At first glance, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez would look to be the more dangerous boxer when he challenges Floyd Mayweather on Sept. 14 at the MGM Grand.
Alvarez, the 154-pound champion, is bigger than Mayweath🔥er, who normally fights at 147 pounds. At age 23, Alvarez is 13 years younger. He’s also a devastating puncher with 30 knockouts in 42 fights (41-0-1). Yet, it’s Mayweather (44-0, 26 KOs) who seems confident about scoring a knockoﷺut when the two meet in their pay-per-view megafight.
“A lot of times I hit these guys and I make them go into survival mode,” Mayweather said during🧔 media day at his boxing club in Las Vegas. “Even in the Robert Guerrero fight, I was looking for the knockout, but I hurt my hand. So I wasn’t impressed with myself, because I didn’t get the knockout. This time around, I’ll be looking for the knockout.”
It’s been two years since Mayweather last stopped an opponent. That’s 🎉when Victor Ortiz was caught with his hands down and looking at referee Joe Cortez as Mayweather crushed him with a left hook-right hand combination in the fourth round of their bout. Since then, Mayweather has won 12-round decisions over Miguel Cotto in May 2012 and Guerrero this May.
Mayweather admitted Alvarez is “a puncher. I’m a sharp boxer,” but believes his skills, training and experience will give him an🍎 edge.
“He’s banking on his youth, I’m banking on my experience,” Mayweather said. “I have a lot of experience in champ♎ionship fights. Look at his résumé, look at my résumé and see what you come up with.”
This will mark the first time Mayweather has fought at least twice in the same year since 2007, when he defeated Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton. His fight against Alvarez is the second of a six-fight deal with Showtime that could keep him active and earn him an𝓀 estimated $250 ༺million.
“I think I’ll be a lot sharper for this fight,” Mayweather sa𝐆id. “My training camp has been great. Actually, this is one of my best training camps I’ve had, probably since 2005. On my first day back, I got right back into sparring. My training camp’s been smoot𒈔h. I’ve been boxing a lot of rounds, so I’m sharp. I’m in great condition and happy to get right back in there. I feel tremendous.”
* Brooklyn welterweight and former U.S. Olympian Sadam Ali (16-0, 10 KOs) headlines a Sept. 30 boxing c🎐ard at Cushman & Wakefield Theater at Barclays Center. Ali faces Jay Krupp in the main event of the next edition of Golden Boy Live! to be televised by Fox Sports 1. Staten Island light heavyweight and former Olympian Marcus Browne also will be on the card. Tickets start at $25.
“There’s no place like home,” Ali s🐷aid. “I’ve seen some great fights at Barclays🍸 Center and I have waited for my name to be called to fight here. Now that day has come, and I couldn’t be more excited. This is going to be a performance and a win you won’t forget.”
Kr🐠upp (17-5, 8 KOs) of New Orleans was once trained by Kevin Rooney, who helped groom Mike Tyson to become the youngest heavyweight champion ever.