Alvarez, GGG will fight in September
LAS VEGAS — Soon after turning what was touted as a big fight into a glorified sparring session, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez invited his next opponent into the ring.
About 90 minutes later, Alvarez had already changed into a suit and tie to pose for the first staredown with Gennady Gennadyevich Golovkin.
At long last, Alvarez is ready to give boxing fans what they want. He and the fighter better known as “GGG” will square off on Sept. 16, Mexican Independence Day.
“I’m very happy that this fight is finally here,” Alvarez said through an interpreter, “the one that a lot of you said would never be made.”
Alvarez, who had been fighting at light middleweight, had been accused of ducking the heavier Golovkin for a year. But after pummeling countryman Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. late Saturday night, Mexico’s top fighter is eager for the long overdue megafight to determine the middleweight champion.
“For us, this is the biggest fight in boxing,” Golovkin said.
The 35-year-old Kazakhstan native owns the IBF, WBA and WBC middleweight titles. Alvarez had to relinquish his WBC belt to Golovkin (37-0, 33 knockouts) last year when he declined a mandatory challenge.
“I’ve always stated that Triple G will happen in 2017,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Alvarez’s promoter. “Everybody was saying, ‘Why are you afraid of Triple
G? Why is this not going to happen?’ I told everybody it’s going to happen in September, and we’re extremely proud and happy that this fight is going to take place.”
Still to be determined is the venue, and De La Hoya insisted it could be “anywhere in the world.” One possibility is AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, which would allow for a crowd
upward of 100,000. The Dallas Cowboys play on the road that weekend, making it an option.
Alvarez (49-1-1, 34) had never fought above 155 pounds until he weighed in at 164 on Friday. He had no trouble adjusting, appearing to toy with Chavez (50-3-1, 32). The 26-year-old occasionally leaned back into the ropes and took punches from Chavez, only to quickly regain control with uppercuts and jabs.
According to CompuBox, Alvarez landed 83 jabs to Chavez’s 15. All three judges scored the fight 120-108, giving Alvarez all 12 rounds.
Immediately the results were announced, Alvarez told the crowd Golovkin was next, the light dimmed and Golovkin walked out of a tunnel and into the ring. The deal for Alvarez’s next fight had been signed a week earlier but successfully kept under wraps.
“I’ve always stated that Triple G will happen in 2017. Everybody was saying, ‘Why are you afraid of Triple G? Why is this not going to happen?’ I told everybody it’s going to happen in September, and we’re extremely proud and happy that this fight is going to take place.” – OSCAR DE LA HOYA, SAUL ALVAREZ’S PROMOTER