GOLDEN Boy Promotions chief Oscar De La Hoya and his golden-goose, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, dismissed critics on Wednesday who have been vocal about the decision to push back a fight between Canelo and middleweight kingpin, Gennady Golovkin, until 2017.
“Well, it’s basically the team’s decision,” said De La Hoya. “I mean, Canelo knows his body. His trainers know his body, and the bottom line is Canelo is a 154-pound fighter. The fact that he fought at 155, people expect him to go up and fight at middleweight, and that’s not the case. He’s a 154-pounder and he’s going to go up to 160 when his body feels ready.
“People will always talk and will always want the very best when you are on top of the world, and that’s what Canelo is right now. He’s on top. He is the star fighter in boxing, and people want him to fight the very best. And he has always fought the very best. And fighting a Golovkin is going to be no exception. He’s going to fight him, but when he’s ready to move up to 160.”
Surely it must be frustrating for a promoter and a fighter to field questions about a nonexistent match-up when they are actively trying to promote an event already on the books and around the corner.
As frustrating as it is for boxing fans to have to wait to see a fight that should have arguably happened last May, perhaps? Impossible to say.
Canelo was also asked if he plans to start his ascent to 160 pounds, if he were to get past Liam Smith on September 17, in order to get his body ready for a future Golovkin fight.
“I can’t keep fighting this fight thinking about Golovkin,” he answered. “I’m preparing for Liam Smith. That’s what’s important to me. My train of thought is not to see what’s down the line. I’ve got to get ready for the fight. This is a real fight. I’m not the one that has to prepare for Golovkin. He better prepare for me.”
Assuming Alvarez and Golovkin keep winning decisively, a 2017 middleweight super-fight between the two would be a massive event. Undoubtedly much more so than if it were being held this September instead of Golovkin-Brook and Canelo-Smith.
That is no consolation, however, to the fight fans that always want to see the best fight the best.
Sure, they can boycott, but they won’t. Boxing is the theater of the unexpected and that is why eyes and rear-ends will be glued to TVs and arena seats next month. After all, you wouldn’t want to be the guy or gal that missed a Brook or Smith upset, now would you?
