What does Canelo have to do for the Mexican fans to embrace him as one of their best? How does he become one of the best in the rich history of Mexican boxing?
“Mexican fighters have long been known for their toughness, their ability to walk through fire, their willingness to take three punches to land a solid shot.
“That is Canelo Alvarez.
“There is no doubt that Canelo is today already the biggest boxing star in Mexico and the United States. He is in the process of crossing over as a worldwide superstar, but he will never forget where he came from and the rich boxing tradition of Mexico.
“Canelo is built from the mold of all-time Mexican greats like Julio Caesar Chavez, Salvador Sanchez and Ruben Oliveras – strong fighters with knockout power that focus on two things; being the best fighter in the world and putting on a show for the fans. And that’s what Canelo will continue to do for the rest of his career.
“Incredibly, he has been embraced as Mexico’s biggest and best boxer for years, despite being only 26 years old, and that’s because the Mexican fans know a true champion when they see one.
“The only thing that has even remotely tempered his star power is the lack of availability of the two biggest days in boxing on Cinco De Mayo in May and Mexican Independence Day in September.
“Now that Canelo has locked down those dates (Sept. 17 will be his first time as the A-side, headlining a fight on Mexican Independence Day), the sky is the limit for his popularity not just in Mexico, but around the globe.”
The HBO Sports special ROAD TO CANELO/SMITH debuts Saturday, September 10 at 12:45 a.m. (ET/PT) immediately following HBO World Championship Boxing.
Alvarez challenges Britain’s Liam Smith for his junior middleweight crown when Canelo vs. Smith takes place Saturday, September 17 from AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, live on pay-per-view beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT.
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What made you decide to go to Texas for this fight? What does it mean for Canelo to fight at the home of the Dallas Cowboys? What’s it like working with Jerry Jones?
“After Canelo knocked out James Kirkland in Houston last year, he was clear that he wanted to come to Texas at least once a year from then on out.
“Canelo drew more than 33,000 people in Houston after drawing more than 45,000 in San Antonio for his fight with Austin Trout.
“It’s clear that Texans love Canelo, but working with Jerry Jones and the Cowboys will take it to another level.
“The Cowboys are among the most recognizable sports teams in the country and Mr. Jones shared that distinction as an individual.
“I was recently up in Oxnard, California with Mr. Jones for Cowboys training camp and to see not only how excited he is about the fight — but how knowledgeable he is about boxing — it’s clear he is going to play a huge role in generating massive interest for the fight.
“As for the stadium itself, it is just spectacular. They say they do things bigger in Texas, and AT&T Stadium is no different. We expect a sold-out show and one that will be packed with not just rabid boxing fans, but local Texans and casual fans around the country who are eager to see everything the venue has to offer.
“Beyond the fight itself, we will activate a full week of events that will give fans multiple, exciting ways to spend their time ahead of the big show Saturday.
“I am hopeful and confident that Mr. Jones, the Cowboys and Golden Boy will have a long and successful partnership that brings fight fans huge shows year after year.”
The HBO Sports special ROAD TO CANELO/SMITH debuts SATURDAY, SEPT. 10 at 12:45 a.m. (ET/PT) immediately following HBO World Championship Boxing.
Alvarez challenges Britain’s Liam Smith for his junior middleweight crown when Canelo vs. Smith takes place Saturday, September 17 from AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, live on pay-per-view beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT.
