Canelo Alvarez vs. Erislandy Lara: Winner enters elite ranks

To the victor goes the spoils’ which includes an upgrade to elite status for winner of Showtime’s PPV main event this Saturday night, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. There are many questions that remain just days before these men battle for Pride and Glory.

Can Canelo Alvarez make his star shine even brighter in this career defining moment? Will Erislandy Lara be the thorn in Canelo’s side with his counter punching slick-style? And of course with a cash cow headlining the event, it must be asked if there will be a controversial ending to add yet another black eye to an already beat up sport?

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Bradley Up For A Miguel Cotto Fight

Rumors of a possible matchup between newly crowned Middleweight Champion Miguel Cotto and former WBO Welterweight Titlist Timothy Bradley have been circulating around the boxing community since Cottos victory over former Middleweight Champion Sergio Martinez in June. Bradley’s Promoter Bob Arum, CEO of Top Rank Promotions, first brought up the idea for the matchup, one being at a catchweight of 155 pounds, allowing Cotto to be eligible to defend his title, or giving Bradley the opportunity to win it.

Cotto’s team has recently dispelled any rumors about the fight being in talks at the moment. Bradley’s trainer Joel Diaz has complemented the rumors saying that the fight interests them. However Bradley finds himself in physical therapy until August at the earliest, so any name that gets rumored against him will have to wait a little while until a fight is in order.

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Let’s give Jesús the Space He’s Earned

Not all boxers who win world titles are born stars. Those are just a handful compared to the number of athletes that try their luck in this sport since it’s begginings. Not every fighter is Oscar De La Hoya or Sugar Ray Leonard. Some make it the hard way, the FIGHTER’S WAY. This is the case of Jesús Rojas.

The boxer from Caguas, Puerto Rico had a good amateur run and began his professional phase with a significant streak of wins, most coming by knockout. His style is as aggressive as possible from the first bell. If you follow network boxing you must know middleweight titlist Gennady Golovkin. Jesús is a 122-pound Golovkin. He throws long hard punches to the body and head without going crazy.

Just when it looked like big fights were coming, the young puertorican had a couple of situations out of the ring that led to his first loss. He won his next 5 fights and got a draw after that. Those factors made mexican superstar Jorge Arce sign to fight Jesús in las Vegas in 2012.

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Mikey Garcia: Lara could out-box Canelo

(Photo credit: Esther Lin/Showtime) WBO super featherweight champion Mikey Garcia thinks that former WBA/WBC light middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (43-1-1, 31 KO’s) is going to have his hands full on Saturday night against the slick Cuban southpaw Erislandy Lara (19-1-2, 12 KO’s) in their catch-weight fight at 155 pounds.

Mikey sees Lara as going into this fight with a lot to prove to boxing fans, because he wasn’t given a shot by Canelo all these years. Lara is now getting his chance against the 23-year-old Canelo, so he’s going to want to perform well and show boxing fans what he’s all about.

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Iron Mike Productions: “Judgement Day” – Live Tonight on FoxSports1 (8ET/5PT)

Tonight, live on FoxSports1, Iron Mike Productions will offer fight fans a very interesting night of action in a card capped off with a rematch between Argenis “La Tormenta” Mendez (21-1-1, 1NC, 11KO’s) and Rances “Kid Blast” Barthelemy (19-0, 1 NC, 12 KOs). Don’t show up late for this one, as the stacked undercard will showcase the talents of two other studs under the promotional banner when Light Heavyweight Humberto “El Don” Savigne (12-1, 9 KOs) and Welterweight stud Erickson “Hammer” Lubin (5-0, 5 KOs) take center stage.

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Lara: After Canelo, I want Mayweather

(Photo credit: Esther Lin/Showtime) WBA junior middleweight champion Erislandy Lara (19-1-2, 12 KO’s) says he’s not looking past Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (43-1-1, 31 KOs) for their pay-per-view fight this Saturday night on Showtime, but Lara is very clear about who he’s going to be going after this fight.

Lara wants WBA/WBC junior middleweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr, and he plans on being at his press conference in September for his next title defense against Marcos Maidana on September 13th.

Lara expects to take care of business against Canelo, who he sees as slow of hand and foot. Lara says he’s going to beat the heavily hyped fighter and expose him in this fight.

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Brook: I’ll prove I am the real deal against Porter

Sheffield star finally gets his World title shot on August 16

Kell Brook has vowed to prove he is a World class fighter by ripping the IBF Welterweight crown from Shawn Porter when they clash at the StubHub Center in Carson, California on August 16.

Brook has had to bide his time for his first World title fight with three clashes against previous champion Devon Alexander cancelled through injury to both men.

The unbeaten Sheffield star will travel to America in two weeks’ time to complete his training camp, and Brook says that the time has come to show the world he belongs at the very top.

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Arum makes offer to Algieri to face Pacquiao next on 11/22 in Macao

WBO light welterweight champion Chris Algieri (20-0, 8 KOs) has been given an offer by Manny Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank for a fight against Pacquiao on November 22nd in Macao, China.

The offer is a seven figure one, and it’s very likely to be accepted considering that it’s likely the biggest payday that the 30-year-old Algieri has ever received. Arum is interested in wrapping up the deal as quickly as possible.

It’s obviously not a great fight, and you have to wonder why Arum isn’t trying to pursue more appealing opponents for Pacquiao that might interest boxing fans such as Lucas Matthysse, Danny Garcia, Saul “Canelo”Alvarez or Amir Khan, for starters.

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A Tale of Two Anthony’s: Upcoming fights featuring 2012 Olympians Anthony Joshua and Ogogo

This Saturday at the Echo arena in Liverpool, two of the brightest stars to emerge from Team GB at the 2012 London Olympics, will be returning to the ring to continue on their transitional journeys from amateur boxing to the paid professional ranks. Heavyweight Anthony Joshua MBE and Middleweight Anthony Ogogo will both be in action on the undercard of a show headlined by Cruiserweight rivals Tony Bellew and Nathan Cleverly competing in separate bouts set up as a prelude to their eventual rematch.

Whilst both ‘Anthony’s’ have had varying degrees of success since turning pro, the British born fighters both of Nigerian descent have taken different career paths over the last two years to arrive at where they are today.

Since signing with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Sport, it would be fair to say that Anthony Joshua has had things relatively easy. His current record is now 6-0 with all six wins coming inside the first two rounds. Since his last fight (an 83-second demolition of American Matt Legg), the murmurs for a ‘step up’ in class have grown louder and more persistent.

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George Groves vs Christopher Rebrasse on Sept 20 at Wembley Arena

George Groves (19-2, 15 KOs) returns on 20th September in a final eliminator for the WBC World Super Middleweight title against European Champion Christopher Rebrasse (22-2-3, 5 KOs). Rebrasse’s European title and the vacant WBC Silver Super Middleweight title will also be on the line when the pair meet at the SSE Arena in Wembley.

‘’It is great to be back here in Wembley and back to world-class boxing,’’ said Groves at today’s press conference. ‘’Last time I was here it didn’t go the way I had hoped but I showed that I belong at the top level. In boxing sometimes all it takes is one punch, and it took just one punch to derail my world title ambitions in May. But we are back on the road and the journey will continue on 20th September at the SSE Arena in Wembley.

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