Day of reckoning for Golovkin, Alvarez
LAS VEGAS - Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin stepped on the scales at the MGM Grand Garden Arena then came face-to-face for the cameras, one day before they meet in one of the most anticipated fights in years.
Three-belt Champion Golovkin wore black shorts and smiled as he stepped on the scale first weighing the 160-pound (72.5 kg) middleweight limit for Saturday's world title fight (Sunday Phl time) against Alvarez at the T-Mobile Arena.
Alvarez was up next, climbing onto the scales in his blue shorts and registering the same 160 pounds for a bout that has all the ingredients to produce a fight of the year.
"I am very happy for all the love and support of these fans," Alvarez told the crowd. "I am going to give them 100 percent. I trained hard and I am disciplined.
"I take all this responsibility seriously and I am going to give them a great fight."
Kazakhstan's Golovkin is putting his World Boxing Council, World Boxing Association and International Boxing Federation, belts on the line but to the uninitiated it might have seemed more like Alvarez was the champ.
Alvarez drew louder cheers from the pro-Mexican crowd, stepped on the scale last and made Golovkin wait several minutes on stage before making his initial appearance, which was preceded by a video tribute on the jumbotron screen.
The fighters, who once sparred together at Golovkin's gym in Big Bear, California, then posed amicably during their staredown in front of a crowd of 9,400.
That has been consistent with the buildup to the soldout fight, which has lacked the vitriolic trash talk typical of world title fights.
"See you tomorrow. I have been champion a long time. This is boxing and I am a very true guy," said Golovkin, who goes by the nickname 'Triple G' on Friday.
Alvarez, who was the more stonefaced of the two, sent the crowd into a frenzy as he shadowboxed briefly at the front of the stage – his new signature weigh-in move.
Hundreds of people stood on line for hours outside the Grand Garden for the chance to see the weighin, chanting and signing along with a neatly-attired Mariachi band.