Kelly Swanson
Thanks for joining us today. Now that Labor Day has passed, I think there’s only one thing on everybody’s mind and that is “THE ONE: Floyd Mayweather vs. Canelo Alvarez,” taking place Saturday, September 14 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, live on SHOWTIME PPV. Today, we’re hosting a conference call with Canelo Alvarez himself and to make that introduction, I’m going to go ahead and turn it over to Oscar De La Hoya, President of Golden Boy Promotions.
Seth Mitchell managed to cautiously labor his way to a tentative 12 round points win during his June rematch with Johnathon Banks. There were a few shaky moments for Mitchell early when it looked like Banks had him ready to go again, but a repeat of the upset KO from their first match was not to be this time around. To his credit Mitchell survived. He did this by fighting smarter and being incredibly careful.
It also helped that Banks was unusually lethargic. For whatever reason Banks was just not aggressive enough, especially following those key instances where he seemed to rock the man he had stopped in the 2nd round some 7 months earlier.
Can Mitchell employ similar tactics this Saturday to be successful when he faces Chris Arreola?
Probably not.
Former IBF cruiserweight king Steve “USS” Cunningham backs Tyson Fury to come out victorious in his domestic heavyweight super fight with David Haye.
Cunningham, who lost to Tyson when they met in the ring in April, is across in Belgium helping the 25-year-old prepare for his crunch clash against the former undisputed cruiserweight world champion and former WBA world heavyweight champion, Haye, on September 28th at the Phones 4 U Arena Manchester, live on Sky Sports Box Office.
“Because I fought the guy and I see his training camp, I can go a little bit further than say; ‘May the best man win’, I believe Tyson’s going to win,” Cunningham said.
“I’m impressed seeing this guy, he’s so big and the work that he’s putting in – you can see that he’s really hungry and he wants this.”
The beautiful Refinery Hotel Rooftop in mid-town Manhattan played host on Wednesday afternoon to a massive New York City media turnout to formally announce, MONSTERS COLLIDE, Middleweight World Championship at “The Mecca of Boxing” with boxing’s fastest rising superstar, WBA and IBO World Middleweight Champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin defending his titles against top rated contender, Curtis “Kryptonite” Stevens set for Saturday, NOVEMBER 2 at The Theatre at Madison Square Garden. The fight will be televised Live on HBO®.
Presented by K2 Promotions in association with Main Events, GGG Promotions and Madison Square Garden, tickets priced at $300, $200, $100 and $50 are available at the Madison Square Garden Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster charge by phone (866-858-0008) and online at www.ticketmaster.com and www.thegarden.com
Floyd Mayweather Jr. is fixing to get the biggest payday of his career against the red-haired Mexican fighter Saul “Canelo Alvarez on September 14th. Mayweather will be collecting $41.5 million bucks in the fight, according to Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer. There’s also a chance that Mayweather could make even more than that figure if the Mayweather-Canelo fight breaks the all-time PPV mark. I don’t think it will, but there’s a chance.
Canelo is said to be making over $10 million for the fight, according to Dan Rafael. That’s pretty good money for a fighter that has never really fought anyone good during his career other than Austin Trout. Canelo is more famous for being famous than for having accomplished anything special during his career.
It goes like this….. You think a particular fighter will win a fight, because he is superior in several categories. He moves well, is quick on his feet with good balance. He’s technically sound. He blocks, parries, slips and ducks, countering effectively off his opponent’s misses. He’s got a solid punch, and throws combinations, both to the head and body with precision and accuracy. He’s always in shape.
It’s 10 days out from the September 14th fight known as ‘The One’ and what have we learned that we didn’t already know?
First of all we found out that Canelo is on course to make the 152lb contracted weight, this is the usual for him. We also know that Canelo has beaten a few of his sparring partners to a pulp forcing them to leave his training camp with injuries caused during sparring sessions. As seen during Canelo’s media day, Canelo punches a 300lb bag as preparation for a Money Mayweather KO. Floyd punches a 300lb man (Nate Jones)!
CANASTOTA, NY – SEPTEMBER 3, 2013 – The International Boxing Hall of Fame joins the worldwide boxing community in mourning the loss of former WBO heavyweight champion Tommy “The Duke” Morrison, who passed away Sunday (Sept. 1st) in Omaha, Nebraska at age 44.
Tommy “The Duke” Morrison
“Tommy Morrison brought so much excitement and energy to the heavyweight division in the 1990s,” said Hall director Ed Brophy. “We were saddened to learn the news of his passing and we offer our condolences to the entire Morrison family.”
It’s always both very interesting and a great honour being a call in participant whenever a big fight is preceded by a teleconference; especially an international one ahead of a massive, massive fight such as the fast approaching Floyd Mayweather-Saul Canelo Alvarez clash. Yesterday, with big name scribes such as Dan Rafael and Lem Satterfield asking Canelo and Oscar De La Hoya questions regarding “The One,” it was hugely exciting being on the line.
I listened to the ESPN.com scribe ask his questions, along with writers for USA Today, Ring Magazine and other instantly recognisable publications, and the thing that struck me most, well actually there were two things – they were: Canelo’s amazing maturity and quiet self confidence, and Oscar De La Hoya’s bold pre-fight predictions.
Today we are 10 days away from one of the best boxing cards we have seen in a long time. Floyd Mayweather Jr. will of course be the main attraction, squaring off against a young unbeaten Mexican hope, Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez.
As we get closer to that moment when both fighters cross the ropes at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, boxing fans produce more and more predictions and explanations to their thoughts on the probable result of the fight.