fathomevents.com.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.sports.sho.com and www.mgmgrand.com, follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @CaneloOficial, @LaraBoxing, @mgmgrand, @SHOSports and @Swanson_Comm, follow the conversation using #CaneloLara and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing.

CANELO ALVAREZ

“It truly is an honor to be here amongst all of you. Whenever I am doing anything in boxing, San Antonio is on my list because you guys treat me like family.

“I am going to prepare myself like always to give everyone a great fight. This is the fight the fans have been asking for and I am going to prepare myself for a great victory.

“I love it here and I’d love to fight in San Antonio later this year. Thank you very much.”

ERISLANDY “THE AMERICAN DREAM” LARA

“There’s nothing more to talk about, the fight is made. On July 12 we’re going to take Canelo to Cuban school.”

JOSE “CHEPO” REYNOSO, Canelo’s Trainer

“Canelo has a gift for everybody July 12 and it’s going to be a victory against Lara.”

EDDY REYNOSO, Canelo’s Manager

“July 12 we’re going to be ready like always and give a great fight.

“Like my dad said we have always admired the Cuban style of fighting, but in Mexico we also have great fighters.

“On July 12 all we’re going to do is give this guy here a beating.”

RONNIE SHIELDS, Lara’s Trainer

“I want to thank Oscar for coming back to the sport and building the company that’s the biggest company in boxing and they put on the best fights.

“We’re here because two of the best fighters in the world decided to fight each other. This is what boxing is all about. Boxing needs this.

“It takes time for the best fighters to fight each other, but when they do, there’s a lot of fireworks.”

OSCAR DE LA HOYA, President of Golden Boy Promotions

“They are fighting for the honor of being world champion and the honor of being the best inside that ring.

“Right now you are looking at the best 154-pounders in the division, Lara and Canelo. The fact that Canelo wanted this fight shows you that he wants to be great and he wants to fight the best in order to be known as great.

“I commend Canelo for choosing this opponent. He’s dangerous and he’s a real opponent. There’s a lot of similarities between these two fighters and come July 12 we’ll see who is the best. I think this is going to be a terrific fight.

“In Cuba you have incredibly talented fighters, Erislandy Lara is no exception.”

CHRIS DEBLASIO, Vice President of Sports Communications, SHOWTIME Networks

“We are putting on the biggest events in boxing with the most marquee names in the sport, and they are fighting tough fights. That credit has to go to Oscar De La Hoya and everybody at Golden Boy Promotions.

“At just 23-years-old Canelo Alvarez is making a name for himself as fearless and ready to fight anybody.

“For Erislandy Lara, he’s had an incredible journey, from leaving his home country of Cuba to fighting professionally to making a name for himself and becoming one of the most difficult fighters at 154 pounds and one of the most feared guys in boxing overall.

“This fight is the quintessential fight for Showtime, with one of the biggest names in the division fighting one of the toughest fights of his life and that’s what we’re all about.”

# # #

Canelo vs. Lara,” a 12-round junior middleweight fight taking place Saturday, July 12 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Canelo Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. The event will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. The event can be heard in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP). Canelo vs.Lara will be shown on the big screen in movie theaters across the country thanks to Fathom Events. Information will be available at www.fathomevents.com.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.sports.sho.com and www.mgmgrand.com, follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @CaneloOficial, @LaraBoxing, @mgmgrand, @SHOSports and @Swanson_Comm, follow the conversation using #CaneloLara and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing.

LOS ANGELES (May 6, 2014) – A four-city, four-day, whirlwind press tour for “HONOR & GLORY: Canelo vs. Lara,” a highly anticipated event headlined by a showdown between former WBC and WBA Super Welterweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez and WBA Junior Middleweight World Champion Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara, commenced Tuesday at El Pueblo Historical Monument in Los Angeles.

Hundreds of fans and media members turned out for the Golden Boy Promotions open-to-the-public press conference that also was streamed live in High Definition across multiple SHOWTIME platforms, including via satellite feed, YouTube, Ustream and sports.sho.com/live.

Popular Mexican superstar Canelo, of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, will bring a record of 43-1-1 with 31 knockouts into the 12-round match-up. Former Cuban national amateur standout and slick southpaw, Lara, holds a record of 19-1-2, with 12 knockouts. The event will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV.

“It is amazing the attention this fight is receiving,” said Golden Boy President Oscar De La Hoya, who emceed the proceedings. “Why? This is a fight that can possibly be the Fight of the Year. You have Lara the champion who nobody wants to fight because he’s dangerous.

“And you have Canelo, who was willing to take this chance. That’s what Canelo is all about, the opportunity to fight one of the best at 154 pounds. That’s what fighting is all about, and that’s what the character of this young fighter here is all about — fighting the very best.

“Golden Boy Promotions has a reputation of putting together great cards from top to bottom with great fights and this is going to be no exception.”

Tickets priced at $750, $500, $250, $150, $75 and $50, not including applicable service charges and
taxes, are on sale now. Tickets are limited to eighteen (18) per person with a limit of eight (8) at the $75
and $50 price ranges. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000.
Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

“I took this fight because the fans wanted it, and after I kept reading and hearing interviews with Lara about how badly he wanted this fight,” Canelo said. “He said some bad things about me on Twitter and social media. I’m a Mexican, and I know all the tricks. You can’t say the kinds of things he said. So I’m going to please the fans and myself by fighting him.

“I don’t think I took what he said personally, or that he got under my skin, but he likes to talk. He can say
anything that he wants in the ring to me on July 12.

“I have a lot of respect for Cuban fighters. I grew up watching fights of Jose “Mantequilla” Napoles. There are lots of great fighters from Cuba. Lara’s a good fighter. But we’ll see who’s best when we fight.”

Said Lara, “I’ve never tried this hard to get a fight, and actually get it like I did for this one. I went to
extreme measures, doing things I’ve never done before. I’m a pretty laid-back guy, but I did everything I
could to challenge him and make people, the fans and the media demand that he fight me.

“It’s all because I want to prove that I am the best 154-pound fighter in the world.

“I think he is having problems with weight. That’s why he wanted that extra one pound and why we’re not
fighting for my title.

“I’m not sure what kind of fight this will be. It could be a war, and I could stand toe-to-toe like I did against Alfredo Angulo, or I can box. It depends how I decide to fight him in the ring.

“This is the fight, my fight. I win this, I’ve earned the right to fight Floyd Mayweather next.”

The tour continues on tomorrow in San Antonio, Thursday in New York City and Friday in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Below are more quotes from Canelo, Lara and Tuesday’s participants:

CANELO ALVAREZ:

“I want to thank the fans for all of their support. They are the best for me. All of the media, thank you. All the support is what makes this possible.

“I wanted to give the fans this fight, because this is what they asked for. I was offended on Twitter and social media because people said a lot of things about me. But that doesn’t matter. I’m here to prove who I am, and I’m going to win July 12.

“This fight is only for my honor and glory to bring to the Mexican people.”

ERISLANDY “THE AMERICAN DREAM” LARA:

“I don’t really have much to say; everything is done. On July 12,we are going to let our fists do the talking. There’s nothing more to say. We will see you there July 12.”

JOSE “CHEPO” REYNOSO, Canelo’s Trainer

“On behalf of team Canelo, thank you all for being here. This is a fight that the fans wanted and we wanted to give it to them. On July 12, you will see what Canelo is made of.”

EDDY REYNOSO, Canelo’s Manager

“On July 12, it’s going to be a great battle. Lara is a great fighter, one of the best. But on July 12, we’ll see who is going to take who to school and where the real fighters come from.”

RONNIE SHIELDS, Lara’s Trainer

“Both of these fighters deserve to be on this stage. It’s going to be a great fight. This is why all the fans come out. They come out to see great fights.

“Both of these guys are two of the best at 154 pounds in the world. There can only be one winner and that’s going to be Lara. The reason is because he’s the best fighter, simple as that. He has been avoided by every top fighter in the world, including Floyd Mayweather. Canelo is a very good fighter. We can’t take anything away from him. But Lara is one step ahead and we are going to prove that on July 12.

“The fans should come out. Get your tickets. Get your pay-per-view. It’s going to be a great, great night. We are sure the undercard will be great as always, Golden Boy puts on the best shows – simple as that.

“People are going to be talking about this fight for a long time. Both of these guys have two common opponents – Austin Trout and Angulo. Canelo slipped by Trout, and Lara destroyed him. They both have stopped Angulo. Both guys can punch, both buys work really hard.

“Get your popcorn. It’s going to be a great night. On July 12, Erislandy Lara will walk out as the victor.”

OSCAR DE LA HOYA, President of Golden Boy Promotions

“Team Lara is an excellent team. A professional team with a great trainer, a great manager. He has good people around him. All Lara has to do is focus and train for this fight. That’s what a champion should do and that’s exactly what he does.

“Lara had a controversial loss against the great Paul Williams. He is the WBA Champion after defeating Angulo in 11 rounds. He has the pedigree; as an amateur in Cuba he had more than 250 amateur fights. He’s one of the best fighters to ever come out of Cuba.

“Canelo is one of the most compelling fighters today. At only 23-years-old he has had a professional career since 2005. He has won the WBC Junior Middleweight title in 2011 and defended it 11 times. He has victories over Austin Trout. He beat Angulo and he was in the mega-event last Sept. 13 against Floyd Mayweather.. Now, he is back, giving the fans what they want. This is most difficult challenge at 154 pounds for Canelo. To please his fans, he is facing the toughest guy in the division, Lara.”

CHRIS DEBLASIO, Vice President of Communications, SHOWTIME Sports

“SHOWTIME is on tap tonight to possibly receive eight Emmy awards for our work from last year; something we’re very proud of. That is a record for us in nominations.

“In two years, SHOWTIME Sports has risen in prominence on the back of our boxing franchise,which is now known for televising the biggest events in the sport of any television network, is Canelo Alvarez. Credit goes to Erislandy Lara for challenging for this fight against Canelo, and credit to Canelo Alvarez for taking this fight against one of the most feared men in boxing and certainly the most avoided guy in this division.

“This matchup is the type of fight that SHOWTIME has become known for. It’s the biggest names in the sport, the most compelling matchups and the toughest fights to date on the grandest scale.

“Also, the replay of Maywaether vs. Maidana will air this Saturday at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT
on SHOWTIME as part of our network’s Free Preview Weekend.”

# # #

Canelo vs. Lara,” a 12-round junior middleweight fight taking place Saturday, July 12 at the MGM Grand
Garden Arena in Las Vegas, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Canelo Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. The event will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. The event can be heard in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP). Canelo vs.Lara will be shown on the big screen in movie theaters across
the country thanks to Fathom Events. Information will be available at www.fathomevents.com.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.sports.sho.com and www.mgmgrand.com, follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @CaneloOficial, @LaraBoxing, @mgmgrand, @SHOSports and @Swanson_Comm, follow the conversation using #CaneloLara and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing.

LAS VEGAS (May 6, 2014) – The two best junior middleweights in the world will meet to decide 154-pound supremacy Saturday, July 12 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez will square off against WBA Junior Middleweight World Champion Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara in a 12-round bout. The event will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV.

Lara was originally scheduled to defend his WBA title against Ishe Smith on Friday, May 2 in Las Vegas to kickoff Cinco de Mayo Weekend withdrew from the fight to face Canelo.

“This fight against Erislandy Lara is very important for my career because it is an opponent with vast experience in both the amateur and professional field, and I am sure our fighting styles will provide an explosive battle and great atmosphere that night,” said Canelo Alvarez. “Lara, the media and the fans around the world wanted this match to take place, and here I am fulfilling their request since I have no doubt that everyone will be completely satisfied.”

“I give Canelo respect for accepting this fight, and even though it took him a while to step up, we’re going to give the fans a great performance on July 12,” said Lara. “I’m coming to show the world I’m the best fighter at 154 pounds. This is the biggest fight of my career, and beating Canelo will get me closer to my ultimate goal, a showdown with Floyd Mayweather.”

“Canelo has always been a true warrior who insists on fighting the best, and this is just another example,” said Oscar De La Hoya, President of Golden Boy Promotions. “Beating Erislandy Lara is a huge challenge for any fighter, but if anyone is up to the task, it’s Canelo.”
“Canelo vs. Erislandy Lara, a fight between the two best junior middleweights in the world, is yet another great example of the competitive, highly compelling and star-studded marquee matchups that SHOWTIME has become known for,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports. “We are proud to see Canelo Alvarez continue his quest to take on the best boxers in the sport today. Lara, one of most skilled boxers in any division, is highly motivated by his own quest for a career-defining victory. I commend both Canelo and Erislandy for stepping up to the challenge and delivering the fight that boxing fans want.”

“We have already had the opportunity to host a number of sensational fights in 2014,” said Richard Sturm, president of Entertainment & Sports for MGM Resorts International. “The summer heats up with another great event as we welcome the return of Canelo Alvarez to MGM Grand following his dominating performance in March.”

On a collision course for years, the highly anticipated matchup between Lara and Canelo will finally come to fruition following big wins over Austin “No Doubt” Trout and Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo, respectively.

Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico’s Canelo Alvarez (43-1-1, 31 KOs) is one of the most compelling figures in the fight game today. A former world champion and still just 23-years-old, Canelo has captivated fans around the world with his exciting fighting style and charisma in and out of the ring. A professional since 2005, Canelo won the WBC Junior Middleweight Title in 2011 and successfully defended it five times before unifying the championship with a 2013 victory over Austin Trout. A mega-fight with Mayweather followed five months later. Although he lost a hard-fought decision to the pound-for-pound king last September, Canelo got back on track in March with a 10th round-technical knockout win over Alfredo Angulo.

Slick southpaw Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara (19-1-2, 12 KOs) graduated from the renowned Cuban amateur boxing program and migrated to the United States to pursue a professional boxing career. As a young contender on the rise, Lara suffered a controversial decision loss to Paul Williams in 2011. Since then, he has done his best to take it out of the judges’ hands by knocking out Ronald Hearns and Angulo, with the latter victory earning him the WBA Junior Middleweight World Championship. In his most recent bout, Lara won a 12-round unanimous decision over Trout on Dec. 7, 2013, and now the 31-year-old, who makes his home in Houston, will attempt to give Canelo a boxing lesson on July 12.

“Canelo vs. Lara,” a 12-round junior middleweight fight taking place Saturday, July 12 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Canelo Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. The event will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. The event can be heard in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP).

Tickets priced at $750, $500, $250, $150, $75 and $50, not including applicable service charges and taxes, are on sale now. Tickets are limited to eighteen (18) per person with a limit of eight (8) at the $75 and $50 price ranges. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.sports.sho.com and www.mgmgrand.com, follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @CaneloOficial, @LaraBoxing, @mgmgrand, @SHOSports and @Swanson_Comm, follow the conversation using #CaneloLara and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, Canelo ALvarez will take on Erislandy Lara in a Pay Per View bout on Juky 12 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

“I’ve been working hard to get this done,” said Golden Boy Promotions Richard Schaefer. “We were able to finalize everything and both fighters were fine with the terms and so now we have a fight — a great fight — between the two best junior middleweights in the world not named Floyd Mayweather.”

The final issue that needed to be resolved was the fact that Lara was already signed to make his first title defense against former titlist Ishe Smith on May 2 at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas on a Fox Sports 1 card being used to help promote Mayweather’s welterweight unification fight against Marcos Maidana the next night at the MGM Grand.

“We’re good to go. We got a deal in place. We’re happy and we’re ready to fight,” Luis DeCubas Jr., Lara’s co-manager, told ESPN.com. “It’s a fight Lara has wanted. He’s been after it for a few years. Now it’s time to get ready in training. I think he really has earned this fight. This is a fight where the fans win. They’ll see the two best junior middleweights who aren’t Floyd Mayweather.”

“The weight is 155 max, which we have no problem with,” DeCubas said. “It doesn’t matter. We got the fight we wanted.”

“It reminds me a little of the fight Canelo had with Austin Trout,” Schaefer said of the unification fight Alvarez won by decision against Trout last April. “Everybody was saying before we made that fight that Canelo was afraid to fight Trout, but he pushed for the fight even when some people in his camp didn’t want the fight. When Canelo came to the office to meet with me a few weeks ago, he had one name in mind. He wanted Erislandy Lara.

“He said he feels Lara is, next to Mayweather, the best fighter at 154 and he wants to challenge himself against the best. A lot of people felt he wouldn’t fight him, but he wants to show he is not afraid to fight anybody. I tried to mention some other names, but he was very clear: ‘Don’t talk to me about anyone else. I want Lara.’ That’s what he said.”

“You see what Canelo did when he fought Trout and what Lara did to Trout,” Schaefer said. “It will be interesting to see how Canelo will deal with Lara, who is a talented and gifted fighter. He showed that will against Angulo to overcome adversity, and he has superb boxing skills.”

Canelo Alvarez will be looking for a July 12 Pay Per view dance partner and the man he is targeting is Erislandy Lara according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“When I met with Canelo last week, we discussed the date, the site and different opponents, and two of those have been resolved,” said Golden Boy Promotions Richard Schaefer. “Canelo feels very comfortable fighting at the MGM. So we have the date and venue locked in and then we had to look at opponents.

“Canelo made it clear that his first choice is Lara because a lot of people, fans and media, feel he would be afraid of fighting somebody with the skills of Erislandy Lara, the same way people thought he wouldn’t fight Austin Trout. And you saw what happened.”

“Canelo thinks Floyd is the champion. Floyd beat Canelo and Canelo thinks Floyd is the champion, so how can Lara be a champion,” Schaefer said. “So Canelo doesn’t want it for a title so it won’t be a title fight, but if Lara wants to defend the title he can pay the sanction fees. But Canelo said he doesn’t want to fight for the title.”

“A lot of people feel Lara is the best at 154 pounds after Floyd,” Schaefer said. “Canelo said, ‘That’s the guy I want.’ I presented other names to him. He didn’t say yes and he didn’t say no. But he kept saying, ‘Get me Lara. That’s what my fans want to see.’ So I have begun negotiations with Team Lara. I’ve been working on it with [Lara adviser] Al [Haymon] and we have made an offer. We are going back and forth and my hope would be the negotiation could be concluded swiftly. We’re a little bit apart but if everyone will give a little bit we can get this done.

“I think it’s a very interesting fight. Lara is very skilled fighter. So is Trout and you saw how Canelo did with Trout, but Lara is a bit better than Trout.”

“Canelo would like to do a media tour,” he said. “When you have more time to promote, you can do a bigger tour. He liked the media tour we did with Mayweather and the big crowds. He loves to embrace his fans and mingle with his fans and so he definitely would like to do a big press tour.”

“We are talking about what we want to do,” Schaefer said. “Would we pull him out to have him ready for the promotion? That’s part of the negotiations and discussions. I can’t tell you what’s going to happen because I don’t have it done. But if you want to put together a major pay-per-view, the dates are a bit too close.”

NEW YORK (March 14, 2014) – Last Saturday’s SHOWTIME PPV® presentation of “TOE TO TOE: Canelo vs. Angulo” generated well over 350,000 buys, Showtime Networks Inc. and event promoter, Golden Boy Promotions, announced today.

The four-fight telecast, headlined by Mexican boxing superstar Canelo Alvarez’ impressive 10th-round TKO over fellow countryman, Alfredo Angulo, was a “knockout success,” according to Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports®.

“We are thrilled with the numbers from Saturday’s event,” said Espinoza. “March 8 was the first time Canelo Alvarez headlined his own pay per view, and he decisively proved that he was ready to carry a pay per view card. These results are especially impressive in comparison to the pay per view performances of other boxing events over the past few months. Add in the near sellout crowd and there is no doubt this event was a huge success for Canelo, Golden Boy Promotions, MGM Grand, SHOWTIME and boxing as a whole.”

“The fans have spoken,” said Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “Canelo is without a doubt the brightest young star in the sport today. He’s been a huge star in Mexico for quite some time. Now there is no denying that he is a star in the United States as well. We’re already in discussions with Canelo to find the next opportunity to bring another exciting event to boxing fans worldwide.”

The Canelo vs. Angulo slugfest will premiere on SHOWTIME this Saturday, March 15, and open the live SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING doubleheader at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT from Bayamon, Puerto Rico. In the main event, undefeated Unified Super Lightweight World Champion Danny “Swift” Garcia takes on Mauricio Herrera.

Following the telecast, ALL ACCESS: CANELO VS. ANGULO EPILOGUE will premiere on SHOWTIME. EPILOGUE, the third and final installment of the ALL ACCESS series devoted to “TOE TO TOE,” will feature unprecedented access from Fight Week in Las Vegas, highlights of the drama inside of the ring and a rare look inside of the minds of the fighters and their camps in the aftermath of the fight.

# # #

ABOUT “TOE TO TOE: Canelo vs. Angulo,” was a scheduled 12-round super welterweight fight that took place Saturday, March 8 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and was promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Canelo Promotions and sponsored by Corona, AT&T and Casamigos Tequila. On the PPV televised undercard, two-division world champion Leo Santa Cruz successfully defended his WBC Super Bantamweight World title against former three-time world champion Cristian Mijares, Jorge Linares outpointed Nihito Arakawa in a 10-round lightweight bout, and Sergio Thompson scored an upset 10-round decision over Ricardo Alvarez. The four-fight telecast was produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. The event could be heard in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP). “TOE TO TOE: Canelo vs. Angulo” was broadcast in over 400 select movie theaters across the country.

By Bart Barry

Saturday in Las Vegas the redhead anointed by one very powerful Mexican television network as the man most likely to continue his country’s outstanding pugilistic tradition, mainly on the virtue of his unique hair color and pigmentation, victimized, via 10th round technical stoppage, a hopeless fellow Mexican in a dog collar. In preventing the man in the dog collar from fighting any further, the match’s outstanding referee did what a trainer and team of evaluating Nevada neurologists should have done long before. For this act of mercy, the outstanding referee was treated to bald derision from morons.

The redhead, of course, was Saul “Canelo” Alvarez – a prizefighter who, had he appeared on Shobox with a last name like O’Brien, Friday, instead of a Mexican-themed pay-per-view broadcast on Saturday, would not have caused more than an obligatory second glance. The man in the collar was Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo. The outstanding referee was Tony Weeks. And the morons were a myriad, though only one had a microphone.

The horse sense of the generally Mexican, generally intoxicated crowd congregated in the MGM Grand Garden Arena being what it was, the boos were misplaced, or perhaps misinterpreted, but they were an accurate reflection of what becomes increasingly plain about Cinnamon Alvarez: He is not that good. Canelo is an A-list guy in a B-list era, as was made plain by his inability to win convincingly a minute against Floyd Mayweather on Mexican Independence Day weekend, or fell a pre-ruined man like Angulo despite hundreds of clean shots to do so.

Saturday’s match was not competitive. Did Tony Weeks stop it too early? Only for sadists and those who pander them. For those interested in fair competition, Weeks might have stopped “Toe to Toe” after the second minute of its first round when, already, Angulo’s head was getting sent shoulderwards by Canelo’s hooks, and coming off his shoulder in a motion somewhat less elastic than a verb like “snap” should connote.

In the fight’s opening 30 seconds, Alvarez threw a left-hook lead Angulo did not know was coming and hadn’t an idea how to counter with any but the absorption method he and trainer Virgil Hunter apparently perfected in training camp, a method, acceptably nicknamed rope-till-a-dope, wherein a fighter allows himself to be punched hard as possible by an opponent, in the lunatic hopes striking a man repeatedly on the chin with one’s fist will be more taxing for the attacker than his victim. And the lighter the victim punches in the opening minutes, the better this method works, it appears, as Angulo moved his arms perfunctorily enough in round 1 to be salsa dancing, as if his hands were in motion to accessorize whatever his feet and hips did.

Not sure what folks said while y’all watched the fight, but round me were a trainer, a former amateur fighter, and a professional basketball player, and before 90 seconds were done in the main event, there was nothing but disbelief, expressed in phrases hopping about like “Are you kidding?” and “Really?” and “My God!” OK, the last was mine, and it came when I saw how uninhibited Alvarez was in his punching, how oblivious he was of Angulo’s volition, much less his power, as Alvarez stretched his arms wide as an eagle taking flight while throwing the hook and stepped into his cross like a pitcher delivering a full windup to the plate.

Then the second round came and Alvarez landed a right-uppercut lead, a punch that began near his right hipbone, traveled across his chest, traveled across Angulo’s chest, and struck “El Perro” flush on the inch of flesh just beneath his chin, all, before Angulo detected the punch and so much as blinked his consent. Should Tony Weeks have stopped the fight in the 10th? We’re not being serious. Boxing ought to incorporate a mercy rule like little league baseball: The moment one man is so overmatched his opponent has the chutzpah to throw, let alone land, a right-uppercut lead, the judges quietly rise from their stools and walk to the parking lot.

That a group of fans, deep in their cups, expressed displeasure with Weeks’ intervention is exactly no indictment of Weeks, and yet, there was Showtime’s postfight performer trying to get to the bottom of the malcontents’ discontent, and bless Weeks for giving Jim Gray the Major League Baseball treatment, whether it was for Pete’s sake or his own, leaving his new boss at NSAC to feign seriousness concerning Angulo’s incoherent protest afterwards. That’s not an English-as-second-language issue, either; Angulo speaks Spanish in a halting, laboring, frustrated way that argues convincingly his Saturday fight with Canelo should have been stopped in the fifth round of Angulo’s 2011 match with James Kirkland – a loss Angulo attributed to then-trainer Nacho Beristain’s distraction with training Juan Manuel Marquez.

The truth of what actually caused Angulo’s extended stay in a California immigration detention facility shortly after that Kirkland fight likely will never be known, though in our 20-minute conversation 15 months ago, he struck me as a person to whom life happens much more that what a violent criminal the detention facility was designed for. He has a nervous, high-pitched giggle, surprisingly effeminate, that disarms any inquisitor, and he’s quite good at sweet openers that lead quickly to acidic criticisms, as he did to Tony Weeks after Saturday’s match. Angulo might be punchy, but he’s far from stupid. There’s no way he or Virgil Hunter actually thinks he was on the precipice of anything but a terrible ending when Weeks’ mercy did what Hunter should have done rounds before, stopping the sort of winding-down vacuousness no fan pays to see, however much he enjoys the luxury of booing another’s consciousness afterward.

Mexico’s anointed star won by technical stoppage, Saturday, and nary a centile of Americans cared at all. Had Mexico’s anointed star put Angulo on a stretcher, in a coma, or in the ground, live from Las Vegas, today would feel considerably different for anyone reading this. Thank Tony Weeks for sparing us another such examination of conscience.

Bart Barry can be reached at bart.barrys.email (at) gmail.com

LAS VEGAS – Canelo Alvarez got the victory. Got the boos, too

Alvarez won the fight, but failed to win back many of his disaffected fans with a 10th-round technical knockout of Alfredo Angulo Saturday night at the MGM Grand.

Canelo’s first fight since a loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr. in September was supposed to restore his popularity among Mexican fans, many of whom weren’t sure what to think of him after he had looked so ordinary in such a one-sided defeat.

If an arena full of boos was any indication, some of their ambivalence turned into anger Saturday night.

Fans were as frustrated as Angulo at referee Tony Weeks’ stoppage at 47 seconds of the 10th. Both of Angulo’s eyes were swollen and surrounded by darkening bruises when Weeks stepped in and said no more. Angulo complained loudly. He screamed that he should have been allowed to fight on.

“The ref was wrong,’’ Angulo said.

No, he wasn’t, Canelo said.

“The referee is the marshall,’’ Canelo (43-1-1, 31 KOs). “He stopped the fight, because he knew what was going on. I was still doing my job, working my jab. Sure, I was a little tired. But I was ready to fight on. I could have gone 10 more rounds if I had to.’’

Canelo led on all three scorecards at the time of the stoppage. Judge Craig Metcalfe had it 89-82. So did Dave Moretti. On Jerry Roth’s card, it was 88-83.

Going into the fight, there was lot of talk about whether Angulo’s scarred face could withstand sustained punishment. A grotesque welt above one eye result in him losing a 10th-round TKO to Erislandy Lara, whom he knocked down twice.

Sure enough, signs that injury would again stop Angulo were there early against Canelo. In the second round, swelling began to appear above Angulo’s right eye, which Canelo quickly targeted with a jab that landed repeatedly and with a baseball bat’s deadly impact.

Late in the third and again in the fourth, the stubborn Angulo’s persistence began to pay off with occasional bursts that seemed to stun Canelo. For a fleeting moment late in the fourth, there was a look of doubt in Canelo’s eyes. Maybe, he was suffering from the fatigue that has been one of his habitual weaknesses. Or, maybe, he was just surprised to see the sight of Angulo (22-4, 18 KOs) persistently moving forward and straight at him.

Canelo backpedaled in the fifth and again in the sixth. Angulo always followed. No matter what Canelo threw at him, or how much he busted up the right eye and then the left, there was Angulo moving forward and willing to endure more punishment. In the eighth, the crowd went wild when the junior-middleweights, fighting at an official weight of 155 pounds, stood and traded. By the ninth, it was evident Angulo would be there until the end. No matter what Canelo threw at him, there he was, like the incoming tide.

Finally, Weeks did what Canelo couldn’t.

He stopped it, sparing Angulo from further punishment and maybe much more. In time, Angulo might be able to see that and be thankful that he can see at all.

Rest of Pay-Per-View Card

Los Angeles super-bantamweight Leo Santa Cruz (27-0-1, 16 KOs) was methodical and efficient, yet short of sensational, defending his acronym-sanctioned version of the title with a unanimous decision over Mexican Cristian Mijares (48-8-2, 22 KOs), who absorbed a variety of body shots and left Santa Cruz with a bloodied right eye from a fourth-round head butt.

Jorge Linares (36-3, 23 KOs), a Venezuelan living and training in Japan, kept himself in the mix for a shot at a lightweight title with superior speed and punishing blows for a unanimous decision over Nihito Arakawa (24-4-1, 16 KOs), a 135-pound Japanese fighter who endured and had a few moments, yet never a real chance.

The Alvarez family got off to a rough start on the card’s first pay-per-view bout. Canelo’s brother, lightweight Ricardo Alvarez (23-3-3, 13 KOs), suffered two knockdowns in losing a unanimous decision to fellow Mexican Sergio Thompson (29-3, 26 KOs), who took the fight on short notice. A Thompson left in the second sent Alvarez falling into the ropes. If not for the ropes, Alvarez would have fallen into a ringside seat. That was the first knockdown and a sign of things to come. A clean right in the eight floored Alvarez for the second time.

Pre-TV

Junior-lightweight Jerry Belmontes (19-3, 5 KOs) scored a one-sided decision over Australian Will Tomlinson (21-1-1, 12 KOs), who suffered a bloody gash over his right eye in seventh-round head butt; Mexico City junior-lightweight Francisco Vargas (19-0-1, 13 KOs) survived a spirited challenge for a unanimous, 10-round decision over Puerto Rican Abner Cotto (17-2, 8 KOs); former Olympian Joseph Diaz (9-0, 7 KOs) of South El Monte, Calif., cautiously, for four rounds before scoring a fifth-round super-bantamweight TKO of Puerto Rican Jovany Fuentes (5-4, 4 KOs); junior-welterweight Keandre Gibson (9-0-1, 4 KOs) landed a succession of punches that seemed to render Mexican Antonio Wong (11-8—1, 6 KOs) unconscious before he hit the canvas in a fourth-round stoppage; Australian light-heavy Steve Lovett (7-0, 6 KOs) stayed unbeaten with a second-round stoppage of Mexican Francisco Molina (2-3, 2 KOs).

Follow all the action LIVE as it happens when former Super Welterweight champions Canelo Alvarez and Alfredo Angulo fight in a 12 round bout. The action begins at 9 pm eastern with a 3 fight undercard which we be highlighted by a a 122 pound world title fight between Leo Santa Cruz and Cristian Mijares. Former world champion Jorge Linares squares off with Nihito Arakawa in a Lightweight bout and the card kicks off with a Lightweight fight between Ricardo Alvarez and Sergio Thompson

NO NEED TO REFRESH…IT WILL REFRESH AUTOMATICALLY

12 Rounds–Super Welterweights–Canelo Alvarez (42-1-1, 30 KO’s) vs Alfredo Angulo (22-3, 18 KO’s)

Round 1 Canelo coming out blistering..Left to the body..right…jab..10-9 Canelo

Round 2 Big right/left uppercut…Nice left hook to the body…right uppercut…double jab..body//uppercut..right uppercut..20-18 Canelo

Round 3 canelo lands a left hook…right to the bod..left to the head..huge uppercut..right///left hook..Angulo lands a combination..Left hook from Canelo..4 punch combination..Combination from Angulo..big rights and left from Canelo..30-27 Canelo

Round 4 1-2 from Canelo..combination (left hook to the head)…left..counter left hook..2 punch combination..right…40-36 Canelo

Round 5 Canelo lands combination that snaps Canelo head back..Body shot from Angulo..50-45 Canelo

Round 6 Canelo lands a left hook…uppercut..right..double left..Angulo lands an upper..Jab from Canelo..Left hook…60-54 Canelo

Round 7 Double left hook from Canelo..combination..This is getting ugly…Combination from Angulo..Short uppercut/body from Canelo..Left from Canelo..Combo from Angulo..70-63 Canelo

Round 8Canelo lands a jab..good back and forth on the ropes…3 punch combo from Canelo..
left hook…Great action both ways..Canelo could be tired...80-72 Canelo

Round 9 Jab…right uppercut from Canelo..Hard right from Angulo..3 huge uppercuts to Angulo’s jaw…he is showing an incredible chin..90-81

Round 10 Lead left from Canelo..lead left and TONY WEEKS STOPS THE FIGHT

12 Rounds–WBC Super Bantamweight title–Leo Santa Cruz (26-0-1, 15 KO’s) vs Cristian Mijares (49-7-2, 24 KO’s)

Round 1 Right from Santa Cruz..10-9 Santa Cruz

Round 2 Mijares lands a jab…Santa Cruz lands a right and left..20-18 Santa Cruz

Round 3 Santa Cruz lands a a left…combination…right from Mijares…30-27 Santa Cruz

Round 4 Headbutt…Cut over right of Santa Cruz…Body shots by Santa Cruz…Body/head..right uppercut…over hand right…right uppercut…flurry…40-36 Santa Cruz

Round 5 Mijares running, making Santa Cruz miss…right from Santa Cruz..

Round 6 Hard right from Santa Cruz buckles Santa Cruz…left uppercut from Mijares..60-55 Santa Cruz

Round 7 Santa Cruz continuing to pressure..70-64

Round 8Santa Cruz lands a jab…left and right…Jab…Body..Right uppercut and another 80-73 Santa Cruz

Round 9 Santa Cruz contined to dominate…lands a 4 punch combination..blood dripping down the right side of his face...90-82 Santa Cruz

Round 10 Right over the top from Santa Cruz…sweeping right…100-91 Santa Cruz

Round 11 More of the same with Mijares resigned to surviving…110-100 Santa Cruz

Round 12 Santa Cruz lands a right…ride to head..left uppercut on inside..Good action at the bell…120-109 Santa Cruz

119-109, 120-108 twice for Santa Cruz

10 Rounds Lightweights–Jorge Linares (35-3, 23 KO’s) vs Nihito Arakawa (24-3-1, 16 KO’s)

Round 1 Both land body shots..right from Linares..10-9 Linares

Round 2 Right from Linares..20-18 Linares

Round 3 Arakawa lands a hard combination..Linares lands a left uppercut

Round 4 right and left from body from Arakawa..3 punch combination..3 more punches…hard combinations..40-36 Linares

Round 5 left to body from Arakawa…Combination from Linares..Combination from Arakawa...49-46 Linares

Round 6 Left hook to body from Linares…Right hook from Arakawa..right to body from Arakawa..right from Linares..Short left from Arakawa…right from Linares..Cut around right of Arakawa…Right from Linares…Combination from Arakawa..straight from Linares..Arakawa lands a looping left,,,58-56 Linares

Round 7 Left from Linares..body combination..right hand..Arakawa lands a body shot..hard combo from Linares..left uppercut..left uppercut..Arakawa.. lands a lead left…right from Linares…68-65 Linares

Round 8 Linares lands a left hook..left uppercut…straight right..body and then right to the head..78-74 Linares

Round 9 Linares cut from a headbutt..exchanging body..combination from Linares..Arakawa right eye bleeding..hard combination from Linares..88-83 Linares

Round 10 Both guys coming out swinging..Linares gets in a right…hard combination..98-92 Linares

98-92, 100-90 twice FOR JORGE LINARES

10 rounds Lightweights–Ricardo Alvarez (23-2-3, 14 KO’s) vs Sergio Thompson (28-3, 26 KO’s)

Round 1: Thompson lands a right that hurts Alvarez…Hard combination..Left to the body/right to the head…Hard right…10- Thompson

Round 2 ALvarez lands a body…Thompson land 2 body shots..4 punch combination..combination (Body/Head)…Alvare lands 3 uppercuts…Thompson lands a right…20-18 Thompson

Round 3 Staright right, ALvarez goes INTO THE ROPES FOR A KNOCKDOWN..30-26 Thompson

Round 4 Left to head and jab from Thompson..2 jabs from Alvarez…jab..Jab from Thompson and left hook to the body..good right to the jaw..40-35 Thompson

Round 5 Double jab from Thompson…Jab from Alvarez..left to body..Swelling from left eye of Alvarez..left from Thompson..double jab from Alvarez..49-45 Thompson

Round 6 Alvarez lands 2 uppercuts…Hard right wobbles Alvarez..straight right..uppercut..left hook and a right,..jab…59-54 Thompson

Round 7Thompson lands a jab…Alvarez lands a handful of jabs..uppercut and right..big combination…Counter right from Thompson off the ropes..uppercuts from Alvarez..double jab…jab.right from Thompson…counter combination..right to body..4 jab from Alvarez…68-64 Thompson

Round 8 HUGE RIGHT AND DOWN GOES ALVAREZ…Left hook by Alvarez…2 jabs from Thompson..Alvarez lands a right…78-72 Thompson

Round 9 Thompson lands to the body and head…right..Alvarez lands a jab..88-81 Thompson

Round 10 Right from Thompson…Thompson gets hit in the break…Alvarez lands 2 lefts..uppercut..Thompson lands a stiff jab…Thompson lands a hard right to the nose…exchanging jabs…98-91 Thompson

95-93 twice, 97-91 for Sergio Thompson

LAS VEGAS (March 7, 2014) – As of Friday morning, Carlos Molina has officially become unavailable for his junior middleweight championship title defense against Jermall Charlo originally scheduled for tomorrow night. In light of these circumstances, the 10-round lightweight showdown between Ricardo “Dinamita” Alvarez and Sergio “Yeyo” Thompson has been elevated as the opening bout of the four-fight SHOWTIME PPV® presentation of “TOE TO TOE: Canelo vs. Angulo” at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

The 32-year-old Alvarez (23-2-3, 13 KOs), a lightweight contender and brother of Canelo, will face the power punching, 30-year-old Thompson (28-3, 26 KOs) in what is expected to be a slugfest between two Mexican brawlers.

In Saturday’s main event, Mexican boxing superstar and former world champion Canelo Alvarez will face hard-hitting countryman Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo in the first blockbuster boxing event of 2014. Saturday’s live pay-per-view telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

# # #

“TOE TO TOE: Canelo vs. Angulo,” a 12-round super welterweight fight taking place Saturday, March 8 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Canelo Promotions and sponsored by Corona, AT&T and Casamigos Tequila. In the PPV televised undercard two-division world champion Leo Santa Cruz will defend his WBC Super Bantamweight World title against former three-time world champion Cristian Mijares and Jorge Linares will square off in a 10-round lightweight bout against Nihito Arakawa. The four-fight telecast, which opens with a 10-round lightweight bout between Ricardo Alvarez and Sergio Thompson, will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. The event can be heard in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP). “TOE TO TOE: Canelo vs. Angulo” will be broadcast in over 400 select movie theaters across the country.

Tickets are on sale now and are priced at $600, $400, $200 and $100, not including applicable service charges and taxes, with a total ticket limit of 10 per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com. Movie theater tickets are available at participating theater box offices and online at www.FathomEvents.com.

LONDON (March 7) – Underdog Alfredo Angulo is looking to draw on his time spent locked away in a detention centre to help push him to victory over Canelo Alvarez this weekend.

The man known as ‘El Perro’ spent over seven months in ICE Detention Center in El Centro, California having voluntarily checked in back in January 2012 due to an expired Visa.

At the time the light-middleweight star was expecting to stay no more than three days until the issue was sorted but ended up spending a large chunk of 2012 away from his family and boxing.

This ordeal helped toughen Angulo and he will be looking to draw on this uncertain period in his life to overcome Canelo on the biggest stage, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas this Saturday night, a place that not so long ago seemed a million miles away.

“There were a couple times when I was in the immigration detention centre that I wanted to quit,” said Angulo. “But my team of lawyers always motivated me, wouldn’t let me stay down for too long and kept telling me that justice would prevail and that I shouldn’t give up,” he said.

“I always dreamed of being a headliner on a major card, and here it is. I am so ready for Saturday.”

The man that stands in his way, Canelo, is a Mexican idol in his own right and when the pair clash live on BoxNation many expect a potential ‘Fight of the Year’ battle to be witnessed.

The 31-year-old Angulo is unfazed by the occasion and has promised to give fight fans the type of all-action affair they have grown to love and expect when he enters the ring.

“Style-wise, this is a great matchup for the fans and both of us. Fans are going to get a great fight. I’m ready to chase him or fight him like a true Mexican warrior. I plan to test him like he’s never been tested before,” he said.

“I don’t think anyone has ever hit Canelo as hard as I’m going to hit him. I’m totally relaxed and confident. Camp was amazing and I am in unbelievably great shape,” Angulo said.

The man that will be in Angulo’s corner for the fight is esteemed trainer Virgil Hunter who joined forces with the hard-hitting Mexican on his release in late 2012.

The pair quickly bonded and have created a father-son relationship, with Hunter predicting this weekend’s fight to be an extraordinary battle that will change the course of history for both men.

“This is going to be a remarkable night, I can sense that. I’ve had a couple of weeks to reflect on this fight. I know the motto has been ‘toe-to-toe’ but I just have this feeling that I don’t think both men are going to walk out that ring the same after Saturday night,” said Hunter.

“I just anticipate such a savage affair that it’s going to be taken out of my hands, out of coach Reynoso’s hands [Canelo’s trainer] and its pretty much going to be left up to both fighters,” he said.

The Hayward based trainer has also called on the men in charge to let both men fight it out, in an affair which will be a true test of heart and desire.

“I’m asking the officials and judges to just let them go because I can just sense this storm coming – just let them go. If Alfredo gets knocked down just let him get back up and go. If Canelo gets knocked down let him get back up and go,” he said.

“It’s going to be taken out of our hands. This is going to be a savage, savage affair. I’ve been anticipating this for the last couple of weeks and I can just feel it – it’s kind of bothering me.

“At the same time I hope that I can rise to the occasion and that my fighter can walk out of that ring intact with many future fights – and the same for Canelo and his team.

“But there’s just something about this fight, I really truly believe it’s going to exceed what we have probably ever seen before,” Hunter said.

Meanwhile, before the action kicks-off Stateside, BoxNation will also be showing rising star Paul Butler’s showdown with Argentine Oreste Nieva.

The duo clash for the vacant WBA Intercontinental bantamweight belt at the Aintree Equestrian Centre in Liverpool, in a bill which also features Kevin Satchell against Isaac Quaye for the Commonwealth title and Ronnie Heffron taking on John Thain in a light-middleweight contest.

The British and Commonwealth super-flyweight champion, Butler, has his eyes on bigger prizes should he come through the challenge with Nieva, as he hopes to take on Stuart Hall in the near future for his IBF bantamweight world title.

“I would love that fight,” said Butler. “That’s what I’m working towards, getting my shot at the world title. I know that I have the style and ability to beat Hall. I’ve seen Hall at close quarters, I’ve sparred with him and the sessions have always been top class. I know if we meet it would be an instant classic – I’m sure about that,” he said.

“My aim is to get past Nieva on Saturday night and look impressive. It’s not an easy fight, and I’m sure like a lot of my fight’s it’s going to be really exciting. But when I come through that then we can start looking at taking on Hall or Martin Ward, depending on who wins their fight. I’m ready for whoever, because I know my time is coming,” said a confident Butler.

The action from Liverpool kicks off at 7pm this Saturday on BoxNation, with episode 2 of ‘All Access: Canelo vs. Angulo’ just before at 6.30pm.

Canelo Alvarez vs. Alfredo Angulo is live on BoxNation (Sky Ch.437/Virgin Ch.546) this Sunday from 2am. Visit www.boxnation.com to subscribe.

-Ends-
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Canelo Alvarez 155 – Alfredo Angulo 154.5
Leo Santa Cruz 122 – Cristian Mijares 122
(WBC Super Bantamweight Title)
Jorge Linares 134.5 – Nihito Arakawa 134.5
Ricardo Alvarez 135 – Sergio Thompson 135

It’s another big live double header exclusively on BoxNation this Saturday night!

From 7pm we’re in Merseyside where local hero Paul Butler steps up to bantamweight as he eyes a summer showdown with IBF World Champion Stuart Hall. The Ellesmere Port hitman faces highly-rated Argentine Oreste Nieva with the Vacant WBA Intercontinental Bantamweight title on the line on a bill which also features Kevin Satchell defending his Commonwealth crown against Isaac Quaye and a tasty domestic duel between Ronnie Heffron and John Thain.

Then, from 2am, we’re headed to the MGM Grand, Las Vegas, where Saul “Canelo” Alvarez looks to bounce back from his first career loss to Floyd Mayweather against Mexican rival Alfredo Angulo. Three world title fights make up a super-stacked undercard, including WBC Super-Bantamweight champ Leo Santa Cruz defending against Cristian Mijares as the winner of Frampton v Cazares lies in wait, while Omar Figueroa risks the WBC World Lightweight title against Ricardo Alvarez and Carlos Molina puts his IBF World Light-Middleweight title on the line against Jermall Charlo.

By Norm Frauenheim

Canelo Alvarez hears the question more often than he saw Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s shoulder roll, roll and roll on a long, one-sided night nearly six months ago. Defeat is a lesson, says Alvarez, who really can’t say anything else about his first pro loss. If it’s not a lesson, it’s a problem. Simple as that.

Multiple-options are nice, but Alvarez doesn’t have that luxury Saturday night against Alfredo Angulo in his first bout since suffering his first loss in a September wipeout administered by Mayweather.

Win, and he leaves the ring with proof that the lesson was learned and his identity intact. Lose, and he leaves with damage to his career and agonizing self-doubt about whether he was ever the fighter who had been hyped as perhaps the brightest prospect in a new generation.

It’s not complicated. It’s just dangerous.

“This will be a savage, savage affair,” Angulo trainer Virgil Hunter said Thursday during the formal news conference at Las Vegas MGM Grand.

Hunter’s prediction probably helps boost the pay-per-view sales for the Showtime bout from the same Grand Garden Arena where Canelo lost a decision to Mayweather. Savagery, or even the promise of it, sells. It’s hard to to judge whether the always cool Canelo is buying into all the talk about a knock-down, blood-and-guts encounter between Mexican warriors. Angulo is known for his well-advertised power. He knocked down Erislandy Lara twice, Yet, he suffered a grotesque welt above one eye in losing a 10th-round TKO to Lara because of a couple of other things well-advertised:

Angulo gets hits often. His scarred face bloodies and bruises easily.

The 23-year-old Canelo (42-1, 30 KOs), seemingly wise beyond his years, must know that and even more. At the news conference, he talked about how styles make fights as if to say that, yeah, watch this one, because it will provide the violence so often promised. But Angulo’s style also seems to be perfect for Canelo’s skill-set. He couldn’t find Mayweather. But Angulo (22-3, 18 KOs) figures to be there, stubbornly moving forward and providing a willing target for Canelo’s arsenal of well-executed combinations. There’s a hedge, however. There’s growing sentiment that Angulo might have a chance after all, because of lingering questions about Canelo’s endurance. He seems to tire in later rounds. The task for Angulo is to take him beyond the sixth. Perhaps, Angulo has learned how to do that in sparring with the Hunter-trained Andre Ward and Amir Khan.

“There seems to a shift going on,” Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer said about a tide of second opinion that suddenly favors Angulo.

A patient, cautious Angulo in the early going could lead to a more tactical fight and not the one promised in the Toe-To-Toe advertising. Hunter, in a somewhat ominous tone, made it sound as if a wild, chaotic fight is the only possibility. He talked almost as if he feared for each fighter.

“I don’t think both men will walk out the same,” said Hunter, who during Thursday news conference also said: “It’s been taken out of my hands.”

Hunter sounded nervous. Perhaps, he knows that Angulo will have a hard time resisting the temptation to slug it out early, especially in the first pay-per-view fight of his career. The junior-middleweight also will be making his debut at the MGM Grand.

Canelo has been there. Has lost there.

Maybe, learned there too.

Angulo will be the first test of whether in fact he has.

LAS VEGAS (March 6, 2014) – The fighters and their camps stayed classy and soft-spoken yet confident during Thursday’s final press conference for “TOE TO TOE: Canelo vs. Angulo” taking place this Saturday, March 8, live on SHOWTIME PPV® (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) from MGM Grand Garden Arena.

In Saturday’s 12-round super welterweight main event, popular Mexican boxing superstar and former world champion Canelo Alvarez (42-1-1, 30 KOs) faces game and aggressive, upset-minded countryman Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo (22-3, 18 KOs).

Exciting, unbeaten two-division world champion and current WBC Super Bantamweight Champion Leo “Terremoto” Santa Cruz (26-0-1, 15 KOs) will defend his 122-pound belt against former three-time world champion Cristian “El Diamante” Mijares (48-7-2, 22 KOs) in the co-main event. In other PPV matches, former two-time world champion Jorge “Niño de Oro” Linares (35-3, 23 KOs) takes on offensive-minded Japanese contender Nihito Arakawa (24-3-1, 16 KOs) in a 10-round lightweight scrap and IBF Junior Middleweight World Champion Carlos Molina (22-5-2, 6 KOs) is scheduled to defend his 154-pound crown against undefeated Jermall Charlo (17-0, 13 KOs).

Molina is facing some legal obstacles, however, and as of late Thursday, his fight with Charlo was in jeopardy of being cancelled.

Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions and the emcee at the final press conference streamed live at sports.sho.com, alluded to the uncertainty of Molina-Charlo and announced that, if necessary, it would be replaced with a 135-pound matchup between Ricardo Alvarez (23-2-3, 13 KOs), an older brother of Canelo, and Sergio “Yeyo” Thompson (28-3, 26 KOs).

“There are some issues which Carlos Molina is facing related to some outstanding warrants,” Schaefer said. “His legal team and his promoter are currently working on trying to sort these issues out and have him ready, hopefully, for the weigh-in and ultimately for the fight. I know that Molina wants to fight and I know he has a team behind him which is going to do whatever it can to get him here in time.”

Tickets for the event promoted by Golden Boy Promotions are on sale and priced at $600, $400, $200 and $100, not including applicable service charges and taxes, with a total ticket limit of 10 per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com. Movie theater tickets are available at participating theater box offices and online at www.FathomEvents.com.

Below is what the fighters, their camps and executives said at Thursday’s final press conference at The Hollywood Theatre inside the MGM Grand:

CANELO ALVAREZ:
“There isn’t much more to say – I’m ready to go. Boxing is about style and I think with his [Angulo’s] style and my style it will be a war. We are going to give you a war. I always say talk is cheap so we’ll see what happens on Saturday night.

“It is a big responsibility to headline on pay-per-view. It shows the end result of everything I’ve done in the gym.

“I’m going to give it my best. I’m going to get the victory.

“Angulo is a very dangerous opponent. He doesn’t mind getting hit as long as he can hit back. It’s a fight that can change in one punch on either side.

“I’m calm and tranquil because that’s part of the preparation for this fight.

“I know I’m strong, I know what I have to do. I will follow my game plan and come out with the win.

“Angulo keeps coming forward, breaks you down and keeps coming. It’ll be challenging to get a knockout against a guy like Angulo, but you can’t blame me for trying.”

JOSE “CHEPO” REYNOSO, Canelo’s Manager:
“At this point, there is not much to say except that all of us in Canelo’s camp are ready. Both fighters are ready to fight. Saturday, the world will see a great fight between two Mexican warriors.”

EDDIE REYNOSO, Canelo’s Trainer:
“We’ve had a great 10-week camp. It’s always tough to be away from our families, but this is our job. We are well aware that Angulo is a dangerous puncher who can change everything with one punch. That being said, we’re ready for him, whether he wants to stand or to box. Canelo also has a punch. On Saturday, Canelo is going to give his fans a great victory.”

ALFREDO ANGULO:
“I want to thank everybody – Golden Boy Promotions, SHOWTIME, MGM Grand, all those working on this event, my team – for this opportunity and for their faith in me. I’m ready.

“I’ve been working very hard for this fight, and I could not be in better condition.

“Between Canelo and me, this is going to be a great fight, a really, really great fight.”

VIRGIL HUNTER, Angulo’s Trainer:
“This is going to be a remarkable night. It’s going to be a savage affair. I sense a storm coming. There’s something about this fight that has me thinking, anticipating that it is going to exceed everything we’ve been expecting and be something we’ve never seen before.”

LEO SANTA CRUZ:
“This is my first time on pay-per-view and to be the co-main event is very exciting. Thanks to everyone who got me to this place.

“I just feel 100 percent ready. I know Mijares is a great fighter. I watched him fight when I was growing up and getting my career started so I know this is going to be the hardest fight of my career. But that’s why we trained really hard – to give a great fight to all the fans and to make the fight of the night.

“It’s going to be really hard [to be the fight of the night] because Canelo and Angulo are great fighters so we’re going to have to work really hard to beat them. But we’ll try our best and give our fans a great fight.”

CRISTIAN MIJARES:
“I don’t have much to say. The fight is almost upon us. Like Leo, I can guarantee that his is going to be a war on Saturday night. It’s almost time. I just want to make weight. I’m definitely ready to fight.”

JERMALL CHARLO:
“I’m 17-0, 23-years-old and fighting on the big stage at MGM. I definitely feel I belong with Canelo and all of the other young fighters. I’ve been on weight for a month.

“Obviously, I want the fight to happen. If it doesn’t, I will fall short of my goal. I know I’m ready, my team is ready, and the city of Houston is ready for me to bring home that world title. I’m going to continue to train and think like it is happening.

“I’m sure I will be very, very disappointed if it doesn’t [happen]. When I was first told that something was up with Molina, I thought they were playing with me, figuring here I am, on the eve of being on boxing’s biggest stage, there’s no way we don’t fight. But it was not a joke.

“If we don’t fight, I’m just going to work that much harder.”

JORGE LINARES:
“I’m very grateful for this opportunity. This is going to be an important fight and it’s going to be a very, very tough fight. Obviously, my opponent is a very tough fighter. It’s a big stage on pay-per-view so I’m ready for this. It’s going to be a tough challenge but that’s what it’s all about.”

NIHITO ARAKAWA:
“I have prepared myself very well for this fight. I thank Golden Boy Promotions for giving me this opportunity, just like they did last year. I may not have the most experienced record on this card, but I can assure you that I will give 100 percent of myself for this. I’m looking forward to a great fight the day after tomorrow.”

RICARDO ALVAREZ:
“My fight with WBC Lightweight Champion [Omar Figueroa Jr.] fell out, but I’m still here, I’m still ready to fight. We all know accidents happen in boxing, but I’m happy to be here on this big stage. I’m here and I’m ready to fight.”

RICHARD SCHAEFER, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions:
“There seems to be a shift going on. More and more fighters, trainers and media members are starting to say, ‘You know what, I’m changing my opinion. I think Angulo is going to knock Canelo out.’ And I think it is this kind of sentiment that shows you what we want to do – we want to put on great fights. Of course, each guy wants to win and they know how important it is for them, their fans and Mexico. Both Canelo and Angulo don’t need any extra motivation. They know it’s a very dangerous fight.

“Talking about warriors and TOE TO TOE action, it doesn’t get any better than the fight between Leo Santa Cruz and Cristian Mijares. Leo is one of the most exciting fighters in boxing and Mijares is a former world champ who wants the belt back. Neither fighter is afraid of anyone.

“If I could watch Nihito Arakawa every day I would. He is the definition of a modern-day gladiator. He fights with hearts, guys and he is everything a fighter should be. We’re all looking forward to watching him and Linares in what should be a war.

“We believe Ricardo Alvarez is ready to fight for a world title. He has to do a little detour because of the injury to Omar Figueroa Jr., but he’s facing an extremely tough fighter in Sergio Thompson.”

STEPHEN ESPINOZA, Executive Vic President General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports:
“Over the last year, SHOWTIME and SHOWTIME PPV have become the premier destination for big-time boxing. SHOWTIME has given boxing fans more live fights, more replays of classic fights and more total hours of boxing programming – and we’ve done it with state of the art technology like the 4K cameras and super slo-mo replays and social media integrations, things our competitors aren’t doing. We are committing more resources to boxing programming than anyone else in the sport today – and the viewers have responded enthusiastically, as our audience share has increased by leaps and bounds.

“Our success has been the result of two key factors: (1) We work with first-class partners such as Golden Boy Promotions and the MGM Grand and (2) is the quality of our fights. We put on great fights, competitive fights and this card is a great example. It’s an entire card of pay-per-view-action fighters that is guaranteed excitement.”
# # #

“TOE TO TOE: Canelo vs. Angulo,” a 12-round super welterweight fight taking place Saturday, March 8 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Canelo Promotions and sponsored by Corona, AT&T and Casamigos Tequila. In world title fights on the undercard, two-division World Champion Leo Santa Cruz will defend his WBC Super Bantamweight World title against former three-time World Champion Cristian Mijares and Carlos Molina will defend his IBF Junior Middleweight Championship against undefeated Jermall Charlo. Carlos Molina vs. Jermall Charlo is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Warriors Boxing. The four-fight telecast, which opens with a 10-round lightweight bout between Jorge Linares and Nihito Arakawa, will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. The event can be heard in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP). “TOE TO TOE: Canelo vs. Angulo” will be broadcast in over 400 select movie theaters across the country.

LONDON (March 6) – Canelo Alvarez is using the story of ‘The Greatest’ Muhammad Ali to help inspire him to make his own boxing history starting this weekend.

The cinnamon haired superstar will be going toe-to-toe with countryman Alfredo Angulo as they lay their Mexican machismo on the line in front of a packed crowd at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas this weekend.

It is a significant fight for both men, particularly the 23-year-old Canelo, who will be under close scrutiny to see what effect his first defeat last September against pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather has had on him.

Hotly tipped as the man to take over the throne of Mayweather, Canelo was soundly beaten over twelve rounds but is refusing to let that setback stop him from following in the footsteps of his idol Ali and becoming one of history’s very best.

“I consider myself a person with a strong mindset and that’s how I moved on from the loss against Mayweather. I always train to win, like everybody else and unfortunately last September that was not the case,” Canelo recalled.

“I’m training to make history and to be one of the best in boxing history. One defeat is not everything. The biggest boxers in history have been defeated. For instance, Muhammad Ali was defeated and he came back and made history.

“So, here I am, making history, moving forward. I fight to make boxing history. That is why I fight,” said Canelo.

The former WBC, WBA and Ring Magazine light-middleweight world champion has jumped right back in at the deep end and refused to take an easier comeback fight than the one the hardened Angulo presents.

Having knocked out 18 opponents in his 22 wins, the 31-year-old Angulo has earned a reputation as one of boxing’s most exciting and dangerous fighters.

Canelo is under no illusions, however, and knows he will need to be on top of his game to tame the man known as ‘El Perro’ – ‘The Dog’.

“Angulo presents a difficult challenge because he’s a fighter who can punch and take a great punch. I know I have to prepare and establish my game plan early. But you know how it can be with game plans. Sometimes, once a fight starts, you have to do what you have to do to win and that’s what I am going to do on Saturday,” Canelo said.

“Obviously a knockout would be beautiful; that’s what the fans like, an impressive knockout. But I never go into a fight looking for a knockout. If it comes, it comes.

“Everyone says Angulo is the stronger guy, but I think I’m the strongest,” said a confident Canelo.

A fan favourite himself, inside and outside the ring, Canelo is keen to build on his budding reputation having broken pay-per-view records in his last fight with Mayweather.

The attractive eye-catching style of Angulo was one of the main reasons that Canelo opted to take the fight in a bill that has quite aptly been dubbed ‘Toe-To-Toe’ due to the exciting all-action affair many are expecting.

“Of course that was very important [the style of Angulo]. What the fans want to see is attractive fights, very good fights, and that was a big reason for doing this fight,” said Canelo.

“It’s a very, very different style [to Mayweather]. So the whole camp has been different, the sparring partners have been different. But it’s a style that’s going to be attractive and it’s going to make for a very good fight,” he said.

BoxNation viewers can see the premiere of episode two ‘All Access: Canelo vs. Angulo’ this Saturday at 6.30pm. Before live boxing action from Liverpool where rising bantamweight star Paul Butler faces tough Argentine Oreste Nieva for the vacant WBA intercontinental title.

Canelo Alvarez vs. Alfredo Angulo is live on BoxNation (Sky Ch.437/Virgin Ch.546) this Sunday from 2am. Visit www.boxnation.com to subscribe.

-Ends-

About BoxNation
BoxNation, the Channel of Champions and proud partner of Rainham Steel, is the UK’s first dedicated subscription boxing channel. For £10* a month and no minimum term customers can enjoy great value live and exclusive fights, classic fight footage, magazine shows and interviews with current and former fighters.

BoxNation is proud to support Fight for Peace, a charity that uses boxing and martial arts combined with education and personal development to realise the potential of young people in communities that suffer from crime and violence. Buy LUTA (www.luta.co.uk) clothing and support Fight for Peace.

Previous highlights have included Haye vs Chisora, Khan vs Diaz and Mayweather vs Alvarez.

The channel is available on Sky (Ch.437), Virgin (Ch.546), online at Livesport.tv and via iPhone, iPad or Android. BoxNation is also available in high definition on Sky, at no extra cost to Sky TV subscribers, providing they are already HD enabled.

BoxNation is also available to commercial premises (inc. pubs, clubs and casino’s) in the UK and Ireland, for more information on a commercial subscription please call 0844 842 7700.

For more information visit www.boxnation.com

*Plus £10 one off registration fee for Sky TV and new Livesport.tv customers.

LONDON (March 5) – Alfredo Angulo will be looking to seize his opportunity when he battles fellow Mexican star Canelo Alvarez in a fight set to be an edge of the seat thriller.

The 31-year-old originally from Mexicali, in Baja California, the twelfth largest state in Mexico, battles his countryman Canelo this weekend on BoxNation at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, in a fight which is expected to go down as one of the very best this year.

A likeable and affable character outside the ring, Angulo has graduated from the school of hard knocks and has fought tooth and nail for the opportunity which presents itself on Saturday night when he will look to humble one of boxing’s glamour boys.

“Every fight is important, but this one is more special because all of the fans in Mexico will know that the winner of this fight is the number one Mexican fighter,” Angulo said. “It’s a huge fight for Mexico and it’s a huge fight for Canelo and me. Everyone can have their own opinion on who will win the fight. My fans know what I do in the ring and they know what to expect on Saturday night.

“My hand will be raised. I’m ready now and I will give the fans my best performance against Canelo. You will see the best Alfredo Angulo on Saturday,” he said confidently.

The light-middleweight star joined up with esteemed trainer Virgil Hunter in 2012 and the pair have looked impressive together, with Angulo giving Erislandy Lara, the man many regard as the best 154 pounder in the world, his toughest fight to date in his last bout.

Canelo himself is looking to bounce back from defeat in his last fight to pound-for-pound ace Floyd Mayweather but Angulo is determined to make it two miserable nights in a row for the 23-year-old star.

“Canelo has gained a lot of experience the last couple of years, he’s a fighter that has fast hands and he can also box if he wants to, so those are maybe some of the attributes, some of the things that I have to look out for,” said Angulo.

“All I do is fight, and I let my fighting do the talking for me. Canelo knows that I’m a good fighter. I’m just glad that I have Virgil on my side to help me construct a game plan and figure out the styles,” he said.

“I am happy that I’m facing another Mexican, because as all the fans know, everybody knows when two Mexicans get in the ring it’s a guaranteed show, it’s a guaranteed exciting show. And March 8th, don’t expect anything different,” Angulo stated.

‘El Perro’, or ‘The Dog’, as he is affectionately known, has lived in the shadow of his Mexican foe Canelo since forging his professional career, but he knows victory in his upcoming fight will allow him to step out of that in the hope of finding sunlight against boxing’s best.

“God willing, it’s going to be that way [getting in the Floyd Mayweather sweepstakes]. That’s what I want, that’s what I’m working for, and it will happen that way [by beating Canelo],” said Angulo.

“But as far as who I want to fight next, I’m not thinking about that. I’m just thinking about Canelo Alvarez right now, that’s on my mind, and it’s not up to me. It’s up to my team. It’s up to Golden Boy, Richard Schaefer, to decide who I’ll fight next. I’m not worrying about that. The most important thing for me right now is Canelo Alvarez,” he said.

Canelo Alvarez vs. Alfredo Angulo is live on BoxNation (Sky Ch.437/Virgin Ch.546) this Sunday from 2am. Visit www.boxnation.com to subscribe.

-Ends-

About BoxNation
BoxNation, the Channel of Champions and proud partner of Rainham Steel, is the UK’s first dedicated subscription boxing channel. For £10* a month and no minimum term customers can enjoy great value live and exclusive fights, classic fight footage, magazine shows and interviews with current and former fighters.

BoxNation is proud to support Fight for Peace, a charity that uses boxing and martial arts combined with education and personal development to realise the potential of young people in communities that suffer from crime and violence. Buy LUTA (www.luta.co.uk) clothing and support Fight for Peace.

Previous highlights have included Haye vs Chisora, Khan vs Diaz and Mayweather vs Alvarez.

The channel is available on Sky (Ch.437), Virgin (Ch.546), online at Livesport.tv and via iPhone, iPad or Android. BoxNation is also available in high definition on Sky, at no extra cost to Sky TV subscribers, providing they are already HD enabled.

BoxNation is also available to commercial premises (inc. pubs, clubs and casino’s) in the UK and Ireland, for more information on a commercial subscription please call 0844 842 7700.

For more information visit www.boxnation.com

*Plus £10 one off registration fee for Sky TV and new Livesport.tv customers.

LAS VEGAS (March 5, 2014) – Mexican boxing superstar and former world champion Canelo Alvarez, hard-hitting countryman Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo and “TOE TO TOE: Canelo vs. Angulo” pay-per-view undercard fighters worked out in front of a throng of media and adoring fans on Wednesday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena lobby.

Canelo (42-1-1, 30 KOs) and the dangerous Angulo (22-3, 18 KOs) will square off in what is expected to be a slugfest in the 12-round super welterweight main event this Saturday, March 8, LIVE on SHOWTIME PPV® (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Undefeated two-division world champion and current WBC Super Bantamweight titleholder Leo “Terremoto” Santa Cruz (26-0-1, 15 KOs) will defend his title against former three-time world champion Cristian “El Diamante” Mijares (48-7-2, 22 KOs) in Saturday’s co-feature. In the second world title fight of the evening, IBF Junior Middleweight World Champion “King” Carlos Molina (22-5-2, 6 KOs) will defend his title against undefeated Jermall Charlo (17-0, 13 KOs).

A 10-round lightweight fight between former two-time world champion Jorge “Niño de Oro” Linares (35-3, 23 KOs) and exciting Japanese contender Nihito Arakawa (24-3-1, 16 KOs) will open the pay-per-view telecast. Lightweight contender Ricardo Alvarez (23-2-3, 13 KOs), brother of Canelo, will face late-replacement Sergio “Yeyo” Thompson (28-3, 26 KOs) on the non-televised undercard after WBC Lightweight Champion Omar Figueroa Jr. pulled out due to injury.

Tickets for the event promoted by Golden Boy Promotions are on sale and priced at $600, $400, $200 and $100, not including applicable service charges and taxes, with a total ticket limit of 10 per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com. Movie theater tickets are available at participating theater box offices and online at www.FathomEvents.com.

Below is what the fighters said at Wednesday’s workouts:

CANELO ALVAREZ:
“My main concern when we are this close to a fight, is always my weight and making the weight. Although I’m on weight and it will not be a problem, that is always my concern this close to a fight. All of the hard work in the gym is done.

“Between the fans, my family and myself, I’m always motivated for my fights. The support I get has always motivated me. I fight for them, on behalf of them. Everything I have is because of the fans. I know I’m young and they have so much faith in me. I can just be who I am and continue to work as hard as I can.

“Angulo presents a difficult challenge because he’s a fighter who can punch and take a great punch. I know I have to prepare and establish my game plan early. But you know how it can be with game plans. Sometimes, once a fight starts, you have to do what you have to do win and that’s what I am going to do on Saturday.

“Obviously a knockout would be beautiful; that’s what the fans like, an impressive knockout. But I never go into a fight looking for knockout. If it comes, it comes.

“Everyone says Angulo is the stronger guy, but I think I’m the strongest.”

ALREDO ANGULO:
“Style-wise, this is a great matchup for the fans and both of us. Fans are going to get a great fight.

“I’m ready to chase him or fight him like a true Mexican warrior.

“I plan to test him like he’s never been tested before. I don’t think anyone has ever hit Canelo as hard as I’m going to hit him.

“I’m totally relaxed and confident. Camp was amazing and I am in unbelievably great shape.

“There were a couple times when I was in the immigration detention center (January-August 2012) that I wanted to quit. But my team of lawyers always motivated me, wouldn’t let me stay down for too long and kept telling me that justice would prevail and that I shouldn’t give up.

“I always dreamed of being a headliner on a major card, and here it is. I am so ready for Saturday.’’

LEO SANTA CRUZ:
“This is going to be a great fight, a war. I have a lot of respect for Mijares, who was a great champion and is still very fast. His style can be complicated which is why I’ve been working in the gym with southpaws who are like him.

“I feel [Cesar] Seda was stronger, younger and faster than Mijares.

“I never enter the ring thinking I’m going to lose, so if he says he can see something in me that indicates that, well, he is very wrong. I am going to stop him.’’

CRISTIAN MIJARES:
“This is such a great opportunity for me. I totally feel like I’m catching Leo at the right time. He’s a great, young champion and I know this is going to be a difficult fight. But I have too much experience for him, too much overall speed.

“I think Leo found out in his last fight that he is vulnerable. I can see in his face, the look in his eyes, that he’s going to lose on Saturday. I am very confident.’’

JERMALL CHARLO:
“This fight is a stepping-stone in my career. In order to be the champion that I want to be, I have to get past this obstacle. He has the title, he has what I want.

“It’s going to take hard work, guts and determination. It’s going to take everything I’ve prepared for to stay in there and battle with him. I need to stay focused and be able to deal with everything that he brings into the ring – the shots behind the head, low blows, I’ll be ready for everything. We’ve all seen Molina fight and I’ve prepared in a way that he can’t surprise me with anything.

“I’m not fazed by the spotlight or the world championship. This is where I belong. I trained hard and will leave it all in the ring.

“I already feel like a world champion and I’m here to prove that I’m ready for this level. I’m going to show everyone that I’m here and that I’m going to be here for a long time.”

JORGE LINARES:
“The battle has already started; we just haven’t shot the first bullet yet. But we are both ready for war. We need to be.

“It’s difficult to knock him down but it’s not impossible. He certainly won’t fall with one punch, and that’s why I’ve prepared for 10 rounds of action..

“You can’t compare my style with Figueroa Jr. We are completely different fighters. I have to break him [Arakawa] down with my speed and intelligence. I can’t fall into his territory and fight his fight.

“I think there is a better chance that the ref stops this fight than it ending in one punch. I’m going to break him down little by little.

“This is the biggest opportunity for me at this point in my career. My mind is just set on winning. It’s been a long time coming so I know I need to be ready for this opportunity. Whoever they put in front of me I can beat.

“Fighting here at MGM pumps me up even more. It gives me a little something extra every time I fight in Las Vegas. I won my first title here in Vegas [at Mandalay Bay], but the difference is now people know who I am and they give me respect.”

NIHITO ARAKAWA:
“I’m not looking at this as a personal challenge but as a challenge as a Japanese boxer and for all Japanese boxers. I’m representing my country, I’m representing Japan.

“[In my last fight] I just did what was natural, which is to fight until the bell rings. I didn’t win but I fought my fight. I’m going to fight with the same style and aggressiveness, but this time I will get the win.

“I’m very happy to get the nickname ‘The Japanese Rocky.’ It’s an honor to earn a reputation like that after just my first fight in the United State. It’s an honor to represent my country with this nickname.

“Spirit-wise, I won’t change. I will fight until I win. I’ll fix my defense and the issues I had against Omar [Figueroa Jr.] to ensure that I get a win. I have a huge opportunity and I’m going to take advantage of it.”

RICARDO ALVAREZ:
“[On the injury to Figueroa Jr.]: That’s the way boxing is. These types of things happen. But I’ll be fine. I’m just happy to be able to fight on this card.

“I always work hard. Whenever the world title opportunity comes up I will be ready. I’ll just keep working hard and the world title shot will come.

“In my last fight, I had a fighter that was moving a lot. It probably wasn’t’ the best for my style, but you learn each time you step in the ring. This time, I’m going to move forward and be aggressive. I’ll keep my style that I’ve always had to satisfy the fans.

“Omar and Sergio [Thompson] have similar styles so the late change doesn’t bother me that much. I’ve prepared for a world title fight so I’m ready for everything.

“There is some sense of pride [fighting on the card with my brother]. I’m so happy for him and all of his success. But it’s important for me to break away from that and fight my own fight. At the end of the day, Canelo will not get in the ring with me.”

# # #

“TOE TO TOE: Canelo vs. Angulo,” a 12-round super welterweight fight taking place Saturday, March 8 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Canelo Promotions and sponsored by Corona, AT&T and Casamigos Tequila. In world title fights on the undercard, two-division World Champion Leo Santa Cruz will defend his WBC Super Bantamweight World title against former three-time World Champion Cristian Mijares and Carlos Molina will defend his IBF Junior Middleweight Championship against undefeated Jermall Charlo. Carlos Molina vs. Jermall Charlo is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Warriors Boxing. The four-fight telecast, which opens with a 10-round lightweight bout between Jorge Linares and Nihito Arakawa, will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. The event can be heard in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP). “TOE TO TOE: Canelo vs. Angulo” will be broadcast in over 400 select movie theaters across the country.

Tickets are on sale now and are priced at $600, $400, $200 and $100, not including applicable service charges and taxes, with a total ticket limit of 10 per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com. Movie theater tickets are available at participating theater box offices and online at www.FathomEvents.com.

LAS VEGAS (March 4, 2014) – As hundreds of fans and media stood in lines that stretched from the sidewalk outside the main doors to the make-shift ring inside the lobby of MGM Grand in Las Vegas, popular Mexican boxing superstar and former World Champion Canelo Alvarez, his opponent this Saturday, Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo, and five-of-the-six other fighters who’ll compete on “TOE TO TOE: Canelo vs. Angulo,’’ made their official entry into the hotel Tuesday afternoon.

In what’s expected to be a slugfest in the main event this Saturday, March 8, on SHOWTIME PPV® (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT), Canelo (42-1-1, 30 KOs) will face the double-dangerous Angulo (22-3, 18 KOs) in the 12-round super welterweight main event.

In world title fights that precede Canelo vs. Angulo, undefeated two-division world champion and current WBC Super Bantamweight titleholder Leo “Terremoto” Santa Cruz (26-0-1, 15 KOs) will defend against crowd-pleasing, former three-time world champion Cristian “El Diamante” Mijares (48-7-2, 22 KOs) and IBF Junior Middleweight World Champion “King” Carlos Molina (22-5-2, 6 KOs) will defend against undefeated Jermall Charlo (17-0, 13 KOs), who missed the arrivals, but was due at MGM Grand later on Tuesday. A 10-round lightweight fight between former two-time world champion Jorge “Niño de Oro” Linares (35-3, 23 KOs) and exciting Japanese contender Nihito Arakawa (24-3-1, 16 KOs) will open the telecast.

All of the fighters were welcomed enthusiastically by the appreciative fans, but the biggest and loudest cheers were for Canelo, who entered MGM Grand lobby wearing sunglasses and a smile. He was quickly surrounded by fans and media as cameras clicked and TV cameras rolled. Each boxer signed autographs, posed for photos and completed press interviews.

Tickets for the event promoted by Golden Boy Promotions are on sale and priced at $600, $400, $200, $100, $50 and $25, not including applicable service charges and taxes, with a total ticket limit of 10 per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com. Movie theater tickets are available at participating theater box offices and online at www.FathomEvents.com.

Below is what the fighters said upon their arrivals on Tuesday.

CANELO ALVAREZ:
“I had a very relaxed camp, but, at the same time, I was very anxious to get back in the ring.
“More than the style difference [between Mayweather and Angulo], I’m just happy to be back in the ring. It’s a tough fight, but I’m very confident.

“I learned a lot from fighting Floyd, but I’m ready to get back in the ring to maintain the path that I was on before. This is what I love to do. I live to fight and we’re ready for Saturday.

“I’m fully concentrated on this fight. What happened in September is in the past. I’m focused on Saturday and Angulo.

“I’m here for the fans. That’s what I fight for.”

ALREDO ANGULO:
“Every fight is important, but this one is more special because all of the fans in Mexico will know that the winner of this fight is the No. 1 Mexican fighter. It’s a huge fight for Mexico and it’s a huge fight for Canelo and me.

“Everyone can have their own opinion on who will win the fight. My fans know what I do in the ring and they know what to expect on Saturday night.

“My hand will be raised. I’m ready now and I will give the fans my best performance against Canelo. You will see the best Alfredo Angulo on Saturday.

“Amir [Khan] and Andre [Ward] told me that I’m ready. They told me this is my time.”

LEO SANTA CRUZ:
“I’ve been in the gym training really hard so when fight day comes I can give them my best.

“It’s a huge motivation to be fighting in a big co-feature on a pay-per-view event like this. It would be a dream come true for me to fight in a main event. But I need to win to get that opportunity.”

CRISTIAN MIJARES:
“Leo is a great fighter, but in this sport you win some and you lose some. Come Saturday, I’m coming to win.

“It’s a great honor to be on this card with this Canelo and Angulo. We’re going to do our best to put on a show.”

CARLOS MOLINA:
“I’m more eager and hungry than I’ve ever been for a fight in my life. I can’t wait to walk in that ring. This is what I’ve worked for, this is what I live to do.

“This guy is undefeated, but he’s never faced anyone like me. I’m still the champion and I’ll still be the champion on Saturday.”

JORGE LINARES:
“This reminds me of 2007 when I won my first world title, the only difference is that was at Mandalay Bay instead of MGM Grand.

“I respect Arkawa’s game. I respect what he did with Omar [Figueroa Jr.], but I’m a different fighter. The ‘Asian Rocky’ won’t last very long on Saturday night.”

NIHITO ARAKAWA:
“I’m grateful to be back in the United States and this time I’m going to win.

“My last fight was a war, but I didn’t come out with the win. This time, we’ll put on another war, but the result will be different.”

# # #

“TOE TO TOE: Canelo vs. Angulo,” a 12-round super welterweight fight taking place Saturday, March 8 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Canelo Promotions and sponsored by Corona, AT&T and Casamigos Tequila. In world title fights on the undercard, two-division World Champion Leo Santa Cruz will defend his WBC Super Bantamweight World title against former three-time World Champion Cristian Mijares and Carlos Molina will defend his IBF Junior Middleweight Championship against undefeated Jermall Charlo. Carlos Molina vs. Jermall Charlo is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Warriors Boxing. The four-fight telecast, which opens with a 10-round lightweight bout between Jorge Linares and Nihito Arakawa, will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. The event can be heard in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP). “TOE TO TOE: Canelo vs. Angulo” will be broadcast in over 400 select movie theaters across the country.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.sports.sho.com and www.mgmgrand.com, follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @CaneloOficial, @elperro82, @leosantacruz2, @diamantemijares, @DinamitaAB, @YeyoThompson, @JorgeLinares, @FutureOfBoxing, @mgmgrand, @SHOSports and @Swanson_Comm, follow the conversation using #CaneloAngulo and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing.

LAS VEGAS (March 4, 2014) – In addition to the recently announced lightweight battle between Ricardo “Dinamita” Alvarez (23-2-3, 13 KOs), older brother of Canelo and hard-hitting Sergio “Yeyo” Thompson (28-3, 26 KOs), of Cancun, Mexico, the March 8 undercard for “TOE TO TOE: Canelo vs. Angulo” will feature five more can’t-miss bouts for those in attendance at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

In a junior lightweight fight scheduled for 10 rounds, unbeaten Australian star “Wild” Will Tomlinson makes his United States debut against Texas’ Jerry “The Corpus Christi Kid” Belmontes. Plus, two more rising stars from the 130-pound weight class face off when Mexico City’s Francisco “El Bandido” Vargas battles Puerto Rico’s Abner Cotto. 2012 U.S. Olympian Joseph “Jo-Jo” Diaz Jr. takes on Jovany “El Cepillo” Fuentes in an eight-round super bantamweight bout preceded by a six-round junior welterweight bout starring unbeaten Keandre Gibson against Antonio “Tony” Wong. In the opening match on March 8, Australian prospect Steve Lovett faces an opponent to be announced in a six-round light heavyweight contest.

In addition to the exciting main event on “TOE TO TOE: Canelo vs Angulo,” there are three more fights on the SHOWTIME Pay-Per-View portion of the card: undefeated two-division world champion Leo “Terremoto” Santa Cruz (26-0-1, 15 KOs) will defend his WBC Super Bantamweight World Title against former three-time world champion Cristian “El Diamante” Mijares (48-7-2, 22 KOs); “King” Carlos Molina (22-5-2, 6 KOs) will risk his IBF Junior Middleweight Championship against undefeated Jermall Charlo (17-0, 13 KOs) and former two-time World Champion Jorge “Niño de Oro” Linares (35-3, 23 KOs) will take on exciting Japanese contender Nihito Arakawa (24-3-1, 16 KOs).

Tickets are on sale now and are priced at $600, $400, $200, $100, $50 and $25, not including applicable service charges and taxes, with a total ticket limit of 10 per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com. Movie theater tickets are available at participating theater box offices and online at www.FathomEvents.com.

A native of Sydney, “Wild” Will Tomlinson (21-0-1, 12 KOs) was an amateur standout who competed in the 2007 World Championships before becoming a professional boxer in July 2008. Winner of several pro titles, including the Australian, New South Wales State, WBO Asia Pacific, WBO Oriental and IBO Inter-Continental belts, the 27-year-old won the vacant IBO super featherweight crown in November 2011 by defeating Alan Herrera. Tomlinson has successfully defended his title three times, most recently against Malcolm Klassen on May 16, 2013.

On a quest to get back to his winning ways after tough decision losses to fellow prospects Francisco Vargas and Andrew Cancio, Jerry “The Corpus Christi Kid” Belmontes (18-3, 5 KOs) has everything to gain this Saturday when he tackles Tomlinson. The exciting 25-year-old up-and-comer hopes he can get his year off to a rousing start with a victory in his first Las Vegas appearance since 2008.

A representative of the 2008 Mexican Olympic team, Francisco “El Bandido” Vargas (18-0-1, 13 KOs) stepped up in a big way in 2013, scoring victories over Ira Terry, Cristian Arrazola, Brandon Bennett and Jerry Belmontes that proved that he was ready to make his push for a world title in 2014. That push begins on March 8 against Abner Cotto.

Owner of 235 wins as an amateur, Caguas, Puerto Rico’s Abner Cotto (17-1, 8 KOs) has done the family name proud ever since he put the gloves on. The cousin of Miguel and Jose Cotto, 26-year-old Abner has won all but one of his professional bouts, most recently stopping Daniel Ruiz in four rounds in September 2013. On Saturday, it’s a pivotal meeting against Francisco “El Bandido” Vargas.

Joseph “Jo-Jo” Diaz Jr. (9-1, 6 KOs), of South El Monte, Calif., continues to impress with each victory and despite being a pro for less than a year, the 2012 U.S. Olympic boxing team member has shown poise way beyond his years. Fresh off a seventh-round technical knockout over Carlos Rodriguez last December, the 21-year-old will look to show the continuing evolution of his fight game against Bayamon, Puerto Rico’s Jovany Fuentes (5-3, 4 KOs), a potent puncher who has won three of his last five bouts.

St. Louis’ Keandre Gibson (8-0-1, 3 KOs) will look for his ninth win as a pro against Tijuana, Mexico’s Antonio “Tony” Wong (12-6-1, 7 KOs). A 2006 National Golden Gloves champion and Junior Olympics Bronze medalist, the 23-year-old Gibson is seen as having world championship potential, but he will be put to the test by Wong.

In the opening bout of the card, 28-year-old New South Wales native, undefeated Steve Lovett (7-0, 5 KOs) puts his unblemished record on the line as he makes his United States debut against an opponent to be announced.

“TOE TO TOE: Canelo vs. Angulo,” a 12-round super welterweight fight taking place Saturday, March 8 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Canelo Promotions and sponsored by Corona, AT&T and Casamigos Tequila. In world title fights on the undercard, two-division World Champion Leo Santa Cruz will defend his WBC Super Bantamweight World title against former three-time World Champion Cristian Mijares and Carlos Molina will defend his IBF Junior Middleweight Championship against undefeated Jermall Charlo. Carlos Molina vs. Jermall Charlo is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Warriors Boxing. The four-fight telecast, which opens with a 10-round lightweight bout between Jorge Linares and Nihito Arakawa, will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. The event can be heard in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP). “TOE TO TOE: Canelo vs. Angulo” will be broadcast on over 400 select movie theaters across the country.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.sports.sho.com and www.mgmgrand.com, follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @CaneloOficial, @ElPERRO82, @leosantacruz2, @diamantemijares, @DinamitaAB, @JorgeLinares, @FutureOfBoxing, @yeyothompson
@MGMGrand, @SHOSports and @Swanson_Comm follow the conversation using #CaneloAngulo and become a Facebook fan at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing.

LONDON (March 4) – Amir Khan has backed stablemate Alfredo Angulo to upset the odds when he clashes with fellow Mexican star Canelo Alvarez this weekend.

The pair will meet at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, in front of what is expected to be a sold out arena, with Canelo being tipped as the favourite in the fight which will be broadcast live and exclusive on BoxNation.

Khan, who has trained with Angulo ever since the pair joined forces with esteemed trainer Virgil Hunter back in 2012, has rallied behind his light-middleweight companion and backed him to produce the goods this Saturday night.

“Alfredo has looked great in the gym and you can see an intensity in his eyes that he’s ready for this,” said Khan. “It’s not going to be an easy fight against Canelo because Canelo is a slick boxer and moves quite well but Angulo showed against Lara how good he is at cutting off the ring. Angulo might be seen as the underdog but under Virgil you’ve seen the progress he’s made and you can be sure he’ll force Canelo to work every minute of every round,” he told BoxNation.

“Alfredo has shown he can follow instructions and stick to the game plan and I’m sure Virgil has devised the right strategy for this fight. It’s not going to be easy but I know Alfredo is ready and can get the win,” Khan said.

The former unified light-welterweight star has seen firsthand the damage ‘El Perro’, or ‘The Dog’, can dish out having sparred with him on a number of occasions.

“There’s a close bond between everyone at Virgil’s gym and we all get fully behind whoever has a fight coming up. I’ve sparred with Alfredo to help get him ready for this one and we’ve done some great work over the last few weeks,” he said.

“Sharing the ring with him I know what he’s bringing to this fight and believe me it won’t be an easy night for Canelo. He’ll have to win Alfredo’s respect in there because this guy keeps coming forward and doesn’t take a back step,” said Khan.

Canelo is coming off a dominating points loss last September to pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather.

Nevertheless, Khan is refusing to underestimate Canelo and believes that the Mexican icon with the movie star looks will be motivated to get back to winning ways, which has seen him lose only once in his distinguished career.

“Neither of these guys will want to lose because of what is at stake with them both being proud Mexican’s. It’s going to be an excellent fight because they’re both at the top of their game. I know Canelo is coming off the loss to Mayweather but he’s still a great fighter who’s looking to bounce back and show he’s still one of the best out there,” said Khan.

Angulo also is looking to return from a loss in his last fight, which came in much more controversial circumstances against Erislandy Lara after he was unable to continue due to damage to his left eye, which Angulo’s team claimed was the result of being ‘thumbed’.

The 31-year-old had had twice floored the Cuban and was beginning to exert his will in the fight before it was stopped in the 10th round.

But this opportunity against Canelo represents one Khan believes Angulo has been waiting for since he started boxing.

“With Alfredo this is the chance he’s been waiting for his whole life. He wants to prove that he’s the best Mexican fighter out there and he has the style to make any fight he takes part in exciting to watch. I know what this means to him and I think that’s going to drive him on to prove to everyone how good he really is,” said Khan.

“I’m expecting Alfredo to be the aggressor in the fight and for Canelo to try and counter and use his boxing skills. Alfredo’s skills are underrated and you don’t really get an idea of the subtle things he does well until you get in the ring with him. He’s got serious power in either hand and has the ability to knock Canelo out,” added Khan.

Canelo Alvarez vs. Alfredo Angulo is live on BoxNation (Sky Ch.437/Virgin Ch.546) this Sunday from 2am. Visit www.boxnation.com to subscribe.

-Ends-

About BoxNation
BoxNation, the Channel of Champions and proud partner of Rainham Steel, is the UK’s first dedicated subscription boxing channel. For £10* a month and no minimum term customers can enjoy great value live and exclusive fights, classic fight footage, magazine shows and interviews with current and former fighters.

BoxNation is proud to support Fight for Peace, a charity that uses boxing and martial arts combined with education and personal development to realise the potential of young people in communities that suffer from crime and violence. Buy LUTA (www.luta.co.uk) clothing and support Fight for Peace.

Previous highlights have included Haye vs Chisora, Khan vs Diaz and Mayweather vs Alvarez.

The channel is available on Sky (Ch.437), Virgin (Ch.546), online at Livesport.tv and via iPhone, iPad or Android. BoxNation is also available in high definition on Sky, at no extra cost to Sky TV subscribers, providing they are already HD enabled.

BoxNation is also available to commercial premises (inc. pubs, clubs and casino’s) in the UK and Ireland, for more information on a commercial subscription please call 0844 842 7700.

For more information visit www.boxnation.com

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Omar Figueroa will not be able to defend his Lightweight title this Saturday against Ricardo Alvarez on the Canelo Alvarez – Alfredo Angulo Pay Per View card in Las Vegas due to a hand injury according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

“It’s the same thing he did to the hand in the last fight against (Nihito) Arakawa,” said Golden Boy Promotions matchmaker Eric Gomez. “He injured it and when he woke up (Saturday) morning and it was still swollen and he was in a lot of pain. There was no way he could fight next week.”

“He really wanted to be on this big stage in Las Vegas on a Canelo undercard. This was the biggest fight of both of their careers. So now we have to regroup and eventually the fight will happen. It’s just not going to be next weekend. Now we have to determine when Omar is going to be back, but we have some (Showtime) dates in April and May.”

Verona, N.Y. (Feb. 27, 2014) – The six boxers who will fight on ShoBox: The New Generation tomorrow, Friday, February 28, live on SHOWTIME® (9:30 p.m. ET/PT, immediately following ALL ACCESS: CANELO VS. ANGULO, delayed on the West Coast) from Turning Stone Casino in Verona, N.Y., all made weight on their first attempts at Thursday’s official weigh-in.

Headlining the show will be undefeated super middleweight contender J’Leon Love against Vladine Biosse in a 10-round bout. In other televised action, Badou Jack will meet Derek Edwards in a 10-round super middleweight bout and undefeated Chris Pearson will face Lanardo Tyner in an eight-round middleweight bout.

Attending tomorrow evening’s event will be its promoter, Floyd “Money” Mayweather, the 10-time World Champion. SHOWTIME Sports’ analyst Steve Farhood will speak with Mayweather during the ShoBox telecast.

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ABOUT LOVE vs. BIOSSE:
Love vs. Biosse is a 10-round super middleweight bout promoted by Mayweather Promotions this Friday, Feb. 28 at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, NY. The ShoBox: The New Generation telecast will air live on SHOWTIME® immediately following the episode 1 premiere of ALL ACCESS: Canelo vs. Angulo at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) live on SHOWTIME®.

Tickets priced at $60, $35, $25 and $15, plus applicable taxes, fees and service are available at the Turning Stone Box Office, by calling the box office directly at 1-877-833-7469 or online at www.ticketmaster.com.

Kelly Swanson
Thanks, everybody for joining us today. We’re very excited to feature the star of the Saturday, March 8fight, none other than Canelo Alvarez and his entire team: Ricardo Alvarez, his brother; Chepo Reynoso and Eddie Reynoso, both his trainers; and also Richard Schaefer, Chief Executive Officer of Golden Boy Promotions.

Before I introduce Richard, I would like to say that this is our last press event before we head into fight week, and everybody please look for your fight week media schedules. We have great events planned for fight week and we hope to see you there. If you can’t make it to the fight, keep an eye on your inbox because we will be sending you all sorts of press materials to help your TOE TO TOE coverage, including live streams embedding codes, quotes and photos. As always, we appreciate your continuing support.

At this point, I’ll turn it over to Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions.

Richard Schaefer
We have about a week and a half until the excitement of “TOE TO TOE” hits Las Vegas and fight fans around the world. It is an unbelievable card. It’s one of those cards as Golden Boy has become accustomed to for really top-to-bottom entertainment and great fights.

We have some young, rising stars on the non-televised portion, and I was just actually adding up the records. If you look at the record of the guys they are fighting, it’s very similar with 185 wins and like 20 losses. So it’s very evenly matched, meaningful fights.

We have the Olympian Jo-Jo Diaz fighting. We have Francisco Vargas, Will Tomlinson, Keandre Gibson, so a lot of great fights. And then we’re going to be moving into the first fight that will be televised on the free view, which is Jorge Linares against Nihito Arakawa, which is going to be nonstop TOE-TO-TOE action. We know that Arakawa is always an exciting guy and of course Linares is as well.

Then, we go into the pay-per-view. Prior to the main event between Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo we’re going to have three world-title fights – yes, three world-title fights. Opening up the telecast is going to be another junior-middleweight title bout, which is going to be Carlos Molina from Michoacan, Mexico against Jermall Charlo from Houston, Texas. He is going to be challenging Carlos Molina for the IBF junior middleweight world title.

Then next up is going to be Saul’s brother, Ricardo Alvarez, from Guadalajara, Mexico. He’s going to be challenging Omar Figueroa from Weslaco, Texas for the world title. Ricardo is excited, and in a minute you’re going to hear from him.

Then we have one of the most exciting fighters irrespective of weight class, Leo Santa Cruz, defending his WBC super bantamweight world title against a true Mexican warrior, former world champion, in a very tough fight, Cristian Mijares, and finally, of course, we are going to go to the one we’ve all been waiting for, Saul Alvarez and “El Perro” Angulo.

The fight, as you know, is at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. There are going to be some great fight-week activities planned. It’s promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Canelo Promotions, and I’d like to think our sponsors as well, Corona, AT&T and Casamigos Tequila. There are still some tickets available. I do anticipate a sellout. I think we are like at 12,000 tickets sold, and I think the capacity is like 14,270, so a couple thousand tickets are left. The $25 seats are sold out. There are some left at $50, so make sure your readers and listeners know to snap up these tickets. There are also a few left at $600, $400, and $200.

We are really excited to have Canelo back in a big night, and the man, the team I would rather say, who have been working with Canelo from a very early, Eddie Reynoso, his trainer – Canelo’s trainer and Ricardo Alvarez’s trainer – and Jose his father, Jose “Chepo” Reynoso, who is the manager for both Canelo and Ricardo and, as we all know, for many other former Mexican greats and world champions.

It is a pleasure now for me to introduce first Eddie Reynoso who is going to give you guys some information as it relates to the training camp.

Eddie Reynoso
Good afternoon to everybody. Thank you for being here. Everything is going well. Training has gone very well, and we’re just waiting for the date of the fight.

R. Schaefer
Now I’d like to ask Chepo – Jose “Chepo” Reynoso – to say a few words about the camp. How is Canelo feeling? How is Ricardo feeling? How are they looking forward to this card?

Chepo Reynoso
Good afternoon to everybody. Thank you so much for being here. It’s been an intense camp. It’s been a lot of hard work because we know the significance – both Canelo and Ricardo know the significance of this bout and how important it is to them, and we’re just ready and looking forward to March 8 and putting on a great performance. Thank you.

R. Schaefer
So now, without further ado, I’d like to introduce to you the current WBC Continental Americas 140-pound champion. He’s the older brother of Mexico’s icon, Canelo. He made his U.S. boxing debut last December in San Antonio on the Dec. 14 card with a win over Rod Salka. He has been waiting for this opportunity. He is excited to be fighting in the boxing mecca of the world, Las Vegas, and of course having a shot at the WBC world champion Figueroa. Please welcome Ricardo “Dinamita” Alvarez.

Ricardo Alvarez
Thank you very much to everybody. Good morning. Well, we’re ready. We’re looking forward to fight night to get up in the ring and show everybody the hard work and everything that’s been realized throughout the camp, and ready for victory – ready to come back with the win.

R. Schaefer
Now here he is the one superstar from Mexico. I told you guys before already the ratings for his last fight set an all-time TV record in Mexico.

He is exciting. He has that will and that fire to win. He has been a pro since 2005 when he was just 15 years old, he is without any question Mexico’s biggest boxing superstar, but really has clearly transcended here in the United States as well, has a huge following – and yes it has a little bit to do with his looks and the red hair and so on. He is a handsome guy, but at the end of the day it really is his fighting style and his charisma.

He picked an opponent he knows who’s a tough guy, a big puncher who comes toe-to-toe, but that’s what Canelo wants. Canelo realizes that boxing is entertainment, and he is the ultimate entertainer. Please welcome Canelo Alvarez.

Canelo Alvarez
Well, thank you very much to everybody. Thanks for all the support, for being here, and I just want to let you know that I’m very excited. I’m very happy. We’re less than two weeks away, and I’m just looking forward to getting back in the ring and getting back on that victory road. Thank you.

R. Schaefer
Just a quick little side note about the excitement of this fight week and this particular fight as well. I got some information from the MGM and from SHOWTIME as well, they’ve been running contests – the same contest they ran when Canelo fought Mayweather – and the participation rate is almost as big as when he fought Floyd Mayweather.

So we anticipate a big pay-per-view. We anticipate big excitement in Las Vegas in the venue as well, so really looking forward to that one. Having said that, I’d like to open it up now to the media, and you can ask questions from any of those participants.

K. Swanson
As we’re waiting for our first question, I do have a program note that ALL ACCESS: CANELO vs. ANGULO episode one premieres this Friday night, 9 p.m. Eastern and Pacific time on SHOWTIME.

Q
Canelo, I am wondering what was the lesson learned in the fight against Mayweather, and what will you bring from that fight into the ring, if anything, against Angulo?

Canelo
Well, I can’t pinpoint one thing because I learned a lot in that fight, so it wasn’t just one thing. But we did gain a lot of experience, and that will be noted in my fights in the future once I step into the ring to bring that out, and you will see that.

Q
I’m trying to get a sense from both the siblings as to the difference in excitement knowing that you’re both going to be fighting on the same night.

I guess my first question is for Ricardo. Ricardo, for you this is completely new. You’re fighting on the undercard of your younger brother. Can you talk about generally about the excitement of that?

R. Alvarez
I’m very excited. I’m very motivated. I’m very happy to be fighting the most important fight of my life. This is the biggest and most important fight of my career at this point. Not only that, to be fighting in the arena that I’m going to be fighting, the MGM where everybody wants to fight, and of course to be on the undercard of such a great main event and be under my brother – it all contributes to my motivation and my excitement. I’m very happy to be here.
Q
Ricardo, from a standpoint of taking pointers from your brother or vice versa, could you kind of put me in a conversation between the two of you when you talk about fighting a certain fighter or in particular these guys you’re fighting? You’re fighting Omar; he’s fighting Angulo. Do you talk about the styles and the excitement of what it’s going to be like that night?

R. Alvarez
Yes, definitely. We’ve been training together. We’ve been in camp together. So there are moments where we give each other advice and work on techniques to help each other versus our opponent, and yes we’re both very excited. We know what the meaning of this, for both of us, coming out with a victory and what the significance of it is. So yes, we’re very happy, the both of us.

Q
Ricardo, do you see Omar as being – along the same lines, do you see him as being a similar fight to the one that your brother is going to have to fight with Alfredo, and have you also heard some of the comments that Figueroa has made about trying to stop you early in the fight and, in fact, getting a knockout?

R. Alvarez
Yes, the styles are very similar. When you have fighters with these characteristics of going forward and looking for fights and toe-to-toe you’re going to have two similar bouts. As far as the comments made by Figueroa, I congratulate him. He’s training well. He has confidence, and he believes in what he’s done, but I also believe in what I’ve done.

I’m also a fighter that doesn’t look for a step back. I go forward, and I’ve prepared myself very well. I’m used to it. It’s part of boxing, people talking and making those types of comments. That’s part of boxing. But you know what? My talking will be inside the ring where it should be done.

Q
Canelo, what general advice or counsel are you giving your brother about being on a big card like the one he was on in December, and he was successful. This one stands to be bigger. He stands to be in a tougher fight. Is there any general advice that you’re giving him or counsel you’re doing him going into this fight?

Canelo
Yes, of course. The advice I’ve always given him and will continue giving him is to concentrate on the fight, to concentrate on himself in the ring, to for the moment block off the people, the fans, the TV, the big arena – to block that out and concentrate just on what’s in front of him and for that moment just feel like you’re at home just like always. You’ve always been there. So that’s the advice I give him.

Q
What are your thoughts on Angulo saying that he sparred with Andre Ward who he feels is bigger and more technically sound than you are. In fact, he thinks he is superior. What are your thoughts/comments on that?

Canelo
That’s awesome. That’s great. I’m grateful that he’s preparing himself very well, and I’d let you know that I’m preparing myself very well too, and that just guarantees that when we come up in the fight we’re going to have fun and we’re going to give a great fight.

Q
I’m wondering what your thoughts are about having to go up against one of your countrymen? Do you like that, or do you prefer to fight, like when you fought Mayweather, an American or some other – when you fought for the title or when you fought a British fighter. Do you like Mexican fighters as opponents, or would you prefer not to fight Mexican opponents?

Canelo
I always like fighting fighters from all over the world, from different parts of the world, and that’s always what I like. But in this particular case we crossed our path. This was destiny. This was the fight that made sense, and we’re going to be there.

The only thing I can tell you is the good thing is whenever you have a Mexican versus a Mexican it’s a guaranteed great fight, and that’s what we’re going to bring you March 8.

Q
Canelo, I don’t know if you actually watched the fight between Alfredo Angulo and Erislandy Lara. If you have, I’m interested to hear what your opinion was about the way that fight went and the way the ending of the fight went.

Canelo
Definitely he showed tremendous heart. He did great. I mean, whether at that moment or if it would’ve gone to decision I think he would’ve won the fight – that he was winning, and that he would’ve won the fight if he continued.

You never know what kind of pain goes through him or went through him and made him decide to stop the fight at that moment. It’s unknown. But at that moment if the fight would’ve continued or if it would’ve ended, he was winning, and would’ve won the fight in my eyes.

Q
I’m wondering how much desperation is there in you to make sure you don’t lose a second fight in a row which could be considered disaster by some people, and then, by the way, the same thing for Angulo. How much desperation will there be for you also to win this fight?

Canelo
You know what? I’m prepared. I’m just very excited to get back in the ring, and we prepared really hard, and we always prepare for victory and to win, and that’s what I’m looking forward to.

Q
People have a lot of positive things to say about your next opponent, Alfredo Angulo. There are also some negatives, people talking negatively about it. Do you think that the fight is getting the credit it deserves for the opponent that you have in front of you?

Canelo
Look, there are always going to be critics. There’s always going to be people that have something negative to say. But at the same time, there’s always going to be fans and supporters that are going to be coming out in full-fledge, and as you see tickets are showing it, the sales. But the most important thing here is we have to train with full conscious of what we have in front of us, of how dangerous Alfredo Angulo is and can be during the fight, and that’s the important thing.

R. Schaefer
Let me just add something to that as well. Canelo could have fought one of those 154-pounders, and he could have fought for a world title, and it would have been a dance festival. But Canelo doesn’t like dance festivals. Canelo wants to entertain, and I can assure you – I can assure you that this fight March 8 between Canelo and Alfredo will be the most exciting, the most exciting fight, from all those upcoming pay-per-view events. Canelo means excitement. He’s explosive. Alfredo means excitement and is explosive. And if you put those two together it’s can’t-miss TV.

Q
Obviously we know that the characteristics of Angulo, what he brings. What are you going to bring? What are the changes that you’re going to do – and if Eddie and Chepo can answer as well – what are you bringing differently into this fight to adjust to Angulo’s pressure?

Canelo
Yes, we’re doing everything necessary. We’re training for what we have in front of us. We have the sparring, the adequate sparring partners that are very similar to him, and we’re doing the adjustments, and obviously the experience is going to come out. We have the experience, and at the end of the day we’re going to go in there and win the fight.

Q
Can you give us your thoughts on Floyd Mayweather versus “Chino” Maidana that’s coming up in May?

Canelo
It’s a very interesting fight. We’ve got to see. We’ve got to wait and see.

Q
Canelo, was there somebody who helped you to overcome the defeat against Mayweather?

Canelo
I have a lot of family. I have a lot of support, friends, and my team, and I’m very strong-minded. I’m very strong-minded. So yes it was a loss, but I learned a lot from it, and I just move on. I just – I gained experience and move on. But again, I’m strong-minded. I don’t dwell on the past. Now I look forward to the future.

Q
Chepo, what do you tell trainers like Virgil Hunter that criticized Canelo’s corner during the last press conference for not making the necessary changes during the fight against Mayweather?

C. Reynoso
From a distance it’s very easy to criticize. You’re not in the corner. You’re not knowing what is being said. You’re not knowing what is being told. In front of us we had one of the most talented fighters there is.

Yes, there was plan B, plan C, and a variety of different things that we were telling Saul, but it was the opponent in front of us who – again, I repeat one of the most talented – and he didn’t let us do it. So again, it’s very easy to criticize from a distance.

Q
Canelo, you’re listed by some odds-makers as being a 9-1 favorite, and being the fact that this is your first time headlining a pay-per-view I’m just curious how you feel about the expectations that are being put upon you for this event, and do you feel any extra pressure?

Canelo
No, I’m very happy. It’s a big responsibility, a great responsibility. But I thrive on it, and I’m very honored, honored to be headlining and to show the world that not only fighters from other countries can headline events like this but also the Latinos, the Mexicans. We can do it as well. So again, it’s a big responsibility but I thrive on it, and I enjoy it, and with hard work we’re here.

R. Schaefer
By the way, the odds they mean nothing. Look at the last fight a few months ago, Danny Garcia against Lucas Matthysse. Danny Garcia was a 9-1 underdog, and we all know what happened. That’s the beauty of boxing. When you have two guys who come to fight who have that will to win you just don’t know what’s going to happen, and that’s why it’s so exciting.

Q
Canelo, you mentioned being a Mexican fighter and you’re proud of that. I’m curious, for yourself how does it feel holding that torch right now as pretty much the premier Mexican boxing star, the future of Mexican boxing?

Canelo
That motivates me more even to work harder, because you’ve got to remember Mexico is rich in history when it comes to Mexican fighters, and that motivates me and makes me work harder. I’m very honored.

Q
Here you’re facing off against Angulo who’s a straight-ahead, straightforward guy. I’m just curious are you just looking forward to fighting somebody that has that type of style, and do you think it’s going to live up to the hype of being toe-to-toe?

Canelo
Yes, definitely – definitely a different style. Obviously he’s a fighter that comes forward, that hits hard, that can take a punch, and that’s what’s going to make the fight live up, and that’s what the people want to see. They want to see action, and that’s what they will see March 8, a lot of action.

Q
Canelo, you prefer exciting fights. Do you feel boxing judges unfairly favor defensive tactics like the kind Mayweather employs?

Canelo
No. No. No. Definitely they recognize him. He’s a great fighter, and they know that. He’s a boxer. But the fight, the fans also love to see action. They love to see knockouts. They love to see wars, and that’s what we want to give them.

Q
Canelo, are you now less inclined to face defensive-minded fighters like Mayweather and Lara in the future?

Canelo
No, I’m open to fight whoever and wherever. It’s just time will tell and dictate who, and we’ll see in the future. But right now I’m concentrating on what I have in front of me, and that’s Alfredo Angulo for March 8.

Q
In the Austin Trout fight, Canelo, you showed you can box. You have a lot of slick movement, and you can box and move out. Is that something you’re going to implement in this fight with Alfredo, more boxing, or do you plan on going toe-to-toe and go to war?

Canelo
No, I fight both ways. I can box, and I can go toe-to-toe, but we’re going to do what is more convenient for me, and that’s what we’ll impose once we’re in there.

Q
Of all the fighters that have beaten “El Perro,” the one more similar to you is James Kirkland because he’s also a pressure fighter. Did you watch that fight as a way to know how to beat Angulobecause Lara and Cintron boxed him, but Kirkland went to war with him and was able to wear him down. Do you expect to be able to do that same thing?

Canelo
Yes, I did see the fight – two different styles, two styles totally different. I know what I have to do. We’ve been training. We’ve been working hard. We’ve been working on different things. Once we get into the ring we’ll see what he brings and what we have to do and make the adjustments necessary to do whatever needs to be done to get the win.

R. Schaefer
As I said, we have a week and a half to go up until the excitement of “TOE TO TOE” – mano a mano in Spanish. It’s going to be invading Las Vegas. We have an exciting fight week starting on Tuesday with the fighter arrivals.

On Wednesday we have open media workouts, and open to the public as well, from the MGM Grand Garden. And then on Thursday we have the press conference, the final press conference, followed on Friday by the weigh-in, and then of course fight night on Saturday, March 8 in Las Vegas from the MGM. Make sure you let your readers and listeners and the public know that there are some tickets left.

The $25 tickets are sold out. There are some $50 seats left, so please go and get them before they are gone. It’s going to be, as I said, an exciting night in Las Vegas because with all these fights on the card it’s fireworks, and fireworks it will be on March 8 in Las Vegas. Thank you all, and I will see you there.

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“TOE TO TOE: Canelo vs. Angulo,” a 12-round super welterweight fight taking place Saturday, March 8 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Canelo Promotions and sponsored by Corona, AT&T and Casamigos Tequila. In world title fights on the undercard, Two-Division World Champion Leo Santa Cruz will defend his WBC Super Bantamweight World Title against former Three-Time World Champion Cristian Mijares exciting young star Omar Figueroa will risk his WBC Lightweight Title against Canelo’s brother Ricardo Alvarez and Carlos Molina will defend his IBF Junior Middleweight Championship against undefeated Jermall Charlo. Carlos Molina vs. Jermall Charlo is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Warriors Boxing. This event will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. The event can be heard in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP). “TOE TO TOE: Canelo vs. Angulo” will be broadcast in over 400 select movie theaters across the country.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.sports.sho.com and www.mgmgrand.com, follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @CaneloOficial, @elperro82, @leosantacruz2, @diamantemijares, @OmarFigueroaJr, @DinamitaAB, @JorgeLinares, @FutureOfBoxing, @mgmgrand, @SHOSports and @Swanson_Comm follow the conversation using #CaneloAngulo and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing.