“ALL ACCESS: Canelo vs. Lara” Episode 1 Premieres Friday, June 27 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME

06/28/201406/25/2014 Rob Smith

The huge July 26th fight between Erislandy Lara and Saul Canelo Alvarez will be previewed this Friday, July 12th on Showtime ALL ACCESS at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

This is the first episode of the series which give fans a chance to see the two fighters before their big Showtime PPV fight on 7/26. For Canelo this is a must win if he’s to be the star of the future, because he was put in his place last year in his loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr.

After years of hype about Canelo, we saw him finally in the ring with an excellent fighter in Mayweather, and he failed badly. It wasn’t just that Canelo lost the fight, it was how he lost it. He failed to make any adjustments, and he, along his corner, looked lost. Lara is considered to be the 4th best fighter in the junior middleweight division by many boxing fans, behind Mayweather, Miguel Cotto and Canelo.

Canelo Alvarez and Erislandy Lara talk ring names ahead of their July 12 Showtime PPV® showdown

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LAS VEGAS (June 11, 2014) – It is a tradition as old as the sweet science itself – fighters from minimumweight to heavyweight express themselves with their very own unique ring name. Anything goes as everything from Sugars to Executioners have made their way into the squared circle throughout boxing’s storied history, and Saturday, July 12 is no exception.

The main event of the SHOWTIME PPV showdown between Canelo Alvarez and Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara will face off not only for junior middleweight supremacy, but honor and glory at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

SAUL “CANELO” ALVAREZ
“My nickname was given to me by my trainer Jose ‘Chepo’ Reynoso when I first started training at Reynoso’s Gym because of my red hair. First called me “Canelito” [Little Cinnamon] because I was still very young, around 12- or 13-years-old. As I grew older, it changed to ‘Canelo.’

Canelo-Lara Full Undercard Set For July 12 On Showtime PPV

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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.

Canelo: All Lara does is cover up when cornered

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(Photo credit: Hogan Photos) Former WBA/WBC junior middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (43-1-1, 31 KO’s) will be able to take advantage of WBA junior middleweight champion Erislandy Lara (19-1-2, 12 KO’s) each time he corners him in their catch weight fight on July 12th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. Canelo, 23, watched Lara’s recent fight against Alfredo Angulo and noticed that Lara mostly would just cover up each time that Angulo cornered him against the ropes.

Canelo thinks he can take full advantage of that if Lara makes that same mistake against him in their Showtime televised pay-per-view fight on 7/12.

Canelo Alvarez vs. Erislandy Lara press tour finale in Puerto Rico; quotes

05/09/2014 Golden Boy Promotions

(Photo Credit: Gabriel Gonzalez – Hoganphotos) 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.

Canelo Alvarez vs. Erislandy Lara press tour hits the big apple; quotes from Hard Rock Café in Times Square, NYC

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(Photo credit: Tom Casino/Showtime) 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.’

Canelo Alvarez vs. Erislandy Lara – San Antonio press conference quotes

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(Photo credit: Hogan Photos) 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.”

Canelo Alvarez vs. Erislandy Lara – Los Angeles press conference quotes

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(Photo credit: Esther Lin/Showtime) 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.

Canelo Alvarez vs Erislandy Lara on July 12 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena

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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.

Canelo-Lara to fight on July 12th at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada

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Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (43-1-1, 31 KO’s) and Erislandy Lara (19-1-2, 12 KO’s) will be fighting in the three months on Showtime pay-per-view on July 12th from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. Oscar De La Hoya revealed the information earlier today, and Lara’s previously scheduled May 2nd title defense against Ishe Smith has been canceled to free Lara up for the Canelo fight.

“Ready! July 12, 2014 – Canelo vs. Lara. We are going to give you want you want,” Canelo said on his social media site.

“Canelo official, July 12! We will find out what the kid’s got. This one is for my fans!!” – said Lara.
You’ve got to give Canelo a ton of credit for taking this fight, because he looked totally over-matched recently in his loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr. last September.