Political climate adds intensity to big fight
las vegas — There’s little subtlety in the TV commercial promoting Saturday night’s fight between Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. The boxers are depicted to be in their native Mexico when they begin running and kicking up desert sand before bursting through a border wall and ending up on the Las Vegas Strip.
There’s no shying away from the political overtones ahead of the sold-out fight that’s billed as one of the biggest involving Mexican boxers.
“In Mexico, this could be important because this could be the making of an idol who everybody could follow,” Chavez said through an interpreter. “And here in the United States, it’s also important because of what people are going through politically in this country right now with the Mexican people. This is significant.” As President Donald Trump continues to say he will fulfill his campaign promise to build a wall along the US-Mexico border, this showdown on the Cinco de Mayo holiday weekend has become more than just about 12 rounds in the ring.
“The thing about this wall is to show the people that we need to be united,” Alvarez said through an interpreter. “United for every cause, supporting each other for every cause. That is the message.”
The advertising campaign has caught the attention of the Latino community in Las Vegas. Justin Molina was wandering around the MGM Grand Arena with his Spanish-speaking father on Thursday when he quickly nodded after being asked if he had seen the ad for the HBO pay-per-view bout. — AP