Gomez as opponent for Canelo not good move by Golden Boy? a GREAT move by Golden Boy?
Late last week it was announced that Saul ?Kid Cinnamon? Alvarez?s (I declare first ?writer rights? on the nickname) opponent for his September 17thStaplesCenter,Los Angeles headline affair would be Contender? series veteran Alfonso Gomez.
This had come on the heels of Alvarez?s impressive first title defense of Ryan Rhodes in his nativeGuadalajara,Mexicolast month. Since that victory, it was announced he would be featured as part of a split site on the HBO pay-per-view telecast alongside the Ortiz/Mayweather bout inLas Vegas.
The young lion barely became drinking age a few weeks ago, so its natural, and a smart decision, that his progression in the ring has been carefully coordinated with the right-type opponents; slightly faded veteran names with some degree of experience they can dole out without inflicting much damage of their own. (I.e. Jose Miguel Cotto,CarlosBaldomir, Matthew Hatton, Lovemore N?Dou).
These fighters proved solid tests and provided good rounds for Alvarez, as Cotto connected with Alvarez? chin for a briefly scary moment, only to be routed the rest of the fight, Baldomir gave an opening to his chin which Alvarez gladly took via KO, and N?Dou and Hatton were durable enough to hear the final bell against Golden Boy Promotions? star in the making.
After theRhodesfight,GBPthrew some names around, and automatically, there should have been one name thrown off that list once it was put on.
Alvarez has successfully faced faded veterans before, but the name of Ricardo ?El Matador? Mayorga was a veteran whom the company hopefully only marginally considered.
If Alvarez would have faced Mayorga, it would have been a bout that yes, Kid Cinnamon could have and most likely would have won, and possibly by stoppage, yet it would have been a fight that Canelo would have won in the ring, but lost outside of it.
Photos by Chris Farina / Top Rank The first thing Mayorga attacks is your heart and soul, followed by say, your credibility as a man, your family, and even your sexuality. Even worse, the non-stop low blow verbal attacks start pretty much the day the contracts are signed and don?t stop until fight night.
Just ask Oscar De La Hoya, Tito Trinidad, Fernando Vargas and more recently Miguel Cotto; they will all tell you: its torture fighting Mayorga, both in, and especially out of the squared circle.
Sure, Mayorga will apologize for his antics following the fight; in fact, in most cases, immediately after at the post fight press conference, but at that point, the psychological damage is done, and I suspect Mayorga hasn?t made many friends of his opponents after he faces them. Of course, heading in, everyone knows heading in what comes with the ?Mayorga package?. It?s always more than a simple fight against the Nicaraguan; it?s a personal grudge match every time out. Mayorga has lost to just about all of his high profile opponents, but one could argue that he is undefeated in pre-fight hype banter.
Alvarez would have to endure the constant berating and the type of berating that is ten plus years strong and experienced in the fight game. We could pretty much crown Mayorga with a ?Muhammad Ali PhD? in verbal warfare. The media teleconferences would be entertaining, the press conferences would be can?t miss, and anytime Mayorga would be close enough to Alvarez, photographers would be drooling for the ?money shots? of a shouting, finger wagging Mayorga spewing insults as Alvarez would try to maintain a straight, serious face.
Undoubtedly, once in the ring against Alvarez, Mayorga would most likely fade late, and possibly later that he did in March against Cotto, with Kid Cinnamon again gaining a credible vet name on his resume alongside another successful title defense.
However, the emotional damage would have been done, as Canelo probably would have to go through some psyche repair after the constant bullying of ?The Matador?. Canelo is already a physical force to be reckoned with, and with time, he will grow emotionally into the sport and be able to endure any verbal onslaughts thrown at him.
For now though, press the kid physically, not mentally. Not just yet. Mental toughness is brought on with experience, and thus far, it?s the physical presence of the ?kid wonder? that?s been putting asses in the seats.
Taking a spin-off of the Dos Equis? most interesting man in the world, ?stay smart, Golden Boy?.
