MEXICAN superstar Canelo Alvarez insists he holds no fear whatsoever over his upcoming clash with unified middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin.
The former two-weight king will fight at 160lbs for the first time against ‘GGG’ at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, in what is this year’s best fight.
While discussing how he and his team enjoy their down time during training camp, the 27-year-old was eager to point out how he never shies away from challenges such as the one ahead of him on September 16.
“We do a little bit of everything. We sing. We joke around in camp. We like baseball. We go to baseball games. We’re doing what we like,” he said.
“We ask for these fights. These are the fights we want, so we’re enjoying the moment. But I can tell you one thing that there isn’t. There isn’t any fear. There isn’t any fear whatsoever because we’re ready for this fight. We asked for it; this is what we wanted.”
Canelo, a former super-welterweight champion, briefly held the WBC middleweight title, though only ever contested it at a catchweight of 155lbs. In his last fight, he dominated compatriot Julio Cesar Chavez Jnr at a catchweight of 164.5lbs.
As such, his fight with Golovkin will be his first at the official middleweight limit and though he is technically treading new ground, the Guadalajara native believes he will be better for it.
“I feel really good. Everything is going great. Everything is going as planned,” he said.
“I feel really, really good. My speed is still there. I still have the same speed. If anything, I feel maybe a little stronger. Even the exercises and the preparation, I feel a little bit stronger, a little more power in my punches. But I’m maintaining my weight, right around 172[lbs], 175, around there. That’s what I train at. And I’m feeling really good.”
At his age, Alvarez is still relatively young in boxing terms, but he will enter the ring for the 52nd time as a professional against Golovkin, having debuted back in 2005 as a 15-year-old.
He has fought numerous elite fighters, including Floyd Mayweather, Miguel Cotto, Erislandy Lara and Austin Trout, moulding himself into the biggest draw in the sport today. However, he admits that thoughts of retirement have crossed his mind – though that won’t come for a good few years yet.
“Obviously it’s crossed my mind. I’ve thought about it. It’s crossed my mind. But when it crosses my mind, I’m thinking, you know, when I’m 34, 35 years old,” he mused.
“I can’t help but think about that. But no, right now, obviously I’m concentrating on fighting. I’m still fighting, and I’m going to keep going. Anything can happen. Your body may not react the same after some time. So that’s yet to be of concern. But as of right now I’m continuing to fight.”
