Canelo vs. Angulo: “A perfect match-up for Canelo’s comeback”

02/13/201402/13/2014 Joseph Herron

Canelo and Angulo In the unpredictable sport of boxing, anything can and often does happen inside the squared circle on fight night, especially on the world class level. Although a man’s fate can turn with one cracking shot on the whiskers, styles usually dictate the eventual victor and loser.

Despite being one of the hardest punchers within the talented 154 pound weight division, most boxing pundits and experts believe that Alfredo Angulo is tailor made for Canelo Alvarez’s explosive counter punching prowess.

This past Tuesday night on “The Pugilist KOrner” radio show, expert trainer Joel Diaz gave us his take on the volatile March 8th PPV main event.

“Alfredo is a good friend of mine, but you know I’m always going to speak to truth about how I see things,” admitted the hard working California based trainer. “I think that his personal and professional issues set him back.”

continue

Left-Hook Lounge: Does Mayweather’s Legacy Hold Up in History? Will Chavez Jr./Canelo Happen? What next for Floyd?

09/23/2013 Vivek Wallace

Javier R. (Ontario, CA): Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. recently had some critical comments about Canelo. I know the problem between Goldenboy Promotions and Top Rank will prevent us from seeing this fight, but if it were to happen, who do you see winning?

Vivek W. (ESB): Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez currently fights at 154lbs and Chavez has struggled to make weight at 160. I wouldn’t rule out a move to 160lbs at some point for Canelo, but will that move come before Chavez Jr. is forced to move up in weight? I think it’s really tough to say. Focusing on the question itself, if the stars do align and these two men somehow square off, personally, I don’t think it’s a very easy night for Canelo. I know that all the Mayweather detractors will suddenly try to take away from his ability and say that he’s “young” and “untested”, or “not as good as the media made him out to be”. But the reality is that the kid simply loss to not only the best in this era, but arguably the best in any era.

continue

Mayweather vs Canelo: “Keys to Victory”, “Four to Explore”, “Inside the Numbers”, & “Official Prediction”!

09/14/2013 Vivek Wallace

Largest gate revenue generated in the history of the sport? Counted and in the books! Best combined record for a super mega-fight between two Champions in this era (86-0-1)? By a landslide…..Easy work! Highest Pay-Per-View buy rate in the history of the sport? Certainly in the zone……final tally pending. No matter how we dice up this epic affair, on paper, it appears the world of Boxing is well on track to see something truly monumental by the end of the night. In an effort to analyze this colossal event, we take a closer look at not only “Keys to Victory”, “Four to Explore”, and a “Final Prediction”; but also a deeper look “Inside the Numbers”, so that we can finally put a few commonly spoken myths to bed:

FLOYD MAYWEATHER – KEYS TO VICTORY

Floyd Mayweather was never the fastest, the biggest, or the strongest. He was simply the smartest! That’s his true claim to fame! Of all “Keys to Victory” eligible, that’s the one attribute Mayweather will need most tonight, as no opponent in recent times, (if ever), presented the level of danger found in Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. Mayweather has been the best chess master Boxing has seen, arguably in history.

continue

To get Money to Faint, You have to Feint

09/14/201309/14/2013 Paul Strauss

canelo88 To get Floyd “Money” Mayweather, Jr. to faint, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez will have to feint. In boxing that means the aggressor has to make a quick movement to trick his clever opponent. When fighting someone who is usually not there when you punch, it’s a good idea to make him commit. In other words, get him to make his defensive move, and then initiate your attack. The idea is to get freeze him, so you are not as likely to miss with your punches. Of course, the objective of the clever fighter is to keep his opponent constantly resetting.

If the clever fight fails to accomplish that task, then chances are better he will be more stationary, and the aggressor has a better chance of hitting the illusive technician. We all know that If a victim throws one punch, or even two, at a time, Money will make the guy look foolish all night long. That’s Money’s goal. He knows he can easily deal with that kind of attack, and counter it effectively and the guy a part. His plan is to make his opponent constantly reset. Tonight, as always, he wants to frustrate Canelo so the young strong Mexican strength is nullified.

continue

Oscar De La Hoya Backing Saul Alvarez To Beat Floyd Mayweather

09/09/201309/09/2013 BoxNation

dela hoya14 Oscar de la Hoya claims ‘The One’ has become the richest fight in history because people want to see Floyd Mayweather finally lose.

De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions have put together Saturday’s £150 million Las Vegas scrap when Mayweather challenges WBA super and WBC light-middleweight champion Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez.

The financial records set when De la Hoya was outpointed by Mayweather in 2007 will be shattered in the fight being screened live in the UK on BoxNation (Sky Ch. 437/Virgin Ch. 546).

De la Hoya, the GBP President has never been close to Mayweather despite his organisation’s involvement in making him the world’s highest earning sportsman in 2012 and almost certainly this year.

continue

Left-Hook Lounge Mailbag: Mayweather & Canelo’s Star Power, Pacquiao vs Canelo, & Arreola’s Future!

09/09/201309/09/2013 Vivek Wallace

canelo222 Chauncey N. (Oakland Park, FL): The last couple weeks you’ve given your thoughts on “All Access” Mayweather vs Alvarez. Since you went light on the Social Media this week, I’d like to know what your thoughts were on this recent episode and what stood out to you most between the two camps?

Vivek (ESB): I think the first and second episodes were classic. From the music selection to the production angles, I thought they were both very solid pieces of work. While there were a few things that stood out to me in this recent episode, overall, to be quite frank, I could have done without it. I never really felt the fight needed much effort to sell, but suddenly, it’s being somewhat oversold. The Mayweather car collection was fab, the ladies were fly, and Canelo’s Big Bear mountain shots over sizzlin’ Churrassco steak after the wind sprints were cool; but we fell in love with these men after seeing them fight. Let’s just say that I’m ready to see them fight!

continue

Canelo weighs in at 157.4 lbs; 5.4 pounds over the 152 lb. limit

09/07/2013 Rob Smith

A painfully thin WBA/WBC junior middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (42-0-1, 30 KO’s) weighed in on Friday in the WBC mandated 7-day weigh-in for his fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. (44, 26 KO’s) on September 14th, and not surprisingly Canelo is still over the catch-weight limit of 152 pounds.

continue

Left-Hook Lounge: Mayweather/Canelo “ALL ACCESS”, Mares/Gonzalez, Guerrero/Thurman, & Russell Jr.

08/26/201308/26/2013 Vivek Wallace

Mayweather and Canelo faceoff Martin N. (Philadelphia, PA): You have been consistent from day one about Canelo’s better-than-average chances against Floyd Mayweather in September. Did you see anything on All-Access to sway your opinion one way or the other?

Vivek W. (ESB): I wouldn’t say that I saw anything in the “All Access” episode one to really give me a reason to adjust my position. What I will say is that I saw a few things that did in fact solidify the position I’ve held from day one, though. One of the most intriguing highlights of this episode was when Floyd openly acknowledged something I’ve talked about for quite some time. That was the fact that to a degree, Canelo has been an “understudy” of him, who actually employs many of his same ring strategies, and will inevitably attempt to use them on him. Years ago, I said the fighter I see having a real shot at Floyd will be a guy like Floyd. Hard to hit, a thinking fighter, a strategy swapper (mid-fight when necessary), and a tough S.O.B. who can take a lickin’ and keep tickin’!

continue

Left- Hook Lounge: Deontay Wilder, Garcia/Matthysse, & Mayweather/Canelo!!!

08/12/2013 Vivek Wallace

wilder44 Art N. (Los Angeles, CA): On your Facebook page you spoke about Deontay Wilder and how KO artist should perhaps not get so much early praise. Do you think he has a shot to be the next best American Heavyweight?

Vivek W. (ESB): Deontay Wilder has become a hot topic! How hot? On Yahoo! this weekend he was ranked #7 on the global trending report. As interesting as that may be, my point in the FaceBook post was that I approach him like I do any other heavy handed puncher in the sport. I enjoy the KO’s and the process of seeing the fighter rack them up! But when the rubber hits the road, it all comes down to whether or not that puncher has the ability to deal with an opponent who has the power to hurt them, the stamina to outwork them, and chin to outlast them. That’s when it all gets “real” inside the ring! Many of you who followed the fight game before Tyson went wild and Pacquiao brought “good guy” back in style know full well that power without those other elements mean very little.

continue

Floyd Mayweather is not Chicken!

08/08/201308/07/2013 Paul Strauss

floyd33 floyd33 Manny misspoke when he said Floyd Mayweather, Jr. runs, which implies he’s chicken. No one really buys that. However, they do go along with the idea that Floyd is guilty of same thing as Wladimir Klitschko. Hall of Famer Larry Merchant explained it best when he corrected someone for calling bouts – boxing. Larry quickly explained, in no uncertain terms, that that is not what people pay to see. According to Larry, they’re paying to see prize fighting, with emphasis on fighting.

Floyd has been boxing since he got out of diapers. His father and uncles were either boxing or training/coaching others how to box before Little Money was born. It’s a safe bet to say Small Change was boxing while still in his crib. He doesn’t know anything else. Boxing has been his life. If he was a chicken, there’s no way he could have carried on the family’s tradition.

continue