Hall of Famer Tommy Hearns is expecting a “can’t miss” encounter when Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (49-1-1, 34 KOs) challenges IBF, WBA, IBO, WBC middleweight champion Gennay Golovkin (37-0, 33 KOs).
The HBO Pay-Per-View fight takes place on September 16th at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
“(Canelo-Golovkin) is a fight that people will talk about for a long time, people have been waiting a long time for something [like this] and I have too. I can not wait any longer,” said Hearns. “People come to see a show, so if you give them a good show they will remember it for a long time, people want to see them fight.”
The fight will be Canelo’s first at the full middleweight limit of 160-pounds. The majority of Canelo’s fights have taken place at 155-pounds and below.
In his last fight, back in May, he jumped up all the way to 164.5-pounds to dominate countryman Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. over twelve rounds.
Golovkin saw action in March, when he went the twelve round distance for the first time in his career by winning a close unanimous decision over mandatory challenger Daniel Jacobs at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Prior to that bout, Golovkin had stopped 23 opponents in a row.
In Golovkin’s last few fights, his defense has been easily breached and he’s taken some shots. He does possess a good chin, which combined with his dangerous punching power, has seen him through.
If Canelo is able to stick to his boxing, Hearns gives him a good shot to win the fight.
“GGG is a strong fighter, he can fight with anyone, but he does not get away from taking some punches. If Canelo does what he has to do, if he boxes, stays away from danger… if he does that when he releases his punches, he has a good chance of winning,” Hearns said.
