Gennady Golovkin vs Canelo Alvarez is ‘a special fight’

OSCAR DE LA HOYA expects the world middleweight title showdown between Gennady Golovkin and Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez to rival the epic 1985 contest between Marvin Hagler and Thomas Hearns.

Golovkin defends his WBC, WBA and IBF belts against Alvarez this weekend in a hotly-anticipated bout at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

It was in Sin City 22 years ago when Hagler successfully defended those same titles against fellow all-time great Hearns in three brutal and unforgettable rounds of back-and-forth action.


And Alvarez’s promoter De La Hoya, who won world titles in six weight classes including the 160lb division, said: “This event needs no hype whatsoever. This is a fight that is a can’t miss, that’s the bottom line.

“This is for supremacy, this is to see (not only) who is the best middleweight in the division but who the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet is.

“It’s really hard to remember when we’ve witnessed this type of match-up, it’s been years.

“You have to go back to the Marvelous Marvin Hagler days, you have to go back to Thomas Hearns – and we’re still talking about that fight, that’s exactly what this event is all about.

“I want my kids, and your kids, to talk about Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin 20 years from now.

“That’s the type of fight we have on our hands, a special fight.”


De La Hoya provided the memorable soundbites at the final press conference, with both Kazakhstan’s Golovkin and Mexico’s Alvarez in subdued mood.

The hard-hitting Golovkin, who has a perfect professional record of 37 wins from as many fights, said: “I know this is the biggest day for boxing, for this era. It will be a huge history fight.”

Alvarez added: “I don’t want to talk a lot, I’m prepared. I know what it’s going to be, it’s going to be a tough fight. And that’s what I’m ready for. I just want you to enjoy it like I’m going to enjoy it.”

Watch the press conference here:

Video: HBO Boxing

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