The September 17th Floyd Mayweather-Victor Ortiz pay-per-view show is shaping up to be quite the event for viewers with the recent additions of former champion Erik ?El Terrible? Morales and Saul ?Canelo? Alvarez in separate bouts. Mayweather-Ortiz is set to go down at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and it was recently announced that Morales will be facing off against Lancashire’s Anthony Crolla in the same building while Alvarez is scheduled to meet the dread ?TBA? in a fight that will likely end up in Los Angeles yet remain part of the broadcast.
Just as Morales was a huge draw around the turn of the century and following years, so too has Alvarez proven himself to be a definite star in his native Jalisco, Mexico as he attempts to gain a following in America. His two recent bouts, a decision victory over Matthew Hatton in March that netted him the WBC junior middleweight crown and a late-TKO over Ryan Rhodes last month, both generated big ratings on HBO and if Alvarez continues to win then the sky seems to be the limit for him.
<--- Slideshow: Reliving the wild Morales-Maidana weekend in Las Vegas including action shots and cameos by The Tecate Girls, Zab Judah, Nonito Donaire, Saul Alvarez, Sergio Martinez, Paulie Malignaggi, Miguel Cotto, Floyd Mayweather Sr. and others
There?s a lot to like about Alvarez but he isn?t your typical Mexican by any means, instead relying on his boxing skills to help maneuver himself through many of his victories. While that may help towards prolonging his career, it has left many wanting more from the 20-year old in terms of excitement inside of the ring.
In a recent piece by BoxingScene?s Jhonny Gonzalez, it was Morales who addressed his concerns with Alvarez?s style and the Tijuana legend was far from pleasant.
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?He looks well-grounded. He makes mistakes while moving and there are flaws in his defense. His power is not consistent with his division and it won?t hold with better opponents. The combination punching is still poor, but he?s a work in progress. That?s what I see,? a blunt Morales stated.
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Perhaps it is because Morales, who endeared himself to fans with a relentless, action-packed style that was blended with great fundamentals, was and is a different kind of fighter than Alvarez. Showing a change of heart, the three-division champion did admit that perhaps we shouldn?t be so scathing towards Alvarez because of his youth.
?He does have ability,? said Morales. ?Because of his age, we have to give him the benefit of the doubt. To be honest, his opponents have been a tad below [standard], but let?s give him a chance.?
Alvarez seems to have an endless list of opponents wanting a crack at him and for the moment nothing has been set in stone for his next bout. Nicaraguan Ricardo Mayorga initially looked to have the inside track but in recent days former title challenge Alfonso Gomez has seen his name thrown into the mix as well.
