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Canelo Alvarez, World Boxing Council (WBC) Super Welterweight World Champion
“I can only say good things about Sugar Shane Mosley. He is a great champion, but I have trained hard for this fight, and I feel that I am going to win it. It is going to be a victory for all of Mexico.
“Mosley is a great fighter and despite his age, he has taken very good care of his body.
“Even though Mosley is a veteran fighter, he can still beat a lot of young guys. I’m prepared for the best Mosley ever.
“You really can’t compare him [Mosley] to anybody, he is a complete fighter. He’s fast, he’s strong…he’s everything. I have never faced anybody like him.
“The key in this fight for me is not to get desperate. I have to take my time and stick to my game plan.
“This is just another test, another gate that I have to walk through. With Mosley being who he is, I feel that I have entered the big leagues. There will be way bigger fights and better things for me..”
Sugar Shane Mosley, Six-Time and Three-Division World Champion
“I have been a champion with the WBC for a few fights and I’ve had great successes.
“HBO is keeping boxing alive and I’m very happy because that is what I love, I love the sport of boxing.
“This is going to be a great fight. I’m in great shape and I’m ready to rock and roll.
“Canelo wants to test himself and see if he is among the elite fighters. This is a golden opportunity for me so I’m very, very happy.
“My plan is to do what I do, be Sugar Shane Mosley, get the punches in and win the fight.
“This is a no nonsense fight for me, I’m in there to win.
“Canelo is a good young fighter, but he probably shouldn’t be in the ring with me. It should have been somebody else. Hopefully he can learn from it, learn from this fight and become a better fighter. He seems like a good young kid.
“I think my experience is going to make a difference, but I also think that my speed and power are going to make a bigger difference.
“The motivation is fighting the right fight. The type of fight I know I can fight. That’s the motivation and showing the people the way Sugar Shane really fights.”
Jose Reynoso, Canelo’s Manager and Promoter
“On Saturday, Sugar Shane Mosley is going to be the door that Canelo is going to walk through to enter into the big leagues.”
NaazimRichardson, Mosley’s Trainer
“Canelo is already a star. When he came to America, he was a star. Now they brought him here to be a superstar.
Andrade climbing ladder, battles Cisneros on Saturday
BRONX, NY (May 3, 2012) – 2008 U.S. Olympian Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade has graduated from promising prospect to legitimate contender, climbing the world rating’s ladder in the junior middleweight division to No. 6 in the World Boxing Organization (“WBO”) and No. 7 in the International Boxing Federation (“IBF”).
Andrade (16-0, 11 KOs) returns to the ring this Saturday night (May 5), headlining (starting at 10:00 PM / ET) an “ESPN Boxing: FNF Special Edition,” presented by Corona Extra, on ESPN2. The gifted southpaw faces Contender, Season Two participant Rudy Cisneros (12-3, 11 KOs) in the 10-round main event on a card promoted by Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.
Attending fans at Mohegan Sun Arena will be able to remain in their seats after the live action concludes to watch a closed circuit showing of the Floyd Mayweather, Jr. vs. Miguel Cotto fight on the spacious venue’s jumbo screen.
The 24-year-old Andrade, fighting out of nearby Providence, is also rated No. 15 in the World Boxing Council (“WBC”) and World Boxing Association (“WBA”). Rankings, however, don’t mean a lot, at least right now, to the 2007 World amateur champion who is co-promoted by Star Boxing and Banner Promotions.
“High ratings show the public where I am but, for me, I’m just 16-0 – soon to be 17-0 – and still climbing the ladder,” Andrade explained his present outlook on his rising status. “I rate myself by the opponents I’ve fought. When I beat top 10 guys, I’ll feel like I’m really at the top of the ratings.”
Andrade’s last two fights, against former world title challengers, have lasted a grand total of five rounds. Last February 10 at Mohegan Sun, Andrade destroyed Angel Hernandez (30-10) in two rounds, which followed a third-round demolition of Saul Duran last September in Manchester, NH.
“I took this fight on three week’s notice because I want to fight as often as possible,” Demetrius said. “I’m not making Mayweather money and need to fight to earn a living. I’ve stopped opponents early in my last two fights, so I’m physically ready to come right back. I’ll be prepared and sharp.”
Fighting on this “ESPN Boxing FNF Special Edition” is an added bonus, exposure-wise, for Andrade in his eighth ESPN appearance. “I was surprised and happy to learn that I’d be fighting on ESPN on May 5th,” Andrade added. “I’ve grown as a fighter on ESPN. Fans have watched me improve each fight and ESPN people know I’m a good, entertaining fighter.”
If Andrade stops Cisneros early, he’ll be able to watch the fighter many have compared him to, Mayweather, against Cotto right after the live action concludes at Mohegan Sun.
“I’ll catch the fight if there’s enough time after my interviews and shower,” the rising star concluded. “If not, I’m having it taped, and will watch it later. I like Mayweather in that fight. He’s faster and not concerned with weight. Cotto’s going to try and box but he’s one-dimensional.”
Supporting fights on the Andrade-Cisneros card offers a Nutmeg state flavor, starting with the co-feature, which marks the return of Hartford favorite Addy Irizarry (8-5, 2 KOs). The popular corrections officer at a Conn. prison suffered a fractured ankle in her last fight (November 20, 2010). She battles veteran welterweight Victoria Cisneros in an eight-round bout.
East Hartford super featherweight Joseph “Chip” Perez (7-1, 2 KOs) always brings a large, passionate crowd to his fights in New England. He faces super featherweight Juan Jaramillo (8-9-2, 3 KOs) in a six-round match. Hartford light heavyweight Tylon “Shadow Boi” Burris (1-0, 1 KO) faces pro-debuting Robert Jackson in a four-round bout.
Also fighting on the undercard in four-round matches are Springfield (MA) light heavyweight Reinaldo Graceski (1-0) vs. Borngood Washington, and Windsor (VT) light middleweight Chris Gilbert (3-0, 2 KOs) vs. Keuntray Henson (4-4, 1 KO).
Tickets are $75.00, $40.00 and $30.00 (plus $5.00 facility fee for all tickets) and are on sale now through Ticketmaster. Ticketmaster customers may log on to ticketmaster.com; call Ticketmaster’s national toll free Charge By Phone number 1.800.745.3000; or visit any Ticketmaster outlet. Tickets are also available at the Mohegan Sun Box Office, subject to availability, or by calling Star Boxing at 1.718.823.2000 and online via www.StarBoxing.com or www.mehegansun.com.
For more information go online to www.starboxing.com, facebook/starboxing, twitter/starboxing or www.mohegansun.com.