Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez and Daniel Jacobs had to be pulled apart as the weigh-in ahead of their middleweight unification bout became heated.
Mexican fighter ‘Canelo’ will put his WBA ‘Super’ and WBC belts on the line when he faces IBF champion Jacobs at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas in the early hours of Sunday morning.
American Jacobs was right on the middleweight limit at 160lbs, while Canelo tipped the scales a fraction under at 159.5lbs.
The pair then went face-to-face, pushing their foreheads together to roars from the crowd, but that’s when tempers flared.
It seems Jacobs wound Canelo up with a few choice words and a slight head push and the Mexican reacted with a hard shove.
Words were still being exchanged as Golden Boy promoter Oscar de la Hoya and their respective entourages intervened.
Canelo looked enraged, crouching down with his fists poised even as he was dragged away. Eventually tempers calmed down as they were taken to opposite ends of the stage.
The Mexican, whose sole career defeat came against Floyd Mayweather in 2013, said afterwards: ‘I see fear, and that was fear right there what he did.
‘For me and my people, my team and for my fans, it’s very important [to win]. This is the challenge we have, but I’m ready for it, and we’re going to win.
‘I hope he tries [to take my belts], but he won’t be able to.’
But Jacobs, who has suffered two career defeats, responded: ‘Emotions flying high. I ain’t never backed down from a challenge in my life.
‘I’m from Brownsville [in Brooklyn, New York]. I never did, and I never will.
‘Listen, this is the opportunity of a lifetime. I feel like I’m the best middleweight in the world, and that m*****f***** right there, he gonna get it! Period!
‘Bumping me with that big-ass head, it’s time to put on. I’m gonna talk with my fists.’
