De La Hoya: Mayweather’s showing insecurity with catch-weight for Canelo fight

canelo 02 (Photo credit: Alma Montiel) Oscar De La Hoya doesn’t like the idea of Floyd Mayweather Jr. facing Golden Boy Promotions’ fighter WBA/WBC junior middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez at a catch-weight of 152 pounds instead of at the full weight for the junior middleweight division at 154. De La Hoya thinks Mayweather has some worry about the fight because otherwise he’d have agreed to fight the 22-year-old Canelo at the full weight.

De La Hoya said to the Boxingchannel, “I think it’s a little bit of that insecurity factor coming into play. If you fight someone, you don’t need to shave off a couple of pounds because you feel they’re going to come in weak or because it’s going to be an advantage. We have weight classes for that reason. It’s [the catch-weight] going to help Canelo’s speed and help him be a faster fighter.”

Can Sergio Martinez handle Golovkin’s power?

This question has been asked dozens upon dozens of times after Golovkin’s performance against Macklin this pasty Saturday night.

As a matter of fact, the potential of a Martinez vs. Golovkin fight has been circulating for some time now, elevating interest in that fight to as the discussions boiled. Boxing fans know what they want, and this was the fight that they believed would not only test Golovkin, but also Martinez.

Sergio is a true champion, and has proven to the boxing world to be an elite boxer. His technique and movement in the ring is impressive to observe, and despite the fact that he had a few lackluster performances, I don’t believe that he is past his prime just yet. One thing that Martinez can do real well is pick his shots and angles, making his style, if he fights on the outside, a hard one to adapt to.

Mayweather – Canelo press tour draws 30,000 fans in Mexico City

(Photo credit: Alma Montiel) MEXICO CITY (July 1, 2013) – “THE ONE: Mayweather vs. Canelo” press tour continued on a beautiful summer Sunday in Mexico’s capital city where local police estimated that 32,000 excitable fans turned out at Monumento de los Niños Heroes to greet pound-for-pound boxing king Floyd Mayweather and national hero Canelo Alvarez.

Mexican television network Televisa covered the proceedings, which, like the previous six stops on this unprecedented press tour, was part press conference and part fan rally.

A complete replay of Televisa’s presentation is available for viewing at http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/35179179

Quotes from Mayweather and Canelo on Sunday in Mexico City:

Golovkin impressive in destroying Macklin

Almost 48 hours ago the inevitable happened, as widely predicted Gennady Golovkin stopped Matthew Macklin within the distance. To just state that fact alone though does not do the performance justice. Many questioned whether Golovkin’s ‘power’ and recent run of stoppages was down to mediocre opponent, handpicked to increase his marketability.

Hearn wants to match Froch v Golovkin at 168 in 2014

WBA middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin’s 3rd round destruction of the UK’s Matthew Macklin last Saturday night has Eddie Hearn, the promoter for IBF/WBA super middleweight champion Carl Froch, highly interested in staging a fight between Froch and Golovkin in 2014.

Hearn thinks he can put the fight together by mid-year in 2014 if everything goes right. There wouldn’t be a catch-weight it seems, as Hearn wants Golovkin to come up to 168 for the fight.

Hearn said to Sky Sports, “Golovkin is a freak of nature; he’s a beast. According to HBO he’d be willing to step up to super middleweight and a fight with Carl Froch would be just epic.

Golovkin – A matter of time?

Watching Gennady Golovkin fight is just like seeing any of the up-and-coming KO artists of boxing as they worked their way up the boxing ladder to the top – Tyson, Hearns, Foreman. But if history has it right ‘it’s just a matter of time’ before Golovkin meets his match and another fighter with or without his pedigree or resume takes the 0 off of his record.

Left-Hook Lounge: Golovkin, Mayweather, Ward, and many more!!!

Kevin H. (Cincinnatti, OH): Golovkin has impressed me more than any fighter in the sport today. I just don’t see anyone stopping this guy, but I can see him stopping whoever they put in front of him! What are your thoughts about him and who do you want to see him face?

Vivek W. (ESB):I’ll start by saying that as much as I support him for the sport, I don’t think I’m ready to go out on that limb that you and others have quickly jumped too! I say that in light humor, but to be very clear, I won’t be part of that ‘pendulum’ swinging we see every time a fighter does something of this nature. I can remember this rhetoric after Donaire’s KO victory over Darchinyan, Pavlik’s KO victory over Taylor, and so forth! When we look at all of the men who stunned us with KO performances in fights we didn’t anticipate a KO, they each have one thing in common: they fell flat against a man with the skills to out-think them, and the toughness to outlast them.

Mayweather, Canelo quotes from Sunday in Mexico City; Photo Galleries from Atlata, Chicago and Miami

(Photo credit: Tom Casino/Showtime) MEXICO CITY (June 30, 2013) – “THE ONE: Mayweather vs. Canelo” press tour continued on a beautiful summer Sunday in Mexico’s capital city where local police estimated that 32,000 excitable fans turned out at Monumento de los Niños Heroes to greet pound-for-pound boxing king Floyd Mayweather and national hero Canelo Alvarez.

Mexican television network Televisa covered the proceedings, which, like the previous six stops on this unprecedented press tour, was part press conference and part fan rally.

A complete replay of Televisa’s presentation is available for viewing. Quotes from Mayweather and Canelo on Sunday in Mexico City:

Well, the questions about Gennady Golovkin (Triple G) were answered Saturday night at the MGM Grand at Foxwood, Mashantucket, CT, and answered emphatically. The main attraction of HBO’s Boxing After Dark was going to be Triple G’s toughest test. Finally, in the Irishman named Matthew Macklin, he would be facing someone who was a tried, true and tested full-sized middleweight. However, it was a short examination and he passed with flying colors. The fight opened with Macklin trying to be the aggressor. He pressed forward, but wasn’t effective. Triple G was moving just enough, slipping punches, and watching and studying. No more than a minute passed, and things changed. Now, Triple G was the aggressor, but the difference was his attack was effective.

Matthew Macklin: ‘Golovkin Is Way Way Better Than Martinez’

Who could have possibly failed to have been mightily impressed by Gennady Golovkin’s one-punch KO over the very experienced Matthew Macklin last night? “GGG,” was being spoken about as the single hardest puncher in boxing today BEFORE his brutal body shot win over the brave and gutsy, and usually durable Macklin – now, fans everywhere are even more excited about the softly spoken fighter from Kazakhstan who holds the WBA and IBO 160-pound titles.

Many good experts felt Macklin – who had pushed Felix Sturm and Sergio Martinez hard in previous title challenges – would test the unbeaten 31-year-old. Instead, Golovkin, 27-0(24) won in sensationally devastating style. But the ride could be just beginning for “GGG,” his team and his ever-growing number of fans. Traditionally, boxing fans adore a puncher, to the extent that they are ready and willing to part with hard cash to see one in action. Golovkin, as surely everyone agrees, is a pure puncher. More than that, though, Golovkin has skills, speed, class and a fine boxing brain. The sky really is the limit for him.