He’s said it before, and Mexican superstar Saul Canelo Alvarez has repeated how he sees himself stopping middleweight king Gennady Golovkin in their fast-approaching super fight. Talking with TMZ Sports, Canelo said he cannot agree with Bernard Hopkins’ prediction of him beating Triple-G via 12 round decision, because he is “almost certain” the fight will end inside the 12 rounds.
“It’s very difficult for me to agree with Bernard Hopkins’ prediction, because this fight, I don’t see it going 12 rounds,” Canelo said. “ I can almost guarantee, it will not go the 12 rounds. It will end by knockout – yes, without a doubt.”
Naturally, it goes without saying that Canelo believes it will be he who does the knocking out on September 16. Seen by most as a 50-50 fight, there are a number of scenarios that could unfold. Plenty of people disagree with Canelo and do see a distance fight; possibly resulting in the roughest, toughest battle of both men’s careers.
It would be shocking to see Golovkin laid out on the canvas, knocked out, as would it be equally shocking to see Canelo flattened. The best match-up that has been made this year, we could well see a classic in just under three months’ time. Why, though, is Canelo so convinced, so sure he will score the KO? Was it Golovkin’s close shave with Danny Jacobs, or has Canelo seen something in Triple-G’s style that convinces him he can take him out?
Has Canelo waited to just about the perfect time to fight GGG – when he is 35, possibly past his best, and ready to be beaten? Timing is everything in boxing, and it is possible the nine years younger man has landed the most important fight of his entire career at the exact right time.
Of course, GGG has a strong feeling that it will be he who scores the stoppage win in Las Vegas, even if the smiling assassin has not been as forthright with a KO prediction as Canelo has. Bottom line, this fight should bring out the best in both great fighters.