‘Canelo vs. GGG 2’ – Historic Rematch Between Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin -Live in Movie Theaters September 15

DENVER – August 28, 2018 – Lineal Middleweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez (49-1-2, 34 KOs) and WBC/WBA/IBO Middleweight World Champion Gennady Golovkin (37-0-1, 33 KOs) return to the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas for a highly anticipated rematch. The first fight sold out in only two weeks, and once again fans across the country will be able to get front-row seats to the 12-round, mega-fight — “Canelo vs. GGG 2” – live at their local movie theater. Fans won’t want to miss this epic match-up of two of the most explosive, heavy-handed fighters in the sport today. And they have promised they will not leave the rematch in the judges’ hands.

The live broadcast of “Canelo vs. GGG 2,” presented by Golden Boy Promotions, GGG Promotions and Fathom Events, is set for Saturday, September 15, 2018 at 8:00 p.m. ET/ 7:00 p.m. CT/ 6:00 p.m. MT/ 5:00 p.m. PT/ 4:00 p.m. AK / 3:00 p.m. HI.

Tickets for “Canelo vs. GGG 2” can be purchased online by visiting
www.FathomEvents.com or at participating theater box offices. Fans throughout the U.S. will be able to enjoy the event in more than 450 select movie theaters through Fathom’s Digital Broadcast Network (DBN). A complete list of theater locations is available on the Fathom Events website(theaters and participants are subject to change).

In the co-main event, breakout Mexican star Jaime Munguia (30-0, 25 KOs) will make the second defense of his WBO Junior Middleweight World Title against rugged Canadian contender Brandon “Bad Boy” Cook (20-1, 13 KOs) in a 12-round battle. Former IBF Middleweight World Champion David Lemieux (39-4, 33 KOs) of Montreal, Canada and Irish warrior Gary “Spike” O’Sullivan (28-2, 20 KOs) of Cork, Ireland will go head-to-head in a 12-round middleweight battle that has Fight of the Year candidate written all over it. Former pound-for-pound king and former four-division world champion Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez (46-2, 38 KOs) of Managua, Nicaragua will make his highly anticipated return against experienced Mexican warrior Moises “Moi” Fuentes (25-5-1, 14 KOs) in a 10-round super flyweight battle that will open the HBO Pay-Per-View telecast.

Canelo said, “I’m delighted to once again participate in one of the most important boxing events in history. This second fight is for the benefit and pleasure of all fans who desire to see the best fight the best. This time, [Gennady] Golovkin won’t have any excuses regarding the judges because I’m coming to knock him out.”

Golovkin said, “It feels right that the rematch returns to the scene of the crime. This time there will be no drama with a decision. I won the first fight and left the ring as world champion wearing all the belts. And I am going to win the second fight. It is going to be a record fight and a golden night for me and boxing at T-Mobile Arena.”

Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions said, “There is no better place to host the historic rematch between Canelo and Golovkin than T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Las Vegas on a fight weekend during Cinco de Mayo is electric, and I know fans will travel from around the world to be here to participate in the celebratory atmosphere. Historic boxing matches like Canelo vs. GGG 2 belong in a place like Las Vegas, which offers fans the full and rich experience they are looking for on a big fight weekend.”

“Canelo vs. Golovkin: Supremacy left the fight world clamoring for this epic rematch. We are proud to once again team up with some of the very best in the boxing business to bring this fight to cinemas nationwide,” said Ray Nutt, Fathom Events CEO. “Fight fans are in for a real treat when these warriors head back into the squared circle and we’re excited to be bringing it to their local cinemas.”

For artwork/photos related to “Canelo vs. GGG 2” visit the Fathom Events press site.

Canelo vs. GGG 2 is a 12-round fight for the middleweight championship of the world presented by Golden Boy Promotions and GGG Promotions. Munguia vs. Cook is a 12-round battle for the WBO Junior Middleweight World Title presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Zanfer Promotions. Lemieux vs. O’Sullivan is a 12-round middleweight clash presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Eye of The Tiger Management in association with Murphy’s Boxing. Gonzalez vs. Fuentes is a 10-round super flyweight fight presented by Golden Boy Promotions and GGG Promotions in association with Teiken Promotions and Zanfer Promotions. The event is sponsored by Tecate, “THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING,” Hennessy, “Never Stop, Never Settle,” O’Reilly Auto Parts, Fred Loya Insurance, Interjet, Venom, and Fathom Events. The event will take place Saturday, Sept. 15 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at a special time of 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT. Bout card subject to change without notice.
About Fathom Events
Fathom Events is the leading event cinema distributor with theater locations in all top 100 DMAs® (Designated Market Areas) and ranks as one of the largest overall theater content distributors. Owned by AMC Entertainment Inc. (NYSE: AMC), Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CNK) and Regal Entertainment Group (NYSE: RGC), Fathom Events offers a variety of unique entertainment events in movie theaters such as live performances of the Metropolitan Opera, top Broadway stage productions, major sporting events, epic concerts, the yearlong TCM Big Screen Classics series, inspirational events and popular anime franchises. Fathom Events takes audiences behind the scenes for unique extras including audience Q&As, backstage footage and interviews with cast and crew, creating the ultimate VIP experience. Fathom Events’ live Digital Broadcast Network (“DBN”) is the largest cinema broadcast network in North America, bringing live and pre-recorded events to 941 locations and 1,496 screens in 181 DMAs. The company also provides corporations a compelling national footprint for hosting employee meetings, customer rewards events and new product launches. For more information, visit www.FathomEvents.com

GGG Blog Part 3

How frustrating was it to hear the judges’ scorecards after your fight with Canelo? Did you use that as an incentive for this training camp for the rematch?

“It was terrible. It was terrible for me. It was terrible for the people. Of course it was terrible for the sport…for the sport of boxing, because statistics showed I landed more punches. The fans saw I wanted to fight and Canelo did not want to fight. The fans who watched it live saw the judges bringing crazy scorecards. When the decision was announced, everyone was saying, “Oh, come on! This is not real! This is not true!” Everybody was very mad because these people, the judges, killed the sport that night. This time, the world will be watching the fight and the judges. Judges hurt the sport of boxing that day. Maybe the judges had a bad day. This is business.

“It is a new situation for me. This is my first rematch. I’m very excited because this fight is a completely different situation for us and for the fans. They get to see a fight with a real champion, two pound for pound champions. It is new. This is the biggest fight for boxing. I’m very happy because I am fighting at the highest level, the first class for boxing.

“Training camp with Abel Sanchez is always hard and exciting because Abel works me hard and he is always teaching me new things. What I have to prove I only have to prove to myself and no one else. My incentive is my desire to be my best when I fight and to be better than I have ever been before. Canelo is my most important fight because he is my next fight. That is the only thing that makes Canelo special. There was nothing special about him in the first fight. He did not fight Mexican Style like he promised. Over the last twelve months, Canelo has showed everyone his true self.”

24/7 Canelo/GGG 2 debuts TONIGHT Tuesday, August 28

at 11:30 p.m. ET/PT on HBO.

Canelo vs. GGG 2 takes place Saturday, Sept. 15 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at a special time of 8:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 p.m. PT.

CANELO ALVAREZ AND GENNADY ‘GGG’ GOLOVKIN LOS ANGELES MEDIA WORKOUT QUOTES

LOS ANGELES (Aug. 26, 2018): Lineal Middleweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez (49-1-2, 34 KOs) and WBC, WBA and IBO Middleweight Champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin (38-0-1, 34 KOs) hosted a Los Angeles media workout in front of thousands of fans at the new Banc of California Stadium ahead of their historic rematch. The fight will take place Saturday, Sept. 15 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at a special time of 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT.

Jaime Munguia (30-0, 25 KOs), who will defend his WBO Junior Middleweight World Title in the 12-round co-main event against rugged Canadian contender Brandon “Bad Boy” Cook (20-1, 13 KOs), also participated in the workout.

Here’s what the participants had to say at today’s event:

CANELO ALVAREZ, Lineal Middleweight World Champion:
“We’re getting close to the fight, and I feel good. This fight is personal because of all that’s been said, and it will be difficult to regain the respect that we once had. The statements that have been made about me have given me more motivation to train harder. I have watched the first fight several times. The error that I made was that I had opportunities to counter that I needed to have taken advantage of. I need to do that in the rematch.

Like I’ve said many times, the first fight gave me the guideline for the second fight. I know that I can do many things in the ring against him. I know that I can hurt him. I hurt him in the first fight, and I’m going to hurt him even more in the second fight. My objective is the knockout and I’ll be looking for that from the opening round.”

Golovkin knows who I am. He knows who I’m about. Let me put it even better–he still doesn’t know how much more I have left to show. I’m looking forward to showing him that on September 15. I have to win convincingly. It has to be a knockout to erase any doubts. I’m very motivated for this win. I’m confident, but not overconfident about my opponent because I know who he is, but I’m confident in my preparation.

There is no such thing as a Mexican style. There have been many fighters from Mexico with different styles. My style is mine. I’m Mexican and that’s what is important. Maybe Golovkin uses ‘Mexican Style’ to get fans, but he’s a hypocrite. If something were to happen in Mexico, he wouldn’t be there to support them.

GENNADY “GGG” GOLOVKIN, WBC/WBA/IBO Middleweight World Champion:
“Canelo, he is not a champion. He is a liar who has no respect for the sport of boxing or its fans. I want to stay world champion and bring all my belts home. I am ready to star in another Big Drama Show. I do not think about Canelo in training. I am not worried about him. I only worry about doing my job in training camp and doing my job in the ring against Canelo on September 15. In the last fight I did not feel any real power from Canelo. Just slaps. He is not the hardest puncher I have fought, but he is fast and quick. He is the most skilled fighter I have fought. He is a very good fighter.

I am happy to get at Canelo again. It is another big chance to beat him again. Of course I want to knock out Canelo. It would be nice if Canelo came to fight this time. I don’t believe what he says about how he will fight me this time. He said the same thing before our first fight. I will definitely be more aggressive in this fight.

Was I upset that Canelo failed two drug tests? Yes. But I was more upset at Canelo’s team. The excuses they gave, their attitude, and Canelo’s reaction, it showed that they have no respect for the sport or the fans. They showed their real faces. They are fakes. I do not feel anger toward him because the rematch was canceled the first time.

But I did lose all respect for him. Canelo is not the biggest name in boxing, just the biggest scandal. I feel very comfortable. It has been a great training camp. Abel has had me working on new things which I find very exciting. The cancelation of the rematch in May was a good life experience but it was not a good experience for boxing. I believe new judges and a new referee could be better for boxing and the fans.”

JAIME MUNGUÍA, WBO Junior Middleweight World Champion:
“Fighting on this card is a great opportunity, especially on a date that is so important for Mexicans. I have the obligation to give a great fight to all the fans. I know Brandon Cook is a tough opponent. He is older than me and has a lot of experience. But I think I’m stronger than him and have a reach advantage. I’m confident I’ll walk away with my hand raised.

This fight is an obligation to come in even better than last time. I need to show that I’ve gotten a lot better. I never knew that I would get so far in my career so quickly, but things happen for a reason. The Liam Smith fight gave me a lot of experience. It showed me all the errors I made that I am now working on in the gym.

A lot of fighters would love to be fighting frequently. It’s an opportunity that any fighter would desire. So I have to take advantage of that. If my body allows, I will continue be an active fighter as a world champion.”

OSCAR DE LA HOYA, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions:
“This fight is something different. This fight is personal. I’ve never seen Canelo so angry. He really wants to knock Golovkin out. As a promoter, I want to see him knock Golovkin out. This fight is every important for Mexican people. This is a Mexican date, and I’m excited we can bring fans an exciting and memorable event during Mexican Independence Day Weekend.”

TOM LOEFFLER, Promoter of Gennady “GGG” Golovkin:
“This is the biggest fight, the biggest boxing event of the year. The two best middleweights going mano a mano for all the marbles. Gennady is going for the all-time consecutive title defense record to further burnish his place as the top pound for pound fighter of his era.

“24/7 Canelo/GGG 2” premieres Tuesday, Aug. 28 at 11:30 pm (ET/PT) on HBO. Canelo’s fifth “24/7” appearance and Golovkin’s third, “24/7 CANELO/GGG 2” is the latest installment of the acclaimed franchise that began in 2007.

Limited tickets for Canelo vs. GGG 2 are still available, and are priced at $5,000, $2,500, $2,000, $1,500, $800, $700, and $500 not including applicable service charges and taxes. There will be a limit of eight (8) per person at the $5,000, $2,500, $2,000, $1,500, $800, $700 and $500 price levels. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call 888-9-AXS-TIX (888-929-7849). Tickets are also available for purchase at www.t-mobilearena.com or www.axs.com.

Tickets are on sale for the closed circuit telecast of Canelo vs. GGG 2 at MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, The Mirage and Luxor are priced at $100, not including applicable fees. Seating is general admission at MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay and The Mirage while Luxor will have assigned seats. Tickets may be purchased at any MGM Resorts International Box Office, by phone with a major credit card at (800) 745-3000 or online at http://www.ticketmaster.com/canelovsggg2.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com,
www.caneloggg.com and www.hbo.com/boxing. Follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing, @Canelo, @gggboxing, @OscarDeLaHoya, @hboboxing and @TomLoeffler1. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/gggboxing, and www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing. Follow on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing, @Canelo, @gggboxing, @HBOboxing and @OscarDeLaHoya; and follow the conversation using #CaneloGGG2.

Photos and videos are available for download by clicking here or copying and pasting the link http://bit.ly/CaneloGGG2 into a browser. Credit must be provided to Golden Boy Promotions for any photo and/or video usage.

VIDEO: Canelo vs GGG 2 Open Workouts

https://www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing/videos/1093093314164689/

Esteves named referee for Canelo – Golovkin 2

Benjy Esteves will be the 3rd man in the ring for the Canelo Alvarez – Gennady Golovkin rematch on Seotember 15tth in Las Vegas, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

Originally Tony Weeks was named, but Golovkin’s camp baled at that selection. Both camps agreed on Robert Byrd, but Byrd’s wife Adelaide had a controversial scorecard in the 1st bout, so the Nevada Athletic Commission settled on Esteves.

The judges for the bout will be Steve Weisfeld, Glenn Feldman and Dave Moretti.

At Wednesday’s meeting, Golovkin promoter Tom Loeffler strenuously objected to Weeks as a possible referee for the fight. The reason was because of an issue that Abel Sanchez, Golovkin’s trainer, has with Weeks stemming from his work in a December fight in Las Vegas between junior lightweight Denis Shafikov, whom Sanchez trains, and Rene Alvarado.

“Tony was giving the prefight instructions in the dressing room, and Abel was trying to clarify something,” Loeffler told ESPN following the commission meeting. “The gist of it was Abel didn’t agree with some of the instructions Tony was giving, so he didn’t feel comfortable with Tony in this fight. When Abel voiced that to me last night, I told Eric, and I made it clear to the commission that we have nothing against Weeks. If they want to assign him to a different fight on the show, no problem. It was just the [main event] Abel had a problem with.”

“Benjy is very experienced and fast in the ring,” Loeffler said. “The main objective from both sides is to focus on the fighters, not the officials. We have accomplished that going into the fight. Neither side has an issue with the officials.”

“We’re very pleased,” Golden Boy Promotions Eric Gomez told ESPN. “They are the top guys with the most experience, and that is what we want. We have no issue with Benjy whatsoever. What we want [is for] everyone to be comfortable with the officials. We don’t want any controversy with the officials, and we don’t want any excuses after the fight, and I think we achieved that today. I understand Tom’s position about Weeks. We had the list of potential referees two weeks back and then it got changed [Tuesday] night, so it was of concern.”

CANELO VS. GGG 2: TRAINER’S CONFERENCE CALL TRANSCRIPT

LOS ANGELES (AUG. 22, 2018): ROBERT GASPARRI: Thank you everyone for participating in the Canelo vs. GGG2: Trainer’s International Media Conference Call today. Live from Las Vegas at T-Mobile Arena, the September 15 action will feature the highly anticipated rematch in the middleweight division between Lineal Middleweight Champion Canelo Alvarez (49-1-2, 34 KOs) and WBC, WBA, and IBO Middleweight World Champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin (38-0-1, 34 KOs). This epic event will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at a special time of 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT.

This mega-event will be matched with a stacked undercard, featuring breakout Mexican star Jaime Munguia (30-0, 25 KOs) who will make the second defense of his WBO Junior Middleweight World Title against rugged Canadian contender Brandon “Bad Boy” Cook (20-1, 13 KOs) Also on the card, former IBF Middleweight World Champion David Lemieux (39-4, 33 KOs) of Montreal, Canada and Irish warrior Gary “Spike” O’Sullivan (28-2, 20 KOs) of Cork, Ireland will go head-to-head in a 12-round middleweight battle. Opening the HBO Pay-Per-View telecast, former pound-for-pound king and former four-division world champion Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez (46-2, 38 KOs) of Managua, Nicaragua will make his highly anticipated return against experienced Mexican warrior Moises “Moi” Fuentes (25-5-1, 14 KOs) in a 10-round super flyweight battle.

We’ll be hosting the first-ever public workout at the home of LA’s newest soccer club, LA FC, at the Bank of California Stadium in downtown Los Angeles. The event is set for this Sunday, August 26. Doors open to the public at 2:00 p.m. Fighters will start working out at 3:00 p.m. Come to this event. It’s open to the public, and it’s going to be really, really spectacular. Media must RSVP by today by 5:00 p.m.

We would like to say thank you to Tecate, “THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING,” Hennessy, “Never Stop, Never Settle,” O’Reilly Auto Parts, Fred Loya Insurance, Interjet, Venom, and Fathom Events. Without their continued support, we wouldn’t be able to pull events like this off.

Without the sponsors’ continued support, big events like this couldn’t happen. At this time I’d like to turn it over to Tom Loeffler, Gennady Golovkin’s promoter. Tom?

TOM LOEFFLER: That was a great introduction. I’m still at the Las Vegas airport after the officials have been selected, as you mentioned. This is just a tremendous — not only a tremendous main event but a tremendous undercard, all these great warriors on the same show. GGG is training very hard up in Big Bear, California, with Abel Sanchez. He doesn’t want to leave it in the judges’ hands this time. I know Canelo is predicting a knockout. Literally the gloves are off for this promotion.

Without further ado, I just want to introduce who we think is the best trainer in boxing. He’s the reason behind GGG’s Mexican style that’s gained him so many fans around the world. I want to introduce Abel Sanchez all the way from the Summit Gym in Big Bear, California.

ABEL SANCHEZ: Thank you, Tom, and thank you to everybody that’s on. I appreciate the call. We are training hard, like Tom said. Look forward to this conference call and answering a lot of questions that are needed. Thank you.

ROBERT GASPARRI: Thank you, Abel. Now I’d like to introduce the man behind the machine, Jose “Chepo” Reynoso. Chepo?

CHEPO REYNOSO: Good morning. Every day we’re getting closer to this big event, and to put everything in its place after all that’s been talked about.

ROBERT GASPARRI: Thank you, Chepo. Now I’d like to introduce you to another important cornerman who has been with Canelo’s team since the fighter was a teenager. I’d like to introduce to you Eddy Reynoso. Eddy?

EDDY REYNOSO: Good morning. Greetings to everyone.

Q. There seems to be a certain amount of personal hostility between the two camps with insults. A lot of it has to do with the two drug tests that Canelo failed. But it also seems to have filtered down to the trainers. If anger — if this anger is real, how does it translate to how the fight is fought? Sometimes I think it probably could be a good thing for a fighter, sometimes maybe not. So, I’d like to ask both participants whether this rancor between the two camps will actually have an effect on the fight.

ABEL SANCHEZ: First of all, there has been no insults from our side. I have not insulted them in no way, shape or form. What I’ve said have been facts. I may have stated an opinion as far as me saying that he ran, but everything else is a fact. He tested positive. He is not the champion, Gennady Golovkin is the champion, was the champion going in, was the champion coming out. So everything that I’ve said has been the truth. If I’m lying about what I said, then I would need to explain it, but I have not insulted anybody. They’ve been the one with the insults.

EDDY REYNOSO: Well, there’s been no insults on our side. At the end of the day, we’re not the ones who are going to be fighting, so we’re relaxed, we’re working hard, and there’s no negativity on our end, and if we received anything, we take it somewhere else.

CHEPO REYNOSO: Canelo has always been respectful with all opponents and all teams. This time has not been an exception. It’s been Abel who has heated things up with his statements regarding Canelo and that he runs, but a fighter can’t run in the ring, you run on the racetrack. In a fight you can’t run. Maybe he moved a little bit, showed some movement just to show his quality as a fighter, but I think that he moved really well, he moved necessary, and he may have put a little water in the gunpowder of Golovkin, and that’s why he wants to heat things up, because he showed his quality as a fighter. So, we’re relaxed, we know what we have to do, and we haven’t been doing any insults.

Q. Mr. Sanchez, Canelo’s, one of the most effective punches is his counter right hand and the upper cut, and I thought Gennady was backing straight up and not able to counter that very well. Do you think he can improve that in this fight, improve the counter to the upper cut and the right hand?

ABEL SANCHEZ: First of all, Canelo has got a lot more than the right-hander and upper cut. He’s an excellent fighter. But in the first fight he was able to land those, and of course we’ve reviewed the fight. We’ve gone over the fight. We hope that we can do a better job. But I’m sure Canelo is going to try to — Canelo and Chepo and Eddy are going to try to counter everything we do well. It’s a good fight between two very good fighters. Hopefully we get the fight that the fans expect. But yeah, of course we worked on that.

Q. Abel and Jose, as far as the last fight goes, how much film study has been done by you of the last fight? How many times have you seen it? And also, in planning for the fight, who was primarily responsible for the strategy? Was it the trainer, was it the fighter, or was it a mixture of both?

ABEL SANCHEZ: First of all, we’ve watched it twice, once on tape and once live. As coaches we can work on a strategy. We can work on a lot of things that we want to do in the fight, but when the fight presents itself, depending on how the opposition is fighting the fight, things can change. We can try to have A, B and C plans available. We work on everything in the gym just in case. But when the fight starts, the fighters, at least my fighters anyway, they’re going to do what they feel is best at that particular moment. We’ve worked on all the aspects, and hopefully they can implement what we worked on.

Q. My question is for Abel. I was just wondering if you’re aware of the blog post that Canelo put up on HBO.com this morning.
ABEL SANCHEZ: Actually, I am not. Tell me about it.

Q. This is Canelo saying this, obviously, so please don’t take offense. He said that you don’t know boxing, and the word dumbass was in the blog post. So, he was very critical of you saying that he did a lot of running in the first fight. Can you respond to that?

ABEL SANCHEZ: Well, I’ll go back to what I said in the previous answer. The insults have not come from our side. The insults have come from them, and it’s an obvious insult to me. They’re the ones that are lowering themselves to doing that way. Have I gotten into his head to be able to respond to me like that? There’s no reason for it, but that’s the character that I’ve been talking about, the man.

Q. Do you feel that you’ve gotten into his head at this point, the way he’s responding?

ABEL SANCHEZ: Well, I feel that he’s responding. If by responding means that he’s reading these things and it’s affecting him, my reason for saying the things that I said is because they’re facts, like I said at the beginning of another question. Tell me where I’m lying, other than my opinion about his running. Tell me where I’m lying. Did he not test positive? Did he not cancel our fight? Did he not cause an uproar with fans and with tickets and with reservations because those were consequences from what he did, not from what we did? So, there’s no reason for me to be insulting anybody. They’re the ones that are lowering themselves to that level.

Q. Earlier the commission meeting took place, and obviously Tom voiced his objection to Tony Weeks being the referee for the fight, and he explained part of that was some of the things that you were concerned about, about Tony Weeks being the referee. Can you explain why you thought he might not be the referee for the fight?

ABEL SANCHEZ: First of all, we had been told it was going to be Kenny Bayless, and we had agreed to Kenny Bayless at the beginning. When the name Tony Weeks came up, I had several other fighters with him, and I felt he didn’t do a proper job. I felt in one of the fights while he was giving the instructions, I felt how he addressed a question of mine was very irresponsible and insulting. So, I felt I had a problem with that, and there’s a lot of other great referees in this world, and I felt that he wasn’t qualified in my opinion to do this kind of fight.

Q. Which fight was it that you took issue with what he said to you?

ABEL SANCHEZ: It was the fight against Shafikov versus the young man’s name — the Shafikov fight at the Hard Rock last year.

ROBERT GASPARRI: It was Shafikov versus (Rene) Alvarado last year, last December.

Q. This goes to both camps. Maybe start with you, Abel. What was the biggest takeaway from the first fight for each of you guys regarding your opponent, whether it was something surprising or expected in that first fight?

ABEL SANCHEZ: First of all, I was surprised that he moved as much as he did. He’s fought 40-some fights in one manner and promised the fans a certain kind of fight. I think the fans expected that, and I think that’s why the fans paid for the fight. We knew that he was an excellent fighter. Other than the moving, nothing surprised us. I knew that he was going to be there. Of course, this fight I’m talking about knocking him out, but that’s just talking to not only pump up the fight but hopefully to get the kind of fight that we deserve.

EDDY REYNOSO: We didn’t really learn anything from the first fight. Nothing surprised us from that first fight. He’s the same fighter as always. He comes forward and he throws a lot of punches. What we did learn, that’s what we’ll show in that fight in the rematch in September.

CHEPO REYNOSO: Nothing really surprised us from Golovkin in the first fight. We met him in 2011 in Big Bear, and he’s a strong, well-prepared fighter that we’ve known for a long time, so there was nothing new, and if Abel feels that — if he was surprised Canelo moved a lot, that’s because he’s a complete fighter, and we’re going to show that on September 15.

Q. For Abel, after everything that’s happened, after all the tests that showed that Canelo didn’t do anything bad or negative in this fight, would you accept an apology from either Canelo or his team?

ABEL SANCHEZ: I think he’s asking me if I would apologize to them, and my answer to that is no, I would not apologize. He tested positive. Why would I apologize to somebody who tested positive? That he’s not tested positive since then, I have not said anything about it since then. The consequences have resulted for us and for the team and for boxing from his carelessness, so no, I wouldn’t apologize to him.

Q. How important is it to show that not only is Canelo a complete fighter but that he’s a clean fighter?

EDDY REYNOSO: There’s nothing to show. Canelo’s career has always been clean, and it showed that in the investigation. So there’s nothing to show. All we have to show is each fight taking it one by one, starting with Golovkin, but there’s nothing to show.

Q. Abel, I asked Canelo this last week and I want to ask you the same thing. He said that he will not — after the fight, he will not shake Gennady Golovkin’s hand. He will not apologize for the comments you and Gennady have made in the lead-up to this fight. After the fight will you go up to Canelo’s camp and shake his hand regardless of win, lose or draw and say, “good fight” and wish them congratulations and things like that?

ABEL SANCHEZ: Well, I will make an effort. That’s what I’ll tell you. Children act like he’s acting now. Of course, I will make an effort to try to do it, but if he doesn’t want it, that’s okay. That’s the child in him.

Q. I can feel the hostility in your voice, and you can see it when you hear Gennady talk. Is this the most vitriol that has come from you and Gennady in any of Gennady’s past opponents?

ABEL SANCHEZ: I would say if there is a reason, the reason would be because they’re trying to sweep it under the rug like nothing happened. We’re not idiots. The fans are not idiots. Something happened. Yes, he was cleared by the Nevada commission, but something did happen. There’s consequences from that. We’re still feeling the consequences from that. That there is a middle — that we’re mad about it, of course we’re mad about it, but we have to go on and we have to fight the 15th. But the fact of the matter is those things did happen. We cannot sweep it under the rug. He did test positive, regardless of whatever reason he seems to claim. But the fact is he did.

Q. How do you let emotions not get in the way of what needs to be done on September 15th?

ABEL SANCHEZ: Emotions will never get in the way. Emotions get in the way when the questions are asked. Once they step through the ropes, once we’re in the dressing room, all those things are not going to be asked. All those things are on the back burner. We are concentrating on the task at hand. Gennady is a professional, as Canelo is, and I’m sure when they step through the ropes, it’ll be about that fight. Those other thoughts and those other questions will not be on their mind, as they will not be on mine, either. I’ve got a job to do that night, and I’m going to do it regardless of what happened in the past. But when those questions are asked, it’s difficult to act like it never happened.

Q. For both trainers, on September 15th, will we see the very best of GGG and Canelo? Obviously at this point in their career, it’s difficult to show new things and show new parts of their plans and who they are as fighters, but will we see the very best of GGG and Canelo September 15th?

ABEL SANCHEZ: I think that great fighters bring out the best in other great fighters. I think that the fans are expecting a great fight, as they expected the first time. Golovkin will do his best to make that. Hopefully Canelo comes prepared to do the same thing.

CHEPO REYNOSO: The best of Canelo is yet to come. Obviously, this is his second fight at 160 pounds. His body is still processing. He’s still getting conditioned at this new weight. So, I maintain that the best is yet to come on September 15. You will see a better Canelo and you will see him end that very understated streak of that very basic fighter Gennady Golovkin.

Q. Some people might say that there aren’t any good fighters that are coming from Mexico, but in this very big fight, we have an important Mexican fighter on the card. How does it feel to be representing Mexico on this card, both as cornermen and in the ring?

ABEL SANCHEZ: First of all, I think there’s a lot of great coaches in Mexico other than these two that are going to be in the ring on September 15th. They just haven’t gotten the opportunity. But given the opportunity to coach the fighters that are coming up, because of these fighters in this sport, I think it’s important. The fact that we are two Mexicans leading the charges in one of the most important fights of the last couple years, I’m very proud of that. I’m very proud to be Mexican and to be representing Mexico and to be representing my fighter in this particular fight.

EDDY REYNOSO: It’s a pride for me. It’s going to be a big night for we Mexicans, and that’s why we’ve been working hard with Canelo, and it’s going to show with Mexican boxing, there’s always going to be something to talk about. It’s always special.

CHEPO REYNOSO: It’s an honor for people like us to be part of an important fight like this, coming from the bottom, bringing a kid who came into the ring boxing at only 13 years old, and now he’s fighting at the mecca of boxing in Las Vegas. So it’s an honor, and we feel very proud and it’s satisfying to be involved in such an important fight, and we’re going to show the results of all this hard work on September 15.

Q. Abel, if GGG wins this fight, he will have recorded 21 middleweight title defenses, would break the record held like Bernard Hopkins. You’ve been his coach for those fights. I’m wondering your perspective on the historical achievement he could accomplish in this fight.

ABEL SANCHEZ: Both G and I, Gennady and I, have a tremendous amount of respect for Bernard and for what he’s accomplished and what he continues to accomplish in the sport. It would be an honor to be mentioned, for my fighter to be mentioned in the same breath with Bernard Hopkins. I think it’s important to set goals and to set tables that we want to reach, and to reach this one I thought would never be possible. I thought it would never be possible for any fighter, and for me to be involved in that or that possibility is mindboggling.

Q. One thing about that potential record, there are some who look at it and say, even though GGG has been a tremendous fighter for so many years, the reality is a handful of those defenses he made at the beginning were actually of the second-tier WBA belt before he got the full title. What’s your point of view on those who say, well, even if he wins, it’s not really the record because there was another WBA champion at the same time for the first four or five of those defenses or whatever the number was?

ABEL SANCHEZ: You know what, everybody has an opinion. The one thing that I do — I can say about Golovkin’s career, he’s never had a rematch with anybody. On that record that you’re talking about, Bernard, he had rematches with Antoine Echols and Robert Allen. You can look at it in a way that those kind of counter each other, but we never fought a rematch, and not only did Golovkin break the record or is going to break the record, he did it in a fashion that Bernard didn’t. He did it with most knockouts. So I’m content with the fact that he’s going to break it.

Q. And Bernard also happened to have a no-contest in there. For Eddy and Chepo, do you have any additional — would you take additional satisfaction in a Canelo victory knowing that they had stopped GGG from breaking a big record like that?

CHEPO REYNOSO: We are working to win this fight. We’re not worried about breaking records or preventing people from breaking records. What we do want to do is make sure that we take away his undefeated record. Whatever comes for Canelo with his record, it’s going to be a result of this fight. But we just have the win on our minds.

EDDY REYNOSO: What interests us right now is the fight, just as my father said, not his record or my record. What really interests us is winning the fight and to keep forward in boxing, and we’re going to be ready to show that on the day of the fight.

Q. Abel, in assessing your fighter after 24 hard rounds with elite competition in 2017, nobody wants a scandal, but did you actually think the scandal and the result and fight with Martirosyan actually helped Golovkin, maybe warded off some attrition and everything else, gave you a chance to reevaluate things again with respect to this match with Canelo?

ABEL SANCHEZ: No, I wouldn’t say that it helped me evaluate anything. I think that the fight against Martirosyan was a fight that we wanted because this kid has been in camp. This kid has been training, and I think he deserved to at least get in the ring with somebody to vent those frustrations that he had from this Canelo fight not happening on the 5th. But the facts are that he did do 1.3 something, 1.4 on HBO, he did set a merchandising record at the event, he did set a gate record at the event. The gate record was the all-time record on StubHub. The fans wanted to see him fight. So the fact that Tom was able to put that together in three weeks, even though we were being blocked in every way, I think was a tremendous effort by Tom, and the fans treated us for that. They came out.

Q. My next question is for Eddy Reynoso. Canelo has been very vocal about wanting to knock Golovkin out from the opening round. You mentioned earlier that this is his first rematch fight. He’s still getting acclimated to 160. You’ve had a chance to review things and study things. You just now called Golovkin a very basic fighter. You seem very confident. How confident are you that Canelo is going to go out here on the 15th and knock out Gennady Golovkin?

EDDY REYNOSO: Look, we’re confident in our work. We’re having a great preparation. We have all the tools and the arguments to win a great fight and defeat him.

Q. Eddy, Chepo, what have you seen within the last year that really stood out in that last fight that you could have corrected? Obviously, there was a lot of good defense, but what were some things that you could have fixed or done better for this next fight? Is it going to be a similar fight or something different?

CHEPO REYNOSO: After seeing — I’ve seen the fight a few times, and I saw that Canelo won, and I think he showed a lot of great defense, enormous defense. He showed good waist movement, he made him miss a lot. As I said previously, he put water in his gunpowder, which means that he neutralized him. If he needs something — if he thought he needed something in that fight, maybe he needed to throw a little bit more, maybe he needed to land a few more punches to remove any doubts about the decision, and we hope that on this occasion things will be different.

EDDY REYNOSO: We did a good fight. I thought we did a good fight. We fought defensively. It was a great demonstration by Saul. Obviously, he needs to throw more punches. That’s not a secret, even though I thought we won the fight clearly. But to win it even more clearly, he would have to throw more. We’ve been analyzing the fight a lot, and we’re going to work on that and hopefully walk away with a victory and demonstrate what we’ve learned on September 15th.

Q. I have a very, very simple boxing question for you. We talked about great fights, great fights. All of the great fights I’ve seen and all the great fights anybody has seen has been because the styles come together in such a way that make it a great fight. I give you Ali-Frazier in Manila, Hearns-Leonard in Vegas, and you know the fights. I don’t have to tell you. So my question is this: Do these fighters each have a style which will make this a great fight because of the styles, or is that lacking in what becomes a good fight?

ABEL SANCHEZ: Good point. All those great fights that you mentioned, both come back because both fighters went out there to win the fight, not to survive 12 rounds. If Canelo comes out to try to win the fight, then I think we’re going to have a classic. I think that could have been the first time, but he came out to survive the first fight and didn’t really throw punches to try to win the fight. Yes, I think it’s a positive. It’s very possible if both fighters go back to what they did leading up to this fight.

CHEPO REYNOSO: Canelo went out there to fight, and he showed what he can do in there, and Saul knows what to do in there. It’s not going to be us just doing things in the ring. It’s Saul who’s going to do what’s convenient for him in the ring. He should worry about giving advice to his own fighter and we’ll give advice to our fighter because we’re not here to take advice from him.

EDDY REYNOSO: The same thing that my father said.

Q. For Canelo’s team, on September 15th it will be one year since Canelo last fought. How much does that affect him, and did he have to spar more for this fight due to the lack of ring activity?

EDDY REYNOSO: If I said that inactivity doesn’t affect a fighter, I’d be lying. In any sport, whether you play baseball or football, whatever, inactivity is going to have an effect. But we’re confident in Canelo’s youth. And he’s always working in the ring, he’s disciplined, he stays active, so inactivity won’t be a factor in this fight.

Q. For GGG’s team, the body contact was absent in the first fight from GGG. Do you guys plan on bringing that back and being more active to the body in this fight?

ABEL SANCHEZ: Well, first of all, the body attack was absent on both sides. Canelo is a very good body puncher and did not throw any body punches. Why? Because they’re at a distance. When Canelo is running away and not exchanging or not being at distance, it’s difficult to lunge and reach for somebody who’s not there.

I’m not trying to give any advice to Canelo’s team. What I’m saying is I answered — I’ll answer this question with Jerry’s question. In order to have a classic fight, both fighters have to fight the fight that they know how to fight, not a fight to survive and not a fight to do what’s best for you but best for the fans. I think that we owe the fans that.

Q. Just curious, the judges were announced today, and obviously Team Golovkin was okay with those judges, but I’m just curious, are you still remiss to let this one go to the cards? Obviously you’ll take a knockout if you can get one, but do you believe it’s imperative you need to get a knockout in order to win?

ABEL SANCHEZ: I don’t think it’s imperative. I think that the onus and the microscope is going to be on judging, and I think that we have some judges that have been — that have shown to be very fair in the past. So if we win the fight, then we’ll win it. If we lose it, then we’ll lose it. But I think that a knockout will leave no doubt. I think a knockout on either side will stand to greatness and great legacy for the winner. Of course we’re going to try to knock him out, but in order to do that, there’s got to be a willing participant on either side, a willing participant to give us the kind of classic fight where somebody gets hurt.

Q. Abel, a question quick on the last one. Given the controversy of the fight a year ago, what was the process of selecting the judges? Did they give you a number of names, or was it pretty straightforward they just assigned a judge?

ABEL SANCHEZ: Tom Loeffler is the one that deals with the direct talk with Mr. Bennett from the Nevada commission. They had a pool of judges that they got together, and they were selected based on what they’ve done in the past and based on the Canelo side and our side being in agreement with them. But the same with referees. There was a pool of them given to us, and we chose what we thought was in the best interest of the fight, of our sport. Hopefully they’ll be fair and the winner does win.

ROBERT GASPARRI: Abel, would you like to make any final comments?

ABEL SANCHEZ: Yes, I’d like to thank everybody that was on. I’d like to thank the promoters and the Canelo team for their time. I hope this fight lives up to all the talk, and we’ll see them on the 15th.

CHEPO REYNOSO: Thank you to all who participated in this conference call. The truth is in boxing, only in boxing do you have the opportunity to make things very clear, and that time there might not have been some clarity, but for this fight we’re going to put things in their place and make things clear about who is the very best at 160 pounds. Thank you very much.

EDDY REYNOSO: Thanks to all who joined. There’s nothing more to say, but just to say that we will keep working and keep moving forward in the preparation and the fight, as well, and our focus is on boxing, nothing else. We’re going to leave everything else to the side. Thank you.

Limited tickets for Canelo vs. GGG 2 are still available, and are priced at
$5,000, $2,500, $2,000, $1,500, $800, $700, and $500 not including applicable service charges and taxes. There will be a limit of eight (8) per person at the $5,000, $2,500, $2,000, $1,500, $800, $700 and $500 price levels. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call 888-9-AXS-TIX (888-929-7849). Tickets are also available for purchase at www.t-mobilearena.com or www.axs.com.

CANELO VS. GGG 2 UNDERCARD TO BE STACKED WITH WORLD CHAMPIONS AND RETURNING CONTENDERS

LOS ANGELES (August 20, 2018): Fans at T-Mobile Arena and millions watching at home will be treated to a stacked undercard featuring current world champions and returning contenders in support of the Sepember 15 fight between Lineal Middleweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez (49-1-2, 34 KOs) and WBC/WBA/IBO Middleweight World Champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin (38-0, 34 KOs). The event will take place Saturday, Sept. 15 and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at a special time of 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT.

“This historic rematch between Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin can only be supported by an equally great undercard,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “That’s why some of the best champions and contenders from all over the world will be featured on this event of international proportions, while some of our brightest prospects will have the opportunity of a lifetime on this undercard so they can one day headline events of this magnitude.”

“I’m very motivated to be in such an important card,” said Munguia. “It will be the most important boxing event of the year. For me it is an honor to be on this card supporting Canelo Alvarez, who is also Mexican, on a date that is so special for Mexico, for me and for all of the people. We will do our best to please the public. I promise to not disappoint, so don’t miss my fight and don’t miss Canelo vs. GGG 2.”

Cook said, “It’s always been a dream for me to fight for a world title. To be on the biggest fight card of the year with two of my favorite fighters is a dream come true. Jaime Munguia is an exciting, young, up-and-coming fighter. He has great punching power in both hands. I’m going to do everything possible to bring that world title back home to Canada. I can’t thank Golden Boy Promotions enough for giving me this opportunity. I have a great team behind me and we will be ready September 15. I’m coming to fight.”

Fernando Beltran, CEO of Zanfer Promotions, said, “It can’t get any bigger for boxing than a Pay-Per-View fight in Las Vegas on Mexican Independence Day. That’s where Jaime Munguia is fighting and that’s where he deserves to fight. He always shows his best on the biggest stages and during biggest moments, so be ready for a spectacular performance from Munguia”

Former IBF Middleweight World Champion David Lemieux (39-4, 33 KOs) of Montreal, Canada and Irish warrior Gary “Spike” O’Sullivan (28-2, 20 KOs) of Cork, Ireland will go head-to-head in a 12-round middleweight battle that has Fight of the Year candidate written all over it.

Lemieux said, “I’m looking forward to fighting ‘Spike’ O’Sullivan next. I have some unfinished business at 160. We’re going to take one fight at a time. Spike is an action fighter, like me. He’s a tough cookie and comes to fight. This is a fight for the fans. Come September 15, I want to steal the show.”

O’Sullivan said, “This fight is just another step towards fulfilling my ambition of becoming a world champion and providing a good life for my family! David Lemieux is just an object in my way that I fully intend smashing through! Then, I want Canelo or GGG-either one, it doesn’t matter! I’m going to war!”

Former pound-for-pound king and former four-division world champion Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez (46-2, 38 KOs) of Managua, Nicaragua will make his highly anticipated return against experienced Mexican warrior Moises “Moi” Fuentes (25-5-1, 14 KOs) in a 10-round super flyweight battle that will open the HBO Pay-Per-View telecast.

Gonzalez said, “I want to thank God for giving me the opportunity to be back in the ring. This will be my second fight in Las Vegas, and I look forward to fighting on this great show. I have been training hard in California and will give a good show for the fans. I respect Moises Fuentes, and he will be a strong challenge for me. I want to thank Mr. Honda of Teiken Promotions, along with GGG Promotions for making this possible for me to be on the biggest show in boxing. I look forward to seeing all of my fans again and promise a good performance in the ring.”

Fuentes said, “This will be a difficult fight because of Gonzalez’s style of fighting. But it won’t be impossible. In boxing, nothing is written. I still have what it takes to do it-a good record and a lot of potential. I’m confident I will win this fight and Gonzalez will be a big trampoline for me to join the highest levels of boxing.”

On the non-televised portion of the card, super lightweight knockout artist Vergil Ortiz Jr.(10-0, 10 KOs) of Dallas, Texas looks to add another stoppage victory to his record as he takes on experienced warrior Roberto “Massa” Ortiz (35-2-2, 26 KOs) of Torreon, Mexico in a scheduled 10-round 140-pound fight.

Rising welterweight prospect Alexis “Lex” Rocha (11-0, 8 KOs) of Santa Ana, Calif. will risk his undefeated record against Carlos Ortiz (10-2, 10 KOs) of Torreon, Mexico in an eight-round welterweight clash.

Undisputed WBC/WBA/IBF/WBO Champion Cecilia Braekhus (34-0, 9 KOs) of Cartagena, Colombiawill defend her titles in a 10-round welterweight fight.

Francisco Esparza (8-0-1, 3 KOs) of Las Vegas will take on a soon-to-be announced opponent in either a four or six-round featherweight fight.

Tickets for the closed circuit telecast of Canelo vs. GGG 2 at MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, The Mirage and Luxor are priced at $100, not including applicable fees. Seating is general admission at MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay and The Mirage while Luxor will have assigned seats. Tickets may be purchased at any MGM Resorts International Box Office, by phone with a major credit card at (800) 745-3000 or online at http://www.ticketmaster.com/canelovsggg2.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com,
www.caneloggg.com and www.hbo.com/boxing; follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing, @Canelo, @gggboxing, @OscarDeLaHoya, @hboboxing and @TomLoeffler1; become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing,
www.facebook.com/gggboxing, and www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing; follow on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing, @Canelo, @gggboxing, @HBOboxing and @OscarDeLaHoya; and follow the conversation using #CaneloGGG2.

Photos and videos are available for download by clicking here or copying
and pasting the link http://bit.ly/CaneloGGG2 into a browser. Credit must be provided to Golden Boy Promotions for any photo and/or video usage.

PABLO ‘EL DEMOLEDOR’ CESAR CANO TO FACE RUSLAN MADIEV IN BATTLE BETWEEN MEXICO VS. KAZAKHSTAN IN MAIN EVENT OF GOLDEN BOY BOXING ON ESPN ON SEPT. 13 AT HARD ROCK HOTEL & CASINO, LAS VEGAS

LOS ANGELES (Aug. 20, 2018): On Thursday, Sept. 13, two days before the highly anticipated rematch between Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez and Kazakh wrecking ball Gennady “GGG” Golovkin, another battle between Mexico and Kazakhstan will take place in the super lightweight division as Pablo “El Demoledor” Cesar Cano (30-7-1, 21 KOs) faces Ruslan Madiev (12-0, 5 KOs) in the 10-round main event of the Sept. 13 edition of Golden Boy Boxing on ESPN at The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas. ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes will air the fights beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT. ESPN3 will live stream the fights beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m PT.

Cano is a 28-year-old puncher who has faced many names in the 140 and 147-pound division. The native of Tlalnepantla, Mexico has taken on the likes of Sugar Shane Mosley, Paulie “Magic Man” Malignaggi, Ashley Theophane, and Mauricio “El Maestro” Herrera in his career. Cano’s best victory was against Johan “El Terrible Perez, where he earned the interim WBA Super Lightweight Title. Cano is hungry to return to the top of the 140-pound rankings, but he’ll have to get past a tough fight against Madiev to do so.

“I am very happy to be back in an important main event on ESPN,” said Pablo Cesar Cano. “I’m going into this fight with hunger for the victory and a desire to vindicate myself against a good fighter like Ruslan Madiev. I have no doubts that our styles will mesh well to give a great fight.”

Madiev is a 25-year-old warrior who has maintained an impressive undefeated record since debuting in 2013. The native of Karaganda, Kazakhstan currently calls Big Bear, Calif. his home, where he trains under the experienced eye of renowned trainer Abel Sanchez. Madiev will look to become the next star to come out of Kazakhstan as he takes on a experience Mexican warrior in Cano.

“I’m very excited to fight in Las Vegas on such a massive weekend for boxing and look forward to testing myself about Pablo Cesar Cano,” said Ruslan Madiev. “I’ve been training hard in Big Bear and will be prepared for victory on September 13.”

Maricela “La Diva” Cornejo (12-2-, 5 KOs) will return in the 10-round co-main event against Franchon “Hard-Hitting Diva” Crews-Dezurn (3-1, 1 KO)in a battle for the Interim WBC Super Middleweight Title. Cornejo has been on an impressive run but will face her toughest test against a former amateur standout.

Raul “Cougar” Curiel (4-0, 3 KOs) will participate in a six-round welterweight battle against Ryan Pino (7-2, 3 KOs) of Bronx, N.Y.

Three members of the international training camp of Jose “Chepo” and Eddy Reynoso will return in separate bouts. Mexican contender Horacio “El Violento” Garcia (34-4, 25 KOs) will battle across eight rounds of action in the featherweight division. Bilal Akkawy (17-0-1, 14 KOs) of Sydney, Australia will fight in an eight-rounder in the super middleweight division. Jaba Khositashvili (3-0, 2 KOs) of Akhalkalki, Georgia will participate in a six-round super middleweight battle. These last two fighters are chief sparring partners for Canelo Alvarez.

Xu Chan (13-2, 1 KO) of Kunming, China will fight in an eight-round 126-pound battle.

Opponents for these fighters will be announced shortly.

Cano vs. Madiev is a 10-round super lightweight fight presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with 360 Promotions. The event is sponsored by Tecate, “THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING” and Hennessy, “Never Stop, Never Settle.” The fights will take place on Thursday, Sept. 14, 2018 at The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas. ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes will air the fights beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT. ESPN3 will live stream the fights beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m PT.

Tickets for Cano vs. Madiev are priced at $75, $50, $25, and $10, not including applicable service charges and taxes. Tickets go on sale Monday, Aug. 20 at 10:00 a.m. PST. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000 or The Joint Box Office at (702) 693-5000. Tickets will also be available for purchase at www.goldenboytickets.com
and www.ticketmaster.com.

Special Offer: VIP Seating for the Canelo vs. GGG 2 weigh-in: Purchase a ticket Cano vs. Madiev and receive VIP seating to the Canelo vs. GGG 2 weigh-in at T-Mobile Arena on Friday, Sept 14. The Cano vs. Mediev ticket stub must be presented at the Canelo vs. GGG 2 weigh-in for VIP seating.

For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, http://www.espn.com/boxing/,
and www.hardrockhotel.com. Follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing, @OscarDeLaHoya, @ESPN, and @ESPNBoxeo. Become a fan on Facebook
at www.Facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing. Follow on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing and @OscarDeLaHoya. Follow the conversation using #GBPonESPN and #CanoMadiev.

Photos and videos are available to download by clicking here or copying and pasting link:http://bit.ly/CanoMadiev into a browser. Credit must be given to Golden Boy Promotions for photos and videos used.

About The Joint
The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas is a 4,255-person capacity venue that serves as a sophisticated, intimate and unparalleled entertainment destination. The Joint features seven luxury suites, a VIP studio level, state-of-the-art sound system, superior video system and a production package tailor-made for artist comfort. It has received numerous accolades including “No. 1 Hottest Club in America” award by Billboard Magazine, “Casino Of The Year – Medium Capacity” award by the Academy of Country Music, “Best Live Music Venue in Las Vegas” by MetroWize.com, “Best New Major Concert Venue” at the Pollstar Awards, “Best Live Music Venue” in AOL City’s Best awards, “Best Rock Residency Program” by Las Vegas Weekly, “Best Concert Venue” by Las Vegas Review-Journal and more. The Joint delivers unforgettable live music experiences with performances by both legendary and groundbreaking artists including Paul McCartney, the Killers, Bon Jovi, Kenny Chesney, Nine Inch Nails, The Who, Imagine Dragons, Prince, Arcade Fire, Muse, Drake and No Doubt. The venue has been home to successful residencies with Carlos Santana, Tiësto, Mötley Crüe, Guns N’ Roses, Def Leppard, KISS, Rascal Flatts and Journey. For more information visit www.thejointlasvegas.com. Follow The Joint on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for the latest news and updates.

Abel Sanchez: “Do we need a 24-second clock for the rematch?”

LAS VEGAS, NEV. (August 15, 2018) – “He ran, he stalled, he didn’t conquer,” so sayeth trainer of the year ABEL SANCHEZ about former two-division world champion Canelo “Beef Jerky” Alvarez, (49-1-2, 34 KOs), of Guadalajara, Mexico. Sanchez is putting his star pupil GENNADY “GGG” GOLOVKIN, (38-0-1, 34 KOs), from Karaganda, Kazakhstan, boxing’s longest-reigning world champion (since 2010), through his paces at The Summit, the high altitude training camp in Big Bear Lake, Calif., in preparation for the Mexican Independence Day rematch between the two top pound for pound fighters. Golovkin, the beef-eating undefeated World Middleweight Champion with the positive attitude and the negative random drug test results, is hard at work training for his record-breaking 21st consecutive title defense. Canelo vs. Golovkin 2, takes place Saturday, September 15, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. It will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT.

“The last fight between Gennady and Canelo was a real contrast of styles,” said Sanchez. “Gennady had to chase Canelo, who boasted that he was the true Mexican warrior, around the ring. It reminded me of the four corners offense those old Dean Smith-coached basketball teams used to play. I’m seriously considering asking the Nevada Athletic Commission to install a 24-second clock to force Canelo to engage. Compare the activity between the fighters in their first fight. Gennady did everything in that fight. Gennady wasn’t the one who got booed by the fans when those crazy scorecards were announced. And Gennady is going to do even more in the rematch. I read that Canelo isn’t eating beef in this camp. Let’s just hope he stopped eating duck too.”

*******************

24/7 Canelo/GGG 2 debuts

Tuesday, August 28, at 11:30 p.m. ET/PT on HBO.

Canelo vs. GGG 2 is a 12-round fight for the middleweight championship of the world presented by Golden Boy Promotions and GGG Promotions. The event is sponsored by Tecate, “THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING,” Hennessy, “Never Stop, Never Settle,” Fred Loya Insurance, Interjet, Venom, and Fathom Events. The event will take place Saturday, Sept. 15 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT.

Remaining tickets for Canelo vs. GGG 2 are priced at $5,000, $2,500, $2,000, $1,500, $800, $700, $500 and $300, not including applicable service charges and taxes. There will be a limit of eight (8) per person at the $5,000, $2,500, $2,000, $1,500, $800 and $700 price levels with a limit of two (2) per person at the $500 and $300 price levels. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call 888-9-AXS-TIX (888-929-7849). Tickets also will be available for purchase at www.t-mobilearena.com or www.axs.com.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, ;;

www.caneloggg.com ;;and www.hbo.com/boxing; ;;follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing, @Canelo, @gggboxing, @OscarDeLaHoya, @hboboxing and @TomLoeffler1; become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing,

www.facebook.com/gggboxing, and www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing; follow on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing, @Canelo, @gggboxing, @HBOboxing and @OscarDeLaHoya; and follow the conversation using #CaneloGGG2.

Photos and videos are available for download by clicking here or copying

and pasting the link http://bit.ly/CaneloGGG2 into a browser. Credit must be provided to Golden Boy Promotions for any photo and/or video usage.

CLOSED CIRCUIT TICKETS FOR CANELO VS. GGG 2ON SALE WEDNESDAY, AUG. 15 AT 10:00 A.M. PT

LOS ANGELES (August 13, 2018): Tickets for the closed circuit viewing in Las Vegas for the historic rematch between Lineal Middleweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez (49-1-2, 34 KOs) and WBC, WBA, IBO Middleweight World Champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin (38-0-1, 34 KOs) will go on sale Wednesday, Aug. 15 at 10:00 a.m. PT. Closed circuit viewing of one of the most important matchups in middleweight history will be available at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, The Mirage Hotel & Casino, and Luxor Hotel and Casino.

“We want to give fight fans every single opportunity to watch this historic rematch live in Las Vegas, and buying a closed-circuit ticket is a great way to experience this important moment in boxing. There’s nothing more electrifying than gathering with other fight fans in the boxing capitol of the world,” said Golden Boy Promotions Chairman and CEO Oscar De La Hoya.

Tickets for the closed circuit telecast of Canelo vs. GGG 2 at MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, The Mirage and Luxor are priced at $100, not including applicable fees. Seating is general admission at MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay and The Mirage while Luxor will have assigned seats. Tickets go on sale Wednesday, Aug. 15 at 10:00 a.m. PT. Tickets may be purchased at any MGM Resorts International Box Office, by phone with a major credit card at (800) 745-3000 or online at http://www.ticketmaster.com/canelovsggg2.

Canelo vs. GGG 2 is a 12-round fight for the middleweight championship of the world presented by Golden Boy Promotions and GGG Promotions. The event is sponsored by Tecate, “THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING,” Hennessy, “Never Stop, Never Settle,”O’Reilly Auto Parts, Fred Loya Insurance, Interjet, Venom, and Fathom Events. The event will take place Saturday, Sept. 15 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at a special time of 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT.

Tickets for Canelo vs. GGG 2 are on sale now, and are priced at $5,000, $2,500, $2,000, $1,500, $800, $700, and $500 not including applicable service charges and taxes. There will be a limit of eight (8) per person at all price levels. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call 888-9-AXS-TIX (888-929-7849). Tickets will also be available for purchase at www.t-mobilearena.com or www.axs.com.

Photos and videos are available for download by clicking here or copying
and pasting the link http://bit.ly/CaneloGGG2 into a browser. Credit must be provided to Golden Boy Promotions for any photo and/or video usage.

HBO SPORTS®’ 24/7 CANELO/GGG 2, A BEHIND-THE-SCENES LOOK LEADING UP TO THE BLOCKBUSTER PAY-PER-VIEW MEGA-FIGHT IN LAS VEGAS, DEBUTS TUESDAY, AUGUST 28 ON HBO

HBO Sports’ groundbreaking “24/7” reality franchise, which has captured 18 Sports Emmy® Awards, will return for its 24th boxing installment with 24/7 CANELO/GGG 2, it was announced today by Rick Bernstein, executive producer, HBO Sports. The behind-the-scenes show follows two elite fighters – Canelo Alvarez and Gennady “GGG” Golovkin – as they prepare for their highly anticipated middleweight championship mega-fight title rematch Saturday, September 15 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

24/7 CANELO/GGG 2 debuts TUESDAY, AUGUST 28 at 11:30 p.m. ET/PT.

The show will also be available on HBO On Demand®, HBO NOW, HBO GO® and partners’ streaming platforms.

24/7 CANELO/GGG 2 will provide exclusive behind-the-scenes access, along with in-depth interviews and a profound lookback at their first encounter which ended in a controversial draw. Both men have made it clear they do not plan to leave the decision in the judges hands the second time around.

Canelo Alvarez (49-1-2, 34 KOs), of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, is again holding camp with renowned trainer Eddy Reynoso. The Mexican superstar, who recently turned 28, has established himself as the sport’s top pay-per-view attraction. Canelo will be making his 2018 ring debut in the sports most anticipated rematch on Mexican Independence Day weekend.

Gennady Golovkin (37-0-1, 33 KOs), from Karaganda, Kazakhstan, now living in Los Angeles, is training with the acclaimed Abel Sanchez. The undefeated knockout machine, who turned 36 earlier this year, will attempt a historic record-breaking 21st title defense which would pass sure-fire Hall-of-Famer Bernard Hopkins. Golovkin made his 2018 ring debut on May 5 in Carson, CA. with a spectacular knockout over Vanes Martirosyan.

Canelo’s fifth “24/7” appearance and Golovkin’s third, 24/7 CANELO/GGG 2 is the latest installment of the acclaimed franchise that began in 2007. Among the most-honored sports series on TV, it was called “a masterfully entertaining reality show” by ESPN The Magazine.

“Canelo vs. GGG 2” will take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, September 15 at 8:00 p.m. (ET)/5:00 p.m. (PT), and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View®.

The executive producer of 24/7 CANELO/GGG 2 is Rick Bernstein; senior producers, Dave Harmon and Bentley Weiner; producer, Harley Glantz; writer, Aaron Cohen. Liev Schreiber narrates.

CANELO ALVAREZ INTENSIFIES TRAINING CAMP IN PREPARATION FOR HIGHLY ANTICIPATED REMATCH AGAINST GENNADY ‘GGG’ GOLOVKIN

SAN DIEGO, CALIF. (August 2, 2018): Lineal Middleweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez (49-1-2, 34 KOs) has stepped up training camp in his second home of San Diego, Calif. as he prepares to face WBC, WBA, and IBO Middleweight World Champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin (38-0-1, 34 KOs) in the most anticipated bout of 2018. The event will take place Saturday, Sept. 15 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at a special time of 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT.

After a controversial split draw that left the boxing fans wanting even more – Canelo shared his revamped routine as he prepares for the historic rematch, which will take place on Mexican Independence Day Weekend.

Details for Canelo’s training are as follows:
Running every morning (except Sunday) at around 6:00 a.m.
Training in the gym from 2:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays (jumping rope, shadowboxing, hitting the bags, working on strategy, etc.).
Sparring sessions at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
Diet consists of chicken, fish, and select vegetables.
This week Canelo will complete his fourth week of training and third week of sparring.
Canelo’s camp still has five weeks’ worth of sparring left and he will complete 66 rounds of sparring this week.
This is what Canelo shared as he nears the halfway mark of his intense training camp in preparation for the fight of his career:

“The last fight gave us the blueprint for this rematch. We don’t necessarily have to change the strategy; we just have to add to what we did. We have to throw more punches in every round. We need to do that to remove any doubts about the victory. For that we will work on our conditioning. That’s what we needed a little more of in the first fight in order to be able to throw punches constantly in each round.

“We have been training very well. We’ve been working hard on the conditioning. That’s what we’ll need a lot of in the second fight. We’re focused. We’re focused on the style of Golovkin. We know that he’s not going to change. He’s going to go out to do the same thing he always does and come forward. He may want to change, but when things get tough, he’ll go back to the style he’s been using his whole life and which he has never changed.

“I’ve fought with very difficult fighters who are very difficult to land shots on and difficult to fight. I’ve fought with strong fighters as well. He’s a strong fighter. He’s a dangerous fighter. He is one of the toughest fighters I’ve faced. This is one of those fights we’re I’ll be the most prepared of my career.

“I’m automatically a faster fighter than he [Golovkin]. My reflexes are quicker than his, so I could see punches [in the first fight]. But he has a lot of experience. He landed some shots on me, but that’s due to his experience, and I could see punches as soon as he began to throw them. In the fifth round, I was hit with the kind of shot to knock someone out. It was between the ear and the neck, but I didn’t feel anything.

“I knew who Golovkin was from the beginning. He’s been at 160 pounds for pretty much his entire career. I’ve always said that when I move up to middleweight, I would fight the best. He’s supposed to be the best, and I felt very good in the first fight. His power is nothing out of this world.

“I don’t know why Golovkin’s corner or team have been aggressive in their talks. It may be because of the rivalry we have. I don’t know. I think they’ve gone too far. They’ve gone beyond just trying to sell the fight with their statements. I don’t like talking or instigating with the fighter or even trying to make a show to sell the fight. People know that when we get into the ring, we’re going to give a great fight, period.

“In some sense, he might have offended me. But I always consider who’s saying what. The truth is that Golovkin is my opponent, so I understand it. With Abel Sanchez, it doesn’t worry me at all. Because at the end of the day, what about him? At the end of the day, he’s not going to get in the ring with me.

“It got more personal this time around. The little respect that we had for each other was lost. I’m using this as motivation. Everything that he has said has made it personal. What they said about who I am as a person has made it personal. But I will use it intelligently to my benefit this Sept. 15.

“I dedicate this fight to everyone who has always supported me. To my family and my team, and to all the people who will watch the fight. It will be a great fight.”

Canelo vs. GGG 2 is a 12-round fight for the middleweight championship of the world presented by Golden Boy Promotions and GGG Promotions. The event is sponsored by Tecate, “THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING,” Hennessy, “Never Stop, Never Settle,” O’Reilly Auto Parts, Fred Loya Insurance, Interjet, Venom, and Fathom Events. The event will take place Saturday, Sept. 15 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at a special time of 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT.

Tickets for Canelo vs. GGG 2 are on sale now, and are priced at $5,000, $2,500, $2,000, $1,500, $800, $700, and $500 not including applicable service charges and taxes. There will be a limit of eight (8) per person at the $5,000, $2,500, $2,000, $1,500, $800, $700 and $500 price levels. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call 888-9-AXS-TIX (888-929-7849). Tickets will also be available for purchase at www.t-mobilearena.com
or www.axs.com.

Photos and videos are available for download by clicking here or copying
and pasting the link http://bit.ly/CaneloGGG2 into a browser. Credit must be provided to Golden Boy Promotions for any photo and/or video usage.

Roberto Garcia Wants Jaime Munguia for Mexico’s Independence Day Fight on Alvarez-Golovkin Card in Las Vegas

Deerfield Beach, FL (July 25, 2018)—Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin’s rematch is all set for Mexican Independence Day on September 15th in Las Vegas, but what better way to add a little war to the card than having two Mexicans do battle.

Roberto Garcia just witnessed Jaime Munguia’s unanimous decision over Liam Smith on Saturday night and if Munguia is ready to return to the ring on September 15th, Garcia is ready as well.

“What better way to celebrate Mexican Independence Day than to have two Mexican’s do battle,” said Garcia. “We are both warriors. One veteran taking on one youngster. We both come to fight. Let’s get it on.”

Garcia is thankful to Zanfer Promotions (Munguia’s co-promoter with Golden Boy) for giving him his career defining fight against Julio Cesar Chavez’s son, Omar Chavez.

Garcia won that fight on Aug. 12, 2017 in a 10-round unanimous decision to win the WBC Silver Middleweight title.

Garcia lost his title in his first defense after traveling to England and losing a unanimous 12-round decision to Martin Murray on June 23, 2018.

“Two warriors doing battle, “Thunder vs Lightning” , both fighters coming forward all night , I’ll KO the “Kid” somewhere late in the fight or I win by unanimous decision.”

No doubt the fight would be epic.

Undefeated Super-Flyweight Damien Sugar Vazquez Wants to Lock Horns With Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez

LAS VEGAS, NV (July 18, 2018) – Undefeated Las Vegas native, 21-year old Damien “Sugar” Vazquez (14-0, 7 KOs), wants to get in the ring with Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez (46-2, 38 KOs), when he makes his return to the ring, rumored to be on the undercard of Canelo vs. GGGon September 15, 2018.

Vazquez is the younger brother of former three-time super bantamweight world champion, Israel Vázquez. He’s been making noise in the lower weight classes since he captured the NABF Junior Flyweight Title as a teenager, at age 17. Before turning pro, Vazquez compiled an impressive record of (83-3, 46 KOs), unheard of in the amateurs. Vazquez is currently rated WBA #14, putting him in position to land a big fight, possibly a dream bout with Roman Gonzalez.

“If Chocolatito is seeking an opponent for September 15th, then who better than me,” said Damien Vazquez, who on March 28, 2018, captured the vacant WBC Youth Silver Super-Flyweight Title against Luis Golindano (10-1, 7 KOs). “I think it makes a lot of sense to make this fight because the fight is in Las Vegas, my hometown, and I’m Mexican. This would make for a classic showdown on Mexican Independence Day in Las Vegas, Mexico vs. Nicaragua, let’s make it happen. It’s time for the new blood to take over.”

Vazquez, who is managed by Greg Hannely, of Prince Ranch Boxing, is trained by former world champions Joel Cassamayor and Bones Adams. In addition, Vazquez owns his own promotional company, Sugar Promotions. His last four bouts have taken place in Aguascalientes, Mexico, all televised on the local government channel.

“My fanbase has grown tremendously in Mexico, since we’ve been promoting shows in Aguascalientes,” Vazquez continued. “It would be an honor to share the ring with a legend like Gonzalez. I know we would both put on a great show for all the fans who’ll be watching. It will be an explosive fight, that I can guarantee.”

“Look, Damien is a world class fighter who is hungry to make a name for himself,” said Oscar Vazquez, who runs and operates Sugar Promotions. “If Tom Loeffler makes this fight with us, he will not regret it, that I can assure you.”

“Damien has worked very hard to get where he’s at today,” said manager Greg Hannley. “If this opportunity presents itself, then there’s no doubt in my mind that Damien will step up to the plate and give the fans a great show. He’s a true Mexican warrior, who fights with a lot of heart.”

Miles, border and more separate GGG and Canelo, yet one promise makes the rematch

By Norm Frauenehim-

About 1,500 miles and an international border separated two fighters who only have a weight class and mutual contempt in common.

Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin were in opposite virtual corners – Canelo in Guadalajara and GGG in Big Bear, Calif. — at an unusual news conference last week that could only happen in today’s social-media world. It was social in name only, of course. But that gave it an edge. It was effective, because it was new.

But it’s effectiveness was also rooted in drama as genuine as it is timeless. GGG and Canelo don’t like each other.

They staged their satellite newser Tuesday on the Golden Boy Promotions Facebook page for a big audience that watched because it’s clear they want to unfriend each other in their Sept. 15 rematch (HBO PPPV/8 pm. ET) at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena with more than a key stroke.

The middleweights never smiled. They had a tough time even looking into the cameras throughout the hour-long session. It was awkward enough to almost be painful. Almost.

Real pain, of course, is the inherent promise in the controversial build-up for a rematch postponed by Canelo’s two positive PED tests in February and then testy negotiations that only heightened dislike the rival camps have for each other.

A clipped tone spoke volumes Tuesday. At one point, moderator Mauricio Pedroza asked Canelo for what he had to say to GGG.

“Nothing, we’ll see September 15,’’ Canelo said.

Then, there were moments when Canelo and his corner expressed their anger at GGG trainer Abel Sanchez, whose consistent wit and criticism of Canelo’s tactics in last September’s draw represent some rhetorical jabs in the early rounds of the psychological gamesmanship. Sanchez questions Canelo’s courage.

“I think that on the 15th when Oscar and Canelo are having breakfast, Oscar needs to remind him, he needs to bring his courage to the venue that night because he’s going to need it,’’ Sanchez said Tuesday. “If he intends to knock out Golovkin, he’s going to have to fight him. And if he fights him, he’s going to get knocked out. I said that before. He would have gotten knocked out the first time, but he decided to make it a track meet that night.

“But if he comes to fight and if he comes to knock out Golovkin as he said he’s going to; if he doesn’t defraud the fans again, then he’s going to get knocked out. I’ve said it and I’ll say it again.’’

During the course of the news conference, GGG suggested the fight itself is a path for both sides to regain respect for each other.

“I do have respect to all the fighters, all the athletes, all the champions who fight at this level,” he said. “And I think at the very end, we will find a way to shake each other’s hand, regardless of the outcome, regardless what we think before the fight. As two men, we should be able to stand against each other and shake each other’s hand at the end.’’

But it sounds as if Canelo has other ideas, especially when it comes to Sanchez.

When it was time for questions from the media, there was a reference to what GGG had said about eventually shaking hands.

Question: “This is for Canelo. As a Mexican, do you believe Abel Sanchez deserves a handshake? Can you actually shake Abel Sanchez’s hands?’

Canelo: “He deserves that and much more.”

The chance at much more is selling this one.

CANELO ALVAREZ AND GENNADY ‘GGG’ GOLOVKIN FACEBOOK SATELLITE PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT

LOS ANGELES (July 3, 2018): MAURICIO PEDROZA: To everyone, watching on Facebook Live today, we want to hear from you. Leave your questions for the fighters, the promoters in the comments section below for a chance to have your questions answered live on the air today.

So stay tuned for that. All right. Let’s get this started. Let’s go straight to our fighters, to our promotors and we go live to Guadalajara, Mexico.

Both fighters have already started their training camps and we will introduce everyone around this fantastic fight. Joining Canelo from his gym in Guadalajara is his manager and co-trainer Jose “Chepo” Reynoso, his trainer Eddy Reynoso, and the and chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, Oscar De La Hoya who will open our press conference with a few remarks.

Oscar, welcome.

OSCAR DE LA HOYA: Thank you very much. Thank you for having us. I want to express my gratitude to everybody around the world watching us live for the first time ever holding a press conference on Facebook. We greatly appreciate the support, and today, as of 10:00 in the morning, tickets went on sale. They are going extremely well, extremely fast, and we are grateful to all the fans who can be watching live on September 15 from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

I want to thank Team Canelo. I want to thank Team GGG for making this fight once again for the fans. The fans got to witness an incredible, incredible fight the first time around, and we strongly believe that the second fight will be a continuation, round No. 13, of their first fight televised live on HBO Pay-Per-View.

The telecast does begin at 8:00 Eastern. This will give an opportunity for the fans across the globe to watch this fight at an earlier time. So we want to thank HBO and their teams.

Mauricio Pedroza: Thank you, Oscar.

Joining GGG live from the summit gym in bear, California is his trainer, Abel Sanchez and promotor for GGG, Tom Loeffler, who will also begin with a few remarks. Tom?

TOM LOEFFLER: Today, this rematch really feels like it’s a much bigger event than the first time. There was a lot of controversy around the scoring for the first fight, and both guys don’t want to leave it in the judges’ hands this time.

We’re up here where Abel Sanchez has his training camp in Big Bear, California. GGG is training to make a much more decisive victory over Canelo the second time around. You see we have all the titles here.

GGG is the champion, and if Canelo wants to become a champion, he actually has to fight and try to take the titles away.

So we are looking forward to seeing everyone September 15 at T-Mobile and on HBO Pay-Per-View.

MAURICIO PEDROZA: Tom, thank you very much.

So first question is for you, Canelo. What happened, and what would you like to say to your fans that were disappointed in you?

CANELO ALVAREZ: The reason for the cancellation, we all talked about that. The main thing is the fight got here, the fight got done. I did it for the fans. This is the fight you wanted to see and come September 15, I can assure you it will be a much better fight than what you would have seen in May.

MAURICIO PEDROZA: How disappointed were you the fight didn’t happen in May?

GENNADY “GGG” GOLOVKIN: Of course we were all disappointed. I was disappointed and the fans were disappointed that this first May 15 bout didn’t happen, but right now everybody is happy that we all agreed to have this next fight on September 15.

So both us and our fans should be happy.

MAURICIO PEDROZA: Gennady, do you really believe the reason Canelo tested positive for clenbuterol was tainted meat?

GENNADY “GGG” GOLOVKIN: First of all, I respect the fighters of the level of Canelo, and the fact that they screwed up, it was not my decision to disqualify him, and I think it was a team failure, but it doesn’t matter right now. It doesn’t matter right now. It’s important that we’re going to have a fight.

MAURICIO PEDROZA: Abel Sanchez, do you believe the reason Canelo tested positive for clenbuterol was tainted meat? You were very vocal when this news first came around that Canelo might be suspended.

ABEL SANCHEZ: We had been waiting for the commission to do their investigation, and come on, whatever the findings were, unfortunately they made a mistake. We have a fight on our hands September 15. They found him innocent of anything, any wrongdoing, so we have to go with that.

My personal feelings have nothing to do or should have nothing to do with the actual findings of the commission.

MAURICIO PEDROZA: But why are you saying you think they made a mistake? What mistake did they make?

ABEL SANCHEZ: Well, they felt that he made a mistake. They felt that he ingested some bad beef. Hopefully this time that they are in Mexico, he doesn’t do that again. We’d like to have a fight on the 15th and the fans deserve that.

MAURICIO PEDROZA: Even though your rematch against Canelo Alvarez says was cancelled, you still fought in May in Los Angeles at the StubHub Center against Vanes “Nightmare” Martirosyan. What were you trying to prove in the fight?

GENNADY “GGG” GOLOVKIN: Well, because I like to be active, I like this box, I like this sport, and I like the fans. You know, the fans wanted me to fight, and why shouldn’t I? Why shouldn’t I fight, particularly on such an important day, May the 5th.

MAURICIO PEDROZA: Did you watch GGG’s fight in May?

CANELO ALVAREZ: Yes. Yes, I did see the fight in May. Of course I would. He’s the opponent that I have at hand and that’s my job to watch him.

As far as what I thought about the fight, look, you can’t call that a fight. You have no opponent. That’s not my level of opponent. I didn’t pay attention as far as that being a fight.

MAURICIO PEDROZA: Oscar, could you take us through the negotiations that have taken place over the last few months?

OSCAR DE LA HOYA: The negotiations are the negotiations. The bottom line is that we have a fight. Obviously we know who the A side is, and that’s Canelo Alvarez.

We obviously know that all of Mexico is behind Canelo Alvarez. Everywhere I go, everywhere we walk, the Mexican National is behind Canelo Alvarez, and I strongly believe that, look, Canelo going into the ring last, wanting to win those belts, for honor and pride.

You know, he’s going to show it up in the ring, and we strongly feel that you know, it’s a big advantage and once that first bell rings, you know, we have a fight.

So we strongly feel that, look, whatever the negotiations were, we’re extremely happy with and the fans are going to be even happier when they see a fight on September 15.

MAURICIO PEDROZA: Tell us why is it so important for this rematch to take place on September 15? So important, that you had to put up your own money to make happen.

OSCAR DE LA HOYA: Well, that was the big hail maker — I mean, you know, we can all here talk about percentages and this and that but there was a few things that I had to throw in myself.

But the bottom line is, is that look, Canelo has the bigger piece of the pie, and because he’s the champion, he’s the draw. He’s the one that brings in the people. On September 15, you will have millions and millions of fans supporting Canelo and supporting GGG, as well.

But this fight had to be made because we didn’t want to experience another Hagler/Hearns or Hagler/Sugar Ray Leonard because we didn’t see the second fight that didn’t take place. We didn’t want to see – like Trinidad and myself, we didn’t see the second fight.

So this fight had to take place. The first time was a draw and finally we have it. September 15, will be such an important day for boxing. I strongly feel that the way this fight is going to turn out, the fans are going to be extremely happy, extremely proud and boxing will once again rise to the pinnacle of where it should be.

MAURICIO PEDROZA: Why is it so important for GGG, for this fight to take place and to make the compromises GGG has had to take in order to ensure the rematch? For example, letting go of your position that the percentage for the rematch should be an even and even split.

TOM LOEFFLER: On our side we know who the champion is. It doesn’t matter who is announced first. Doesn’t matter whose name appears first on the poster.

GGG is the champion. He’s going to walk in with his belts and the important thing is he’s going to walk out with his belts. There were a lot of back and forth with the negotiations but again, we have to give both fighters credit. We have to give GGG credit. We have to give Canelo credit. We have to give Oscar and Golden Boy Promotions credit.

The bottom line is, we are not just talking about the rematch. We are actually seeing the rematch happen September 15. A lot of fighters can’t even fight the first time, and here are two of the biggest stars in boxing fighting the rematch.

Neither side wants to let it go to the judges. Canelo is predicting a KO. GGG doesn’t want to go through the same thing he went through last year in September — where his fate is in the hands of three people. He wants to make sure he controls his destiny and wants to make sure there’s going to be no question who walks out of the ring as the champion on September 15.

MAURICIO PEDROZA: We heard Oscar describing why Canelo Alvarez is the main man in this fight, so why do you think you deserve a 50/50 split?

GENNADY “GGG” GOLOVKIN: I always believe that and I know Oscar says, and I not always agree with what Oscar says. For example, I don’t believe all Mexico will be rooting for Canelo. I understand that all Oscar think that Canelo is the main locomotive behind this fight, but I think we’re both worthy of this fight.

As far as the 45 to 55, yes, we made a concession. I think that we make a big concession, but I think it’s right now, it’s the most important thing that we are going to have a fight and our fans will love it.

MAURICIO PEDROZA: Canelo, Gennady just said he doesn’t believe that whole of Mexico will be rooting for you. Do you agree, and why do you think GGG believes he has some part of the Mexican fans behind him?

CANELO ALVAREZ: Look, I’ve always had detractors, regardless I’m fighting him or who I’m fighting. There’s always that side of the fans that are the detractors, but I have much more, many more, that love and support me.

And now, that little respect that I had or that we had, it’s been lost, and come September 15, it’s just him and I in the ring, whether I have the support or not. It’s just going to be him and I, and he’ll see.

MAURICIO PEDROZA: Now I want to go back to Oscar De La Hoya. As a fighter, does being in a fight like this motivate you more in training camp, especially when you just heard Canelo saying he doesn’t respect GGG anymore?

OSCAR DE LA HOYA: Well, that’s exactly what a fighter needs, and that’s exactly why this fight is going to be such a great fight.

Like Canelo said, the little respect they had for each other is out the window, and when you’re a fighter and you have no respect for your opponent, magic happens. Magic takes place inside the ring. You train harder in the gym. You run extra miles. You assure yourself that you’re in tiptop shape but more importantly it’s mental, the mental aspect of it is at its highest level. That’s why I think that these bullfighters are going to be in tiptop shape come September 15 and we will see an amazing fight.

MAURICIO PEDROZA: As a fight fan and promotor, how excited are you for the fight and how excited shot fans be for the fight?

TOM LOEFFLER: Not only as a promotor but as a boxing fight, this is the fight everyone is looking forward to. This is the fight the fans are looking forward to, that the media has been asking about.

And GGG, I get a lot of comments, a lot of messages on social media from fans in Mexico saying, please knock out Canelo, don’t let it in the judges’ hands this time and GGG is going to come out that way.

I know Oscar is down there in Mexico with Canelo. Make sure, Canelo, less Mexican meat, more Mexican style this time, September 15. Make sure everything goes the right way.

There’s two warriors getting in the ring. The gloves are off this time around. Both guys, you know, feel disrespected by what happened last May 5, so I think the fans are going to win coming up September 15 when these guys get in the ring with each other.

MAURICIO PEDROZA: Oscar De La Hoya on May 15 Tweeted the following, “In the meantime, @GGGBoxing making 3million and #Canelo making 40million without you. #signthecontract. #scared. #CaneloGGG2. #stopcrying.”

We just talked about respect. Gennady, how do you respond to this, to what Oscar De La Hoya had to say about you on May 11?

GENNADY “GGG” GOLOVKIN: Oscar De La Hoya can say a lot of things, and it’s not always correct.

As far as the money concerned, I’m a fighter, and I go and work, do my work. I fight. As far as Oscar De La Hoya, I suggest that he should take care of his own fighter and if he wants him to make more money, let’s have a fight. Put him on the ring.

MAURICIO PEDROZA: I want to go back to Abel. This quote from Canelo Alvarez, this past week on RingTV.com, “The truth is that this fight means a lot to me because of all that has happened and all that has been said.”

Alvarez said, Friday, one day officially before tickets go on sale, “I will prove with my fists that I am the best and Golovkin will eat all his words and speculations. I will demonstrate who the best when I defeat Golovkin soundly on September 11 during Independence Day weekend, and I will make it clear that Mexican boxing is the best.”

Abel, do you think Canelo has what it takes to knockout GGG?

ABEL SANCHEZ: All those same things were said prior to the first fight and it ended up being a track meet.

I think that on the 15th when Oscar and Canelo were having breakfast, Oscar needs to remind him, he needs to bring his courage to the venue that night because he’s going to need it.

If he intends to knock out Golovkin, he’s going to have to fight him. And if he fights him, he’s going to get knocked out. I said that before; he would have gotten knocked out the first time, but he decided to make it a track meet that night.

But if he comes to fight and if he comes to knock out Golovkin as he said he’s going to; if he doesn’t defraud the fans again, then he’s going to get knocked out. I’ve said it and I’ll say it again.

MAURICIO PEDROZA: Canelo, you just heard Abel saying you didn’t want to fight the first time. I want to go back to you now and let you answer that statement because it seems like from GGG’s camp, you were never willing to engage during the fight. Will this time be any different?

CANELO ALVAREZ: I did my fight. I did what I set out to do. I did what I trained to do but I did a great fight.

But on September 15, I’m going to do the necessary adjustments and the necessary things to win. This man just likes to talk. He likes to talk a lot and bring up every excuse possible, but you’ll see, on September 15, what Canelo Alvarez is all about and what he’s capable of doing.

MAURICIO PEDROZA: Gennady, you just heard Canelo saying that was his fight, that was his strategy, but he says it’s going to be different.

How about from your side? How different is your strategy going to be to face with Canelo once again?

GENNADY “GGG” GOLOVKIN: As the champion, I know my strategy and of course in this upcoming fight, a lot will depend on Canelo and the more Canelo had show, the more interesting will be the fight.

MAURICIO PEDROZA: Eddy, why is your fighter the better fighter?

EDDY REYNOSO: He’s a fighter with more arguments. He has more talent and is more versatile. He knows how to walk in the ring and make you miss, counterpunch, attack. I mean, he has the total package.

MAURICIO PEDROZA: Chepo, what did you learn from that first fight that can expose GGG’s weaknesses?

CHEPO REYNOSO: He’s an intelligent fighter and regardless of what people thought, I thought he clearly won the fight, clearly but come September 15, I can assure you two things. Not only is he going to take away GGG’s undefeated record, he’s also going to shut up Mr. Abel Sanchez.

MAURICIO PEDROZA: Abel, you just heard Canelo saying, we’ll see a different Canelo, even Chepo Reynoso said we’ll see a different Canelo. What did you learn from Canelo Alvarez on the first fight, and do you think we’ll see a different Canelo Ãlvarez September 15?

ABEL SANCHEZ: Well, in the first 40-some fights we saw Canelo fight, he fought a totally different fight and he promised the fans he was going to give them the same type of action against Golovkin. After the first couple rounds, he found out he couldn’t.

I hope September 15 coming up is different because I think the fans deserve what we have been promising them. Golovkin fights in his style. He’s the champion. He’s going to go at Canelo, and if Canelo thinks he can knock him out, then I think we’ll see a classic fight.

It doesn’t matter how smart Canelo is, when he gets hit and he get hurt, he’s going to be knocked out. Smarts have nothing to do with it. He’s going to get hit and get hurt.

MAURICIO PEDROZA: Several times Sanchez called Alvarez a cheater after all the controversy surrounding his suspension. How did that make you feel, and what do you think of Abel Sanchez as a trainer?

CHEPO REYNOSO: I think Abel Sanchez likes to talk. He talks too much. At the end of the day it’s going to be Canelo Alvarez and GGG fighting with their fists and not with their mouths. He likes to be the star of the movie, and it’s not him.

This is about Canelo and GGG. And what we need to do as corner men, as trainers, is do our job quietly because it’s not about us.

Abel, learn to be quiet, please.

MAURICIO PEDROZA: Oscar, what have you seen so far from Canelo’s team and the way they are preparing for September 15?

OSCAR DE LA HOYA: Well, it’s clear that for team canal low, it’s a totally different mind-set. It’s a totally different fight. Just being an ex-fighter myself, I know what type of preparations you must do in order to fulfill your goal, to fulfill your goal come September 15 against GGG, and I can assure you, I mean, it’s clear that Canelo is in a stronger state of mind. There’s obviously bad blood, and therefore, that’s why it’s going to be an amazing fight.

Look, Canelo, yes, he can box. He can move. He’s the more skillful fighter. He can do all that stuff, but he can also fight. And GGG hasn’t seen that, but I’ll assure you one thing: Come September 15, it’s all business. It’s all going in there and proving not to everyone who is watching but proving to GGG that he’s the better fighter.

So will Canelo be in different shape? Will he be in better shape in will he be stronger, faster? He’s going to be all that, and then some.

So on our side, we strongly feel they haven’t seen Canelo the way they are going to see him September 15. We have seen GGG. We know what he does. All he does is come forward and fights and that’s it. Canelo has many other things he does, so come September 15, you’ll be able to witness them.

MAURICIO PEDROZA: Oscar, I want to give you a chance to respond to one of Tom’s comments, also Gennady’s comments, when they say that Mexico is actually split. It’s divided. Not everyone is rooting for Canelo, and some Mexicans are rooting for Gennady Golovkin.

OSCAR DE LA HOYA: Everybody has their fans. Everybody has their fans. There’s a reason why when Canelo fights on HBO Pay-Per-View, which he’s the only Pay-Per-View star in boxing, there’s a reason why they support him. There’s a reason why he generates the numbers he does. There’s a reason why the gates are so high. There’s a reason why the numbers are so high.

Look, every fighter has their naysayers, and every fighter has their non-supporters, but the truth of the matter is that Canelo has millions and millions of fans all over the world just like GGG.

But we have to recognize one thing; that Canelo is the Mexican champion, the star of Mexico, the star of boxing.

MAURICIO PEDROZA: GGG, you just heard Canelo Alvarez saying how he has lost some respect for you. Let me ask you something. Have you also lost respect for Canelo Alvarez, the boxer, or even the person?

GENNADY “GGG” GOLOVKIN: Respect is respect. We have different mentality. We have different understanding of what respect is. I think Canelo team, by doing what they did, and they lost some respect from their fans. But it’s not important.

I do have respect to all the fighters, all the athletes, all the champions who fight at this level, and I think at the very end, we will find a way to shake each other’s hand, regardless what the outcome, regardless what we think before the fight. As two men, we should be able to stand against each other and shake each other’s hand at the end.

MAURICIO PEDROZA: I remember before the first fight, you both were behaving in a very respectful manner. Why does this time feel like more personal to you, actually to both of you, but for you, is this personal this time?

CANELO ALVAREZ: Yes, absolutely, it’s changed, totally. They disrespected me for everything they have been saying, everything they have been doing, all their actions. Now it’s different. It’s personal.

MAURICIO PEDROZA: A lot has been said from both camps about you and GGG, but one of your biggest critics so far is Abel Sanchez, and you haven’t really talked to him yet, so we’ll give that you opportunity to address him correctly.

What do you want to say to Abel Sanchez who is listening to you right now live?

CANELO ALVAREZ: I have nothing to say to him. He knows what I think of him.

MAURICIO PEDROZA: Abel, what do you think about Canelo? He’s listening now. You’ve talked a lot about him, as well.

ABEL SANCHEZ: I talked about him because of what his actions have been and I think the consequences it has caused for us as a team here, the GGG team.

He’s an exceptional fighter. Two guys at the top of their game are going to duke is out on the 15th. I hope we get the kind of fight that we are expecting.

MAURICIO PEDROZA: Gennady, is there anything you would like to say to him?

GENNADY “GGG” GOLOVKIN: Well, I want to tell him that we should be ready for the fight. You know, we should be ready for his fight for us. We should be ready for his fight for our fans. We should get ready. I think we should both be in the best shape for this fight, and the better we will be for this fight; the more, the sweetest taste the victory will have for us.

MAURICIO PEDROZA: Canelo, you have the floor. What do you have to say to Gennady Golovkin?

CANELO ALVAREZ: Nothing. We’ll see you September 15.

MAURICIO PEDROZA: And to all of you watching, is there anything you would like to say to GGG? Is there anything you would like to say to Canelo? Let us know in the comments section below for a chance to have your questions answered directly. But before we check out what the fans have been posting in that comments section below, let me ask you one question to all of you in our Facebook Live broadcast.

I want to start with Gennady Golovkin. Why aren’t we all hanging out in the same room? Why are you in Big Bear, California? Why is Canelo in Guadalajara, and why aren’t we shaking hands in person?

GGG, I’ll start with you.

GENNADY “GGG” GOLOVKIN: We are in a space, we are in a room where it’s best for all of us and which is more comfortable for all of us. It’s better to meet on September 15 and show all the best of what we can demonstrate.

MAURICIO PEDROZA: Canelo, usually when we are promoting a fight, we have both boxers looking at each other, sometimes shaking hands, sometimes having a little more action than that.

Why didn’t you want to face Gennady Golovkin before September 15? Why didn’t you want to be in the same room with him at the same time?

CANELO ALVAREZ: I assure you we’ll see each other face-to-face before September 15. We already got the tour and we already got the promotion. It wasn’t necessary for this one. But I’ll see him very soon.

MAURICIO PEDROZA: That’s fair. Well, we certainly have a lot to look forward to this September 15. In just a moment, we will open the phones to ask questions from members of the media.

Q. This is for Canelo. As a Mexican, do you believe Abel Sanchez deserves a handshake? Can you actually shake Abel Sanchez’s hands?

CANELO ALVAREZ: He deserves that and much more.

Q. Canelo, real quick, do you feel like the things that Abel and Gennady are saying to you about making this a toe-to-toe fight just a tactic to draw you in, when it may make more sense for you to box yourself to victory in this fight?

CANELO ALVAREZ: Yes, that’s probably their tactic. You know what, the sentiment that I have inside of me, it’s going to help me a lot, intelligently, to bring out what I have to do. I know what I have to do.

Q. This first question is for Canelo. There are lots of rumours that have spread around about you wearing a knee wrap in different pictures. Is there anything wrong with the knee and can you address that?

CANELO ALVAREZ: Simply put, it’s a brace just to support. I’ve been training really hard. It’s part of rehabilitation and I’ve been working really hard, and that is not going to be a problem, trust me.

Q. The numbers from your last fight show that GG out-landed you by 49 punches and out-threw you by 198. Do you feel that you need to increase your work rate in order to win the rematch?

CANELO ALVAREZ: Yes, that’s part of the plan and part of what we are working on. Yes, we know what we have to do, and yes, we have to throw more punches. To win fights, you have to throw punches, and that’s what I do in all my fights.

MAURICIO PEDROZA: Now it’s time to take a look at the questions and comments for the fighters and their teams on Facebook Live. We’ll go straight to that. We’ll start with Rob.

Q. Asking them both, what will be the difference from the first fight? Gennady, what do you think will be the difference from fight No. 1?

GENNADY “GGG” GOLOVKIN: I think this fight will be interesting. It will be tougher fight. It will be fiercer fight and I think we made our conclusion from the first fight, and this fight will be more colorful and more interesting.

Q. Canelo, what do you think the difference will be from the first fight?

CANELO ALVAREZ: Without a doubt it’s going to be a different fight. It’s going to be a better fight.

Look, we know what we have to do. I’m going it take even a stronger strategy, a better strategy, and it’s going to be a much better fight. We already know each other. Now we know what we have to do.

Q. To Team GGG, are you doing anything different in this camp from the last time you fought Canelo?

ABEL SANCHEZ: We prepare ourselves and we prepare Gennady to be the best Gennady can be. We won the first fight. A lot of people know we won the last fight. He knows he won the last fight.

Some adjustments obviously will be made in camp but Gennady fights in a style that is not only fan-pleasing but a style that he has mastered with a 23-knockout streak, in, what, 20 defenses, making it the 21st on the 15th. I think that’s the best in history. He’s tied Hopkins’ record. He’s got a knockout ratio, the best in middleweight history. I think the changes are going to be minimal. But I think it’s all going to defend if Canelo brings his courage.

Q. Gennady, are you doing anything different for this second fight, this rematch?

GENNADY “GGG” GOLOVKIN: No. As always, I’m going 100 percent what I need to do and I’ll be ready 100 percent for this fight.

Q. Can you talk about your impressive footwork and mobility in the first fight, and now that you’ve had surgery on your knee, do you think your footwork might be even better in the rematch?

CANELO ALVAREZ: That’s always been part of my arsenal. I know how to move inside the ring. The knee is not a problem. We’ve been working hard now and we’ve been training here and it hasn’t given me any issues and if it does come up during the fight that it gives me problems, we’ll already have a Plan B, a strategy, behind that, as well.

MAURICIO PEDROZA: Thank you, everyone, for joining us today watching this special Facebook live GGG special event. A reminder that tickets for September 15 are on sale now and they are going fast. You can also join Canelo GGG September 15 live from the T Mobile Arena on Pay-Per-View.

# # #

Tickets for Canelo vs. GGG 2 are on sale now, and are priced at $5,000, $2,500, $2,000, $1,500, $800, $700, $500 and $300, not including applicable service charges and taxes. There will be a limit of eight (8) per person at the $5,000, $2,500, $2,000, $1,500, $800 and $700 price levels with a limit of two (2) per person at the $500 and $300 price levels. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call 888-9-AXS-TIX (888-929-7849). Tickets also will be available for purchase at www.t-mobilearena.com or www.axs.com.

Photos and videos are available for download by clicking here or copying
and pasting the link http://bit.ly/CaneloGGG2 into a browser. Credit must be provided to Golden Boy Promotions for any photo and/or video usage.

LIVE VIDEO: CANELO – GOLOVKIN 2 PRESS CONFERENCE

https://www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing/videos/10155786765155756/

T-MOBILE ARENA IN LAS VEGAS TO HOST HIGHLY-ANTICIPATED REMATCH BETWEEN CANELO ALVAREZ AND GENNADY ‘GGG’ GOLOVKIN

LOS ANGELES (June 29, 2018): Lineal Middleweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez (49-1-2, 34 KOs) and WBC/WBA/IBO Middleweight World Champion
Gennady “GGG” Golovkin (38-0-1, 34 KOs) will return to the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas for their historic 12-round rematch on Saturday, Sept. 15. The event will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT.

Tickets for Canelo vs. GGG 2 will go on sale Tuesday, July 3 at 10:00 a.m. PT, and are priced at $5,000, $2,500, $2,000, $1,500, $800, $700, $500 and $300, not including applicable service charges and taxes. There will be a limit of 8 per person at the $5,000, $2,500, $2,000, $1,500, $800 and $700 price levels with a limit of two (2) per person at the $500 and $300 price levels. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call 888-9-AXS-TIX (888-929-7849). Tickets also will be available for purchase at www.t-mobilearena.com or www.axs.com.

To purchase tickets during the Pre-Sale, subscribe to our newsletter by going on www.goldenboypromotions.com and clicking VIP Connect. The pre-sale is schedule to run from Saturday, June 30 at 10:00 a.m. PT thru Monday, July 2 at 10:00 p.m. PT. Follow Golden Boy Boxing on its Social media accounts (Instagram, Facebook and Twitter) at @goldenboyboxing.

In September 2017, Canelo and GGG met in the ring for the first time across a competitive 12 rounds of action that ended in a split draw. The battle drew a record crowd for an indoor boxing event in Las Vegas, selling out T-Mobile Arena in less than two weeks and bringing legions of fans from Mexico to Kazakhstan and everywhere in between.

Canelo, the 27-year-old native of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, is without a doubt boxing’s biggest star. After capturing two world titles and the lineal championship in the super welterweight division, Canelo moved up to middleweight to capture the WBC, Lineal and
Ring Magazine World Titles with a unanimous decision victory against Miguel Cotto in November 2015. Canelo has maintained his status as the lineal champion ever since, and in a historic September 16 showdown with Golovkin last year, he silenced all doubters by facing one of the most avoided fighters in boxing. Canelo was born ready and he promises to defeat Golovkin in exciting fashion to prove that he is the world’s best 160-pounder.

“The truth is that this fight means a lot to me because of all that has happened and all that has been said,” said Canelo Alvarez. “I will prove with my fists that I am the best, and Golovkin will eat all of his words and speculations. I will demonstrate who is the best when I defeat Golovkin soundly on September 15 during Independence Day Weekend, and I’ll make it clear that Mexican boxing is the best.”

Golovkin, the 36-year-old wrecking ball of Karaganda, Kazakhstan, was a dominant amateur standout and Olympic Silver Medalist before turning professional in 2006. Since then, Golovkin has been on an historic trajectory, knocking out one opponent after another to unify and retain several middleweight titles. During this run, Golovkin maintained an unblemished record that included a 23-fight knockout streak, which ended with a unanimous decision victory against Daniel Jacobs in March 2017. After going the distance against Canelo, Golovkin scored a second-round knockout victory against former 154-pound contender Vanes “Nightmare” Martirosyanin May of this year.

Gennady “GGG” Golovkin said, “I am happy that the deal is done and the rematch is back on. I am ready to get back to work in Big Bear with Abel. This is the biggest fight for boxing, the fight everyone wants. It is a fight to see who is best. It is for boxing history. I am happy to be defending my titles on Mexican Independence Day, a great stage for true Mexican-Style boxing. Canelo can walk to the ring last. Canelo can be introduced last. The important thing is who leaves the ring last, and that will be me, as world champion, the people’s champion. See you at the Big Drama Show.”

Oscar De La Hoya, CEO and Chairman of Golden Boy Promotions, said, “There is serious bad blood between these fighters. The fight is personal, and the stakes are high. Canelo will without a doubt want to shut Golovkin up, and the only way to do it is by knocking him out on September 15. I have no doubts that our champion will walk away with the victory.”

Tom Loeffler, promoter of Gennady “GGG” Golovkin, said, “It’s hard to believe that there could be bigger drama than the negotiations we just concluded to make the rematch – again. The rematch has a much bigger feel to it because of all the controversy and is the biggest fight in boxing. It’s also the third consecutive time Gennady has taken over a major Mexican holiday to showcase his exciting Mexican-Style of fighting. This rematch transcends a championship boxing match and has become an international sporting event where it will be shown in over 150 countries worldwide. Gennady is bringing his belts and his resolve to prove he is still the best middleweight of his era and boxing’s No. 1 pound for pound fighter. He won the first fight against Canelo in the eyes of millions of viewers who tuned in last September and he will do it again on Mexican Independence Day, with his record-breaking 21st consecutive title defense. It’s his destiny.”

Peter Nelson, Executive Vice President, HBO Sports, said, “The biggest fight of 2018 is now upon us: Canelo-GGG 2. On September 15, the rematch will prove middleweight and pound-for-pound supremacy. We are pleased to present it live by HBO Pay-Per-View.”

Richard Sturm, President of Sports and Entertainment for MGM Resorts International, said, “We look forward to celebrating Mexican Independence Day weekend for what boxing fans worldwide anticipate will be one of the sport’s greatest rematches. T-Mobile Arena is the industry leader in hosting championship events including Boxing, UFC and most recently the Stanley Cup Finals. Our community is prepared to once again show why Las Vegas is the Sports and Entertainment capital of the world.”

Canelo vs. GGG 2 is a 12-round fight for the middleweight championship of the world presented by Golden Boy Promotions and GGG Promotions. The event is sponsored by Tecate, “THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING,” Hennessy, “Never Stop, Never Settle,” Fred Loya Insurance, Interjet and Fathom Events. The event will take place Saturday, Sept. 15 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com,
www.caneloggg.com and www.hbo.com/boxing; follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing, @Canelo, @gggboxing, @OscarDeLaHoya, @hboboxing and @TomLoeffler1; become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, ‘
www.facebook.com/gggboxing,and www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing follow on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing, @Canelo, @gggboxing, @HBOboxing and @OscarDeLaHoya; and follow the conversation using #CaneloGGG2.

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From Table to Ring: GGG, Canelo a big step closer to opening bell

By Norm Frauenheim-

LAS VEGAS – There’s a long-held theory that negotiations are part of any fight. It’s a little early to pick a winner or loser in the agreement for Gennady Golovkin-Canelo Alvarez rematch.

Let’s just say the business picked up a badly-needed win. Meanwhile, there are plenty of reasons to anticipate many more twists and turns to what will finally be an opening bell in a sequel to last year’s controversial draw.

If there are hints in Wednesday’s succession of no deal to an agreement within about the time it takes to eat lunch, we can expect just about anything. Don’t miss the rules meeting. Brace for noisy debates about judges, the referee, or whether the gloves’ padding is made of horse hair or foam.

Everything will be contested, mostly because the only thing each of these corners really like about each other is the money they can generate.

There’s plenty of that and it’s why the rematch was always inevitable. Timing was really the key here. If there ever was urgency attached to doing a rematch, GGG-Canelo II was it.

If they waited until, say next year, after struggling against an emerging Billy Joe Saunders or against no-name Spike O’Sullivan, the potential money would have dwindled to a fraction of what it is now.

GGG and his promotional rep, Tom Loeffler, acted as if they knew that from the moment the rematch was in apparent jeopardy after news of Canelo’s two failed PED tests in February.

GGG, Loeffler and trainer Abel Sanchez acted proactively, carefully, and yet with an unwavering focus on securing a deal for a bout on the first good date, September 15.

In the wake of Canelo’s withdrawal from their initial date on May 5, there was controversy about GGG’s decision to fight anyway on Cinco de Mayo against overmatched Vanes Martirosyan at StubHub Center. The fight – a GGG victory in an overwhelming second round stoppage – was forgettable. In terms of his career and what it meant to his chances at more favorable terms in a Canelo rematch, however, it is huge.

The Martirosyan fight provided a forum for GGG to further question Canelo, who was not enrolled in VADA, the voluntary drug testing program attached to the WBC. It also provided GGG a forum to say he wanted more equitable terms.

A few days after Martirosyan, Canelo announced he had agreed to resume voluntary testing. Would that have happened without the criticism from GGG and fans that were amplified by the Martirosyan fight? No way.

Canelo was in a defensive posture, telling a skeptical public to trust that the positive tests were simply the result of eating tainted Mexican beef. But there’s no trust without verification. Overwhelming doubt expressed by fans before and after Martirosyan left Canelo and Golden Boy with no choice.

They were back in VADA.

Then, they were back at the table.

However, GGG also had let it be known he would not agree to the original terms, 70 percent for Canelo and 30 for GGG. He came to the table asking for 50-50. That was a good starting point, but that’s all it was. Canelo still ranks as the draw.

According to reports Wednesday, GGG first said no to a 42.5 percent in a deal that gave Canelo 57.5. GGG demanded 45 percent, take it or leave it.

Canelo promoter Oscar De La Hoya initially said no. About an hour later, however, they had a deal, although terms weren’t disclosed.

Not sure exactly what happened, but a guess is that HBO somehow got involved and saved what figures to be a pay-per-view moneymaker. Floyd Mayweather Jr.-versus- Manny Pacquiao in 2015, a record revenue setter, would probably not have happened without late involvement from Les Moonves, president and CEO of CBS, Showtime’s parent company.

Whatever happened, GGG is getting a big raise from a likely bigger total revenue pool than what he collected a year ago. In the process, he also appeared to grab the high ground in a contentious give-and-take that will continue to sell the rematch until Sept. 15.

But will that represent a GGG advantage at opening bell? Not sure about that one. Canelo has been mostly quiet. Not sure whether his relative silence represents anger or some self-doubt. Before the positive PED tests, I would have picked him to win the rematch. He’s younger and has shown he learns from adversity. He emerged from his one-sided-loss to Mayweather as a much better fighter.

Can he emerge once more? He’ll have to against a fighter and management team that has proven it can wage a patient, well-coordinated fight on both sides of the ropes.

Canelo – Golovkin done deal for September 15th in Las Vegas

According to Fan Rafael of espn.com, Gennady Golovkin accepted terms for a September 15th rematch with Canelo Alvarez a couple hours after the Golden Boy Promotions deadline of noon Pacific Time.

“I’m happy to inform that we have a fight September 15!!!!,” Golden Boy Promotions’ Oscar De La Hoya tweeted.

“It was a dead deal at noon. We were going to proceed with a Billy Joe Saunders fight. We had a deal in place to fight Billy Joe Saunders at the end of August,” Golovkin promoter Tom Loeffler told ESPN of a match with world titleholder Saunders. “We definitely had an agreement in place with Billy Joe Saunders. I was up front with them and told them if there’s a way to get the Canelo deal that was a priority, but Gennady had no hesitation fighting Billy Joe Saunders because he felt it was a challenging fight to fight an undefeated champion.”

“Still working on it,” Loeffler texted to ESPN 20 minutes after the deadline as he scrambled to see if Golovkin, who is in Moscow as a guest of one of his sponsors for the World Cup, was interested in the newest proposal.

Golden Boy President Eric Gomez said he was trying to reach De La Hoya during his interview with ESPN and he was frustrated because he wasn’t answering his phone. But ultimately, Gomez said, “We threw a Hail Mary and it was caught. The fight’s done.”

“Gennady stuck to his guns,” Loeffler said. “He always wanted the Canelo rematch, but at the same time, he wanted the respect as the champion, especially with what happened with the May 5 cancellation. We figured out a way to get it done. After the fight was dead, we figured out a way to resuscitate it. They were moving on and we were moving on. I can’t go into the details, but Gennady is satisfied with the deal. Both fighters were stuck and we needed one of our partners to get involved and the MGM did. That’s how the deal was saved. We came up with the solution.

“Gennady is happy he is getting the respect, and I’m happy we’re able to participate in the biggest fight in the sport of boxing. This goes to Gennady’s legacy. It’s a huge fight for both guys. I think it’s going to be a much bigger promotion than first time out.”

When it appeared that the fight was dead on Wednesday afternoon, De La Hoya told ESPN, “We want the fight, Tom Loeffler wants the fight. Clearly, the only person here who doesn’t want the fight is GGG. The fans want the fight. We bent over backwards. GGG says he’s a fighter, not a businessman, and he’s right. He’s no businessman because he doesn’t understand numbers. It’s 100 percent over. We’ve been trying to make the numbers work and Canelo finally said, ‘Screw this guy.’ We’ve come off our 35 percent. We’ve come off our contract that we had signed a couple of months ago and we still moved our percentage to make Golovkin happy, but clearly he doesn’t want the fight.

“Tom and Eric have been on the phone until right now and Eric just told me we have no deal — 100 percent there is no fight. We’ve come up on our offer and there’s no budge from him, so there’s no fight. That’s it. There’s no fight. We’re moving on. We have deadlines.”

Golden Boy gives Golovkin deadline to sgn for rematch with Canelo

Golden Boy Promotions has issued a noon Pacific Time deadline on Wednesday for Gennady Golovkin to sign on for the rematch with Canelo Alvarez, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

Golden Boy has offered 42.5 % of the revenue to Golovkin.

“This is final,” Golden Boy President Eric Gomez said. “We’ve been through everything. We’ve been through the hoops, the monkey bars, the slides. No more playing games. He has until noon (PT) to accept or walk away. If he walks away, good luck to him.

“We’ve gone above and beyond to make this fight happen. Canelo really wants to make this fight happen for the fans. (Golden Boy CEO) Oscar (De La Hoya) really wants to make it for the fans and everyone involved and we’re meeting him halfway.”

“Our original deal in May for the rematch was 35 percent to Golovkin. Then they wanted 50-50, which was ridiculous to begin with,” Gomez said. “But in consideration we’re willing to meet them halfway. I got off the phone (on Tuesday afternoon) with Tom Loeffler and told him you have 24 hours to accept or we are fighting Danny Jacobs.”

“Gennady was very clear when he made the concession to come off 50-50. He really feels in his heart it should be an even split,” Loeffler said “He made the concession at 55-45. Gennady is the one who will make the final decision, so I will give him an update on it and see what he wants to do. My opinion is it’s the biggest fight in boxing and both sides should figure out a way to make it work.”

“Tom said he will talk to Gennady and see if we can get him to budge. He’s trying,” Gomez said. “He’s been a gentleman to me through all of this. Basically, it’s an ungodly amount of money being offered to Golovkin that he will never see again if he walks away. He could make maybe 10 times more money for this fight than any other fight he decides to take. (Top Rank chairman) Bob Arum once said, ‘You can’t spend a percentage’ and he is right. Oscar and I have discussed it. He’s discussed it with Canelo and it’s been long enough. We’ve waited since early April to get everything back on track. We’ve had countless conversations. I think Canelo is being very reasonable, above and beyond reasonable, as well as Oscar. You can lead a donkey to water but you can’t make him drink.”

Gomez said he has remained in touch with Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn, who represents Jacobs, and has kept him up to date on the situation.

“Eddie Hearn is anxious to get the fight done for Jacobs,” Gomez said. “I have made him aware there is a possibility of a Golovkin fight because I don’t want to mislead him. But we’re within striking distance of being able to make the Canelo fight with Jacobs if Golovkin walks away.”

Golovkin comes off of 50-50 split for Canelo rematch

Middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin has come off he demands for a 50-50 split for the rematch with Canelo Alvarez, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

Gennady has agreed to come off his 50-50 demand,” Golovkin promoter Tom Loeffler said, shortly after Golovkin had been stripped of his IBF belt for not facing Sergiy Derevyanchenko, the organization’s mandatory challenger. “Gennady wants the rematch with Canelo regardless of what Oscar says. He always wanted the fight with Canelo.

“He will come down to 55-45, which makes Canelo the A side. It will be Canelo making 55 percent in a rematch against GGG, which will be much bigger than the first fight was for sure. The rematch with GGG is his biggest fight by far and Gennady’s biggest fight. That’s the fight we want.”

“I’m not negotiating with Oscar. I’m negotiating with Eric Gomez,” Loeffler said of the Golden Boy Promotions president, who has been the company’s point person in the discussions. “I spoke to Eric [on Wednesday] and he’s going to go to Oscar and Canelo and see if they can get something done.”

Gomez was traveling Wednesday from Los Angeles to Verona, New York, for Golden Boy’s ESPN2-televised card on Friday night, but when reached during his layover in Chicago, he said he had spoken to Loeffler but did not know whether De La Hoya and Alvarez would be willing to return to the bargaining table.

“I just spoke to Tom a little bit ago,” Gomez said. “I told him I am going to be speaking to Oscar about it, and then we will talk to Canelo. We’ll see what happens.”

Canelo – Golovkin talks seem dead; Canelo looks to Jacobs

The negotiations for the rewatch between Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin have stalled and Alvarez has now turned his attention to Daniel Jacobs, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“He’s (Golovkin) stubborn and wanting 50-50, and it’s not going to happen,” Alvarez promoter Oscar De La Hoya told ESPN about Golovkin. “The Canelo train has left the station.”

“So there’s a deal on the table for Daniel Jacobs to fight Sept. 15 against Canelo,” De La Hoya said. “Eddie loves the idea. He loves the fight. Daniel Jacobs loves the fight, and we love the fight as well. So we’re just moving forward and making sure that Canelo has the toughest dance partner possible for Sept. 15.”

“I can tell you that we love the fight,” Jacobs promoter Eddie Hearn said. “It’s a fight that when I signed Daniel Jacobs he told me he believes he beats Canelo every day of the week. We had a brief conversation with Golden Boy about a week ago or so [when Alvarez-Golovkin negotiations were first on the ropes], and it was hard to tell whether it was part of the plan in the negotiations with Canelo-Golovkin or if they really wanted the fight. We confirmed our interest, and today we received an official offer to fight Canelo on Sept. 15.

“I’ve taken the offer to Keith Connolly, Danny’s manager, Danny. We’re extremely interested. Obviously, it’s a huge fight.”

“It’s a first offer, and we are not looking to be difficult, but we know our value in the fight,” Hearn said. “We have a guy in Daniel Jacobs who, in my opinion, beat Gennady Golovkin, but in anybody’s opinion had a wonderful fight with Golovkin which many couldn’t split. In that respect, I see Jacobs as the perfect guy to fight Canelo.

“This is one of the reasons we signed with HBO — to get this fight. Now we’re here. I will push for every dime for my client. At the same time, we realize this is a wonderful opportunity, and we’ll do everything we can to make this fight. This is a major, major, major fight for Danny Jacobs. We know the money involved in the fight. We believe it does big pay-per-view numbers.”

De La Hoya said he hoped to also wrap it up quickly.

“The deadline is going to be middle of this month because we have to start promoting and lock down everything,” he said. “Our sponsors are ready to go, and we want to give the fight fans the best possible fight, and unfortunately GGG didn’t budge from his 50-50, so we’re moving on.”

“Jacobs gave GGG a run for his money. A lot of people thought that he won,” De La Hoya said. “I can’t say he won’t be Canelo’s toughest fight. He might be tougher than GGG.”

“What people are not understanding is I am not going to come off my demands for the rematch,” De La Hoya said. “The fact that GGG is stubborn on a 50-50 split, and it’s ludicrous. It’s never going to happen. He wants 50-50, and it’s never going to happen. We had already come to terms, and they had the contracts a long time, several weeks, and now he wants 50-50?”

“We were willing to budge, but now I’m fed up with this, and I’ve decided to move on. So we are talking to Eddie Hearn about Jacobs,” De La Hoya said. “Let’s make the best deal possible. The deal is on the table for Daniel Jacobs, and hopefully we can get it signed sooner than later so we can start promoting the fight.”

“I spoke to Eric [Monday night], and we were still in discussions, so I think if there’s a way to find a solution, we’ll try to find it, but I didn’t speak to him [on Tuesday],” Golovkin promoter Tom Loeffler said. “But 50-50 is the position [Golovkin] has taken. Canelo’s taken his position. It’s our job to figure out if there’s a way to make the fight work. All I can say is that those two guys [Alvarez and Jacobs] are guys GGG already beat last year. Canelo would make more in a GGG fight than he will against Daniel Jacobs, so that goes both ways.”

“If GGG ever comes to his senses, we can fight next year if he wants for Cinco de Mayo,” De La Hoya said. “I tell you one thing — the money he would make for Canelo, he now has to fight five or six opponents to make that kind of money. We’ve moved on.”

GGG-Canelo: The Time Is Now

By Norm Frauenheim-

Stalled negotiations for a Canelo Alvarez-Gennady Golovkin rematch are diverting attention and headlines away from two intriguing fights – Abner Mares-Leo Santa Cruz II in Los Angeles and Terence Crawford’s welterweight debut against Jeff Horn in Las Vegas, both on June 9.

It reminds me of an old line: The only thing killing boxing is boxing. It is the flaw, the proverbial glass jaw, that always seems to undercut a chaotic business that just can’t get out of its own way.

Television ratings have been promising this year, especially on ESPN. There’s an audience of young fans in America’s changing demographics. There’s looming interest in Crawford, Mikey Garcia, Vasiliy Lomachenko, Santa Cruz, Mares, Oscar Valdez Jr., Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder.

But today the business is being held hostage by talk that has been about percentages. According to various reports, GGG wants an equitable split, 50-50, since Canelo’s positive PED tests and subsequent withdrawal from a rematch that was supposed to happen on May 5. Canelo’s Golden Boy reps are reportedly standing by numbers they said were the terms of the initial deal, 65 percent for Canelo and 35 for GGG.

Those are numbers that are interesting only if you’re shopping for a new mortgage. Fans, I suspect, only want to know there’s a date and place for an opening bell.

In the here and now, who knows. There has only been a chilling silence for the last week. As I write this, there have been no reports talks have resumed.

I keep thinking back to GGG’s comment a couple of days before his swift, second-round stoppage of Vanes Martirosyan on May 5 at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif. Then, he said there was only a 10 percent chance that a rematch of their controversial draw last September would happen.

Then, it sounded like an opening line in re-setting the table for a new deal in the controversial wake of the Canelo PED controversy, which includes an ongoing, Nevada Athletic Commission-imposed suspension that will end in mid-August. Now, it sounds like a prediction,

I can only hope he’s wrong. At the time, there appears to be some sympathy for his attempt to get more favorable terms. Fifty-fifty looks unlikely. Canelo still ranks as the bigger draw and becomes more of one because of the controversy that now surrounds him.

But a better deal for GGG only seems fair, especially after the cancellation of the May 5 bout. GGG had no hand in the cancellation and, in fact, fought for a reported $1 million guarantee against Martirosyan on the same day. GGG’s promotional rep, Tom Loeffler of K-2, suggested that the Nevada Commission should have levied a fine against Canelo in addition to the suspension. The Commission said a fine was not possible, because Canelo’s positive PED tests in February were not related to a fight that had already happened in the state.

Still, Loeffler said damage had been done to GGG. The only way to get some of it back is through negotiations. Thus far, however, Golden Boy has yet to buy any of it. Hard to know where it goes next, if anywhere.

No rematch is a loss for just about everybody. Hardcore fans will eventually move on to Crawford, Lomachenko, Garcia, Santa Cruz, Mares, Valdez, Joshua and Wilder. But causal fans will again have another reason to stay away.

Meanwhile, no deal for a sequel on September 15 is reason to wonder whether there will ever be a rematch. GGG has bigger global footprint than Canelo. The Kazak fighter, whose pro career started in Germany and includes stops in Monaco, could go to Tokyo for good money against Ryota Murata.

There are also opportunities for Canelo, although the rumored one is bound to get only boos. Spike O’Sullivan? Really? Arguments over a proposed purse split are more interesting.

Billy Joe Saunders also has been mentioned. But both GGG and Canelo need to be careful about the emerging UK middleweight. Saunders has a chance to beat both. GGG has begun to display some wear and tear. At 27, Canelo continues to fight in spurts. Fatigue just might be part of his genetic make-up.

But it’ll get him beat, just as surely as time will eventually beat GGG, who will be 37 next April.

A year or two from now, GGG and Canelo could come back to talk with a loss or two between them and a lot less on the table.

The time is now.

GGG-Canelo: Back at the table for same rematch but probably a different deal

By Norm Frauenheim-

Canelo Alvarez’ enrollment this week in VADA, voluntary drug testing, represents relief for a nervous business still counting on big bucks from a rematch with Gennady Golovkin.

But don’t misinterpret it as a deal.

That would be foolishly premature, way too simple, especially after a contentious few weeks after the May 5 date was scrubbed in the turbulent wake of news that Canelo had tested positive twice for a banned substance.

The rematch is still very possible, probably likely. But circumstances have changed, all of which could have a significant impact on negotiations for a proposed Sept. 15 rematch of the controversial GGG-Canelo draw last September. The door on talks re-opened with Canelo’s tweet Tuesday that he’s back in the VADA program. But the table looks like a very different place from the day when the cancelled May sequel was announced on Jan 29.

GGG, whose evident frustration at the judging in last year’s draw morphed into obvious anger at Canelo’s after the PED controversy in February, said repeatedly before his stoppage of Vanes Martirosyan May 5 that he wanted more equitable terms.

That starts with money, of course. Ends there, too. There’s nothing to discuss without it. Canelo promoter Oscar De La Hoya was quoted in media reports that Canelo decided to re-join VADA for his fans. For the money, too. Where else is he going to get a chance at $50 million?

That’s was the potential for his final purse last September for a fight that did a reported 1.3 million pay-per-view buys. According to media speculation before the bout, the PPV number would have had to have been 1.5 million for Canelo to get the $50 million max. It not clear whether he did. But he got close enough to want to take another bite at about that, far and away, makes the most sense. And dollars.

This time around, however, it fair to guess that Canelo is going to want a bigger share. Based roughly on guarantees — $5 million for Canelo and $ 3 million for GGG — filed in contracts with the Nevada Athletic Commission last September, the final split of revenue was 62.5 percent for Canelo and 37.5 percent for GGG.

It’ll be no surprise if GGG demands a 50-50 split. The first fight, after all, was a draw. On the scorecards, it was demonstrably 50-50. In the court of public opinion, meanwhile, it’s still a debate, also an ongoing sales pitch for the rematch.

Then, there’s controversy surrounding Canelo’s PED tests for clenbuterol, a banned substance he says he got from unknowingly eating contaminated Mexican beef. GGG doesn’t believe him. Turns out, neither do a lot of fans, who expressed their skepticism throughout media reports of GGG’s decision to fight on Cinco De Mayo anyway, against Martirosyan, a late stand-in at StubHub Center.

The bout was panned by many in the media. Martirosyan was gone, knocked out and flat on the canvas, before the end of the second round. But the argument about Canelo and why he had not re-enrolled in VADA lingered.

Unintended or not, a forgettable fight provided a forum for criticism of Canelo in social and mainstream media. It grew, putting pressure on Canelo to do Tuesday what had to be done if the rematch was to have any chance at happening.

It’s a mystery as to why he didn’t enroll in VADA earlier. It’s a mystery, too, as to why he didn’t hold a news conference in late February to just say that he, like anybody else, sometimes gets a meal off the back of a taco truck. He ate one with some tainted meat. No crime there. A lot of people would not have believed him. A lot of people never will. But some would have.

Now, however, Canelo finds himself with a burden of proof he has never had to shoulder. The skepticism expressed about him over the last couple of months is perhaps symptomatic of an erosion in faith from fans whose unquestioned loyalty gave him leverage in negotiations. He could always say he was the draw. He still is, but maybe not by the margin he once had.

What happens within that margin figures to decide when and where – maybe even if — this rematch happens.

Canelo Alvarez enrolls in VADA testing

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, Canelo Alvarez has enrolled in VADA testing in the wake of his positive test for a banned substance that forced the cancellation of his May 5 bout with Gennady Golovkin.

“I want to let you know that I just signed the contract with VADA for year round testing,” Alvarez wrote on Twitter.

“We have received paperwork from Mr. Alvarez’s representatives for year-round testing (24/7/365) through VADA,” Dr. Margaret Goodman, president of VADA, said in an email to ESPN.

“This is good news,” Oscar De La Hoya told ESPN. “This is voluntary and Canelo is paying for the testing out of his own pocket because he wants to prove to his fans that he is a clean fighter. Any time they want to test him he will make himself available. … Canelo is doing this because he is listening to his fans. The criticism will always be there, but he decided to listen and prove to everyone that he is clean.”

“What people don’t know is Canelo is getting randomly tested by the Nevada commission,” De La Hoya said. “He wants to be tested year-round. He wants to do this for his fans and that’s why he’s doing this so they won’t doubt him.”

“We’ve started discussions with Tom. We want to make the fight happen and this is another step in the right direction,” De La Hoya said. “Every top fighter should be tested by VADA on a year-round basis. That’s the only way to clean up the sport.

“Hopefully, we can make the fight. … These guys, Canelo and GGG, sure don’t like each other now. If the fight happens in September it will be that much better of a fight. Now there really is bad blood. It will be a hell of a fight if it happens in September, but regardless Canelo will be fighting in September.

“This is a huge step, a major hurdle we have cleared. There are no excuses whatsoever. GGG wants the fight, Canelo wants this fight, so let’s just get past this and move forward and give the fans the fight they want to see again.”

Said Loeffler: “I think it’s important for Canelo to be enrolled and that was one of the requirements in the discussions we’ve had with Golden Boy for the rematch. They never balked at it. It’s one less hurdle. I’m in continued discussions with (Golden Boy president) Eric (Gomez) and hopefully we have some resolution here in the near future.”

Before the fight with Martirosyan, Golovkin, a strong testing advocate, said he would re-enroll in VADA to continue out-of-competition testing. “I contacted VADA to re-enroll him and continue the testing he was doing for the fight on May 5,” Loeffler said.

“It hasn’t started yet but I’d imagine it will by next week. With regard to Canelo, I was a little bit surprised that for someone proclaiming his innocence so strongly he wasn’t testing. But it’s good to see him enrolled. It helps his image tremendously and this is something GGG and Abel have always wanted to have — a level playing field for both guys.

“We felt both guys should test continuously leading up to the (rematch). For the last fight the testing started three months before the fight and since Gennady is an advocate for this testing he wanted to lead the way for the continued testing. I think a lot of fighters can slip through loopholes by the testing starting too close to the fight and then it doesn’t matter.”

Lomachenko-Linares: First shot in looming pound-for-pound debate

By Norm Frauenheim-

Vasiliy Lomachenko-Jorge Linares Saturday at New York’s Madison Square Garden is an opportunity to reset the table on a year that began amid promise and yet has been muddied by the May 5 cancellation of Gennady Golovkin-Canelo Alvarez and the continuing controversy over when — or if — Canelo will enroll in VADA, the voluntary testing procedure that appears to be fundamental to any chance of reaching an agreement for a rematch in September.

There’s no controversy about Lomachenko-Linares. There’s just intrigue, anticipation and the pound-for-pound argument.

Lomachenko’s bid for a third title at a third weight, 135 pounds, is the first half of a 2018 debate about a further claim on the pound-for-pound’s mythical title. At the end of 2017, Lomachenko, a former featherweight and junior-lightweight champion, held a slight edge in the various polls and among the voters.

But Terence Crawford was always in the hunt. Still is.

Crawford, a former lightweight and junior-welterweight champ, will deliver his bid next month, June 9 at Las Vegas MGM Grand, in his first bout at 147 pounds against Australian Jeff Horn.

Guess here: Both Lomachenko and Crawford will prevail.

The real question rests in who will have looked better in their first fight at a heavier weight.

It’s a debate that figures to continue for a while. Lomachenko and Crawford are the same age. They’re both 30.

Lomachenko (10-1, 8 KOs) possesses an unprecedented array of angles in his variety of punches. For the ringside aficionado, there is a cutting-edge style to what Lomachenko does with his gloved hands.

In Crawford, there’s ruthlessness matched by ambidextrous hands quick to strike from just about anywhere.

Both Top Rank-promoted fighters are fascinating to watch. Take your pick and be prepared to change it over the next few years. They figure to energize the pound-for-pound debate no matter what happens with GGG-Canelo.

Saturday is the opening salvo. Linares (44-3, 27 KOs), the World Boxing Association’s 135-pound belt holder, says he is not fooled by all that has been said about the creatively-dangerous Lomachenko.

“I am going to prove that Lomachenko is not an invincible fighter,’’ Linares said this week during the promotional build-up to the main event on the ESPN-televised card (8 p.m. ET).

Linares, who is an inch taller and has a 3 1/2 -inch advantage in reach, is promising to take Lomachenko into later rounds. But the cutting-edge adjective so often applied to Lomachenko might to be more than just a rhetorical embellishment of what Lomachenko does to Linares. Linares has suffered bad cuts in at least three bouts, including successive losses to Antonio DeMarco and Sergio Thompson in 2011 and 2012. Lomachenko’s many angles can put a real razor-like affect into that cutting edge.

We’ll see.

Then, we’ll see Crawford.

Weight and Wait: GGG exactly at 160 pounds as the talk about Canelo continues

By Norm Frauenheim-

LOS ANGELES – Gennady Golovkin smiled. Said thanks. He might have kissed a few babies, too.

The middleweight, best known for his GGG acronym, did everything he had to Friday at a hotel just a few miles of roadwork from the LAX runways. Oh yeah, he made weight, too.

GGG (37-0-1, 27 KOs) was supposed to be at 160 pounds and that’s exactly what he was, not a digital fraction over or under the mandatory for a defense of two of his titles, the WBC and WBA, against Vanes Martirosyan on HBO (9 p.m. PT/11 p.m. ET) Saturday at StubHub down the freeway in Carson.

Martirosyan (36-3-1 21 KO), a huge underdog from nearby Glendale Calif, was at 159.6 pounds for his first bout at middleweight.

There were no missteps on the scale or anywhere else from Golovkin (37-0-1, 33 KOs) in a moment that was as political as it was pugilistic. It was almost as if GGG wanted to let the contrast with his original opponent, suspended Canelo Alvarez, say it all.

For weeks, GGG has been saying plenty to the media about his contempt for Canelo, who tested positive twice for a banned substance and then withdrew from what would have been a rich Cinco de Mayo rematch of last September’s controversial draw in Las Vegas. At the weigh-in, however, GGG only had a couple of words, which he repeated after the ritual weigh-in and nose-to-nose pose for the photographers in a jammed ballroom.

“Thank you, thank you,’’ he said to the crowd, which included lots of fans wearing shirts and caps saying Mexicans For GGG.

The thanks came in the wake of further news that casts a shadow on whether there will be a Sept. 15 rematch with Canelo, whose six-month suspension from the Nevada Commission will end in mid-August. Before the thanks, GGG said Canelo was bad for boxing in an interview with ESPN and BoxingScene. He told Yahoo that, at best, there was only a 10 percent chance of the rematch happening. If he beats Martirosyan as expected, no telling what he’ll say at the post-fight news conference. May be, he’s only negotiating. If so, the negotiations have a long, perhaps rocky way to go.

For now, it sounds as if GGG is no rush to get the rematch, even though it would – far and away – represent his biggest payday. According to contracts filed with the California Commission Friday, GGG’s guarantee for Saturday is $1 million.

It’s believed he will get more, perhaps three times as much, after percentages are included for a card that promoters began to put together just two-and-a-half weeks ago. Whatever his final take is, however, it will be a fraction of what he and Canelo made in September.

According to various sources, Canelo collected $50 million. GGG, who can tie Bernard Hopkins’ record for 20 successive title defenses Saturday, got less than that. There are conflicting reports, but whatever it was, it was several multiples more than what he’ll see for fighting Martirosyan, a former junior middleweight whose guarantee for Saturday is $225,000.

Saturday night televised card will also include an HBO first. Welterweights Cecilia Braekhus and Kali Reis will be the first women to appear in a co-main event.

GGG-Canelo II? Still the only fight that makes sense and dollars

By Norm Frauenheim-

Gennady Golovkin and Canelo Alvarez are linked only by mutual contempt, genuine in tone and intensifying in the wake of the May 5 bout canceled by Canelo’s withdrawal from the rematch before his subsequent six-month suspension for two positive PED tests in February.

After the Nevada Athletic Commission announced an abbreviated suspension of Canelo last week, the prevailing assumption was that the middleweight sequel would happen in September in what would eventually look more like a postponement than a cancellation. Guess here: That’s still a pretty good assumption. Economically, it’s still the fight that makes the most sense. Dollars, too.

But GGG’s anger, rooted in his frustration at scoring in last September’s draw, continues to be loud, clear and amplified by his mistrust in Canelo’s assertion that the PED, clenbuterol, was simply the result of tainted Mexican meat.

There are moments when GGG just sounds as if he’d like to walk away from the prospect of any further business with Canelo.

“Canelo?” GGG asked this week in response to a question during a media session for a stay-busy fight against Vanes Martiroysan in a Cinco De Mayo party re-scheduled for StubHub Center in Carson, Calif. “Right now, he is over. Do I want to have the rematch in September? We’ll see. It’s a different deal. The boxing business is crazy. I’ll fight Canelo again. Ask him if he wants to fight me.

“I no longer think about Canelo.’’

It’s pretty clear that Canelo is anxious to fight – make that punish – GGG in September, about a month after his suspension ends. His promoter, Oscar De La Hoya, has been talking almost as if the September rematch is a done deal. It’s not, of course. First, there’s Martiroysan. GGG is a huge favorite. An upset would be a shocker. Then again, Canelo’s positive PED tests were a shocker, too.

The last couple of months are an inconvenient reminder that bleep and head butts happen. GGG has to win easily and cleanly, meaning he has to finish it without suffering an injury – a fracture or cut — that could sideline him beyond the projected September 15 rematch.

If everything happens as hoped, however, GGG will prevail with a victory and without mishap. Then, it’s on to the negotiations, where the real fight awaits. By now, we know the fighters don’t like each other. There’s enough tension there to suggest that the talks will be difficult.

There are options, good ones for each, if no agreement can be reached. One will play out this Saturday with likable Danny Jacobs in his second fight since a debatable loss by unanimous decision to GGG in March, 2017.

Jacobs made Golovkin, 36, look vulnerable, or at least older. Now he faces a mostly unknown, yet unbeaten Pole, Maciej Sulecki (26-0, 10 KOs) in an HBO-televised bout (7 p.m. PT/10 p.m. ET) at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. At 31, Jacobs is in his prime. If he looks good against Sulecki, he would have a pretty good claim on a GGG rematch for the right to be the world’s best middleweight.

Another option is Jermall Charlo, whose emergence at 160 pounds continued with a stoppage of Hugo Centeno last Saturday. Then, there’s Ryota Murata, an Olympic gold medalist with only 15 pro bouts (14-1, 11 KOs), yet big television ratings in Japan.

Jacobs, however, looms as real threat to both GGG and Canelo. On the business scale, Jacobs represents more risk than reward. Charlo might still be a middleweight fight or two away from climbing into contention. Murata looks like good money and an introduction to the rich Asian market.

With every option, however, there’s no match for the interest, significance or money attached to GGG-Canelo II. Even the current level of mutual contempt is stoking public interest for a September showdown. In the here and now, it’s still the only fight that matters.

Canelo suspension cut to six months, GGG rematch possible in September

By Norm Frauenheim-

LAS VEGAS — Canelo Alvarez agreed to a six-month suspension and the Nevada Athletic Commission unanimously approved that agreement Wednesday, opening the way for him to fight Gennady Golovkin on Sept. 15 in a rematch that had originally been scheduled for May 5.

The Commission voted 5-0 to accept a signed settlement from Canelo, whose 12-month ban for two positive drug tests was cut in half and will be dated back to the initial test, Feb. 17.

Canelo, who underwent what was reported to be minor knee surgery last week, did not attend the hearing. He was represented on the telephone by attorney Ricardo Cestero.

Canelo, a first-time PED offender, met with Commission Executive Director Bob Bennett and Chairman Anthony A. Marnell a couple of weeks ago in Las Vegas for an hour-and-twenty minutes. Bennett said he answered his questions.

“’He did everything we asked for,’’ Bennett said.

Cooperation from Canelo, who blamed positive tests for Clenbuterol on tainted Mexican beef, allowed the Commission to reduce his ban by 50 percent, according to new rules written by the state regulatory board a year ago.

Golden Boy Promotions, Canelo’s promoter, said it was satisfied with the Commission’s approval of Canelo’s agreement to the reduced ban. Golden Boy’s prepared statement:

“As we have maintained all along, the trace amounts of clenbuterol found in Canelo’s system in February came from meat contamination, and we provided the Nevada State Athletic Commission with a great deal of evidence to support those facts.

“Although most professional sports, international anti-doping agencies and United States boxing commissions treat meat contamination differently from other positive tests, Nevada does not. Canelo and Golden Boy Promotions respect the rules of Nevada and are therefore satisfied with the settlement agreement reached today.

“Canelo looks forward to returning to the ring in September for Mexican Independence Day weekend to represent Mexico and boxing in what will be the sport’s biggest event of the year. He is ready to continue his remarkable record of fighting at the highest level.”

If all goes as planned, Golovkin’s suspension will be over in mid-August and he’ll be able to fight on the weekend celebrating Mexican Independence, presumably at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena. That’s where the Cinco de Mayo fight, the rematch of a controversial draw last September, was supposed to happen. Canelo withdrew on April 3.

But a lot has to happen before Canelo and GGG can meet again. First, GGG has to win what now appears to be an interim fight against Vanes Martiroysan on May 5 at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif., in what looks like a Cinco de Mayo bout for some of his most ardent fans.

“He has been looking good and he really wants to fight well for the fans who are at the grass roots of his popularity,’’ said GGG trainer Abel Sanchez, who attended Wednesday’s hearing. “You worry a little that some of this might be a distraction. But he knows what he has to do.’’

GGG is a huge favorite against Martiroysan, who hasn’t fought in a couple of years. If GGG wins as expected, the next step is a deal with Canelo. That might be more difficult than it sounds

If the rematch returns to Nevada, the state Commission will subject Canelo to testing. At this point, however, no fight is scheduled. Nevada only has jurisdiction over fights within its own borders. Meanwhile, Canelo is not currently subject to VADA, the agency that does testing for the World Boxing Council.

“I do not have him (Canelo) enrolled at this time,’’ VADA’s Dr. Margaret Goodman said after the hearing.

Golovkin is enrolled.

GGG representative Tom Loeffler of K2 Promotions said Canelo would have to join VADA for there to be a deal for a September rematch.

“Absolutely,’’ said Loeffler, who also attended the hearing. “Definitely, that would be a condition.’’