We are a mere two days away from the junior middleweight showdown between Canelo Alvarez and Floyd Mayweather and as such, two of our staff writers have sat down to discuss a number of topics related to this year?s mega-fight, which takes place on Sep. 14 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
So let?s get to it!
1. Should Mayweather beat Alvarez, there will be detractors that will say Alvarez wasn?t ready for this fight.
Patrick Cassidy: Bank. The internet is an awful place ? well, except for you fine folks reading this? you?re the tops! ? that is filled with detractors and people that want to scrutinize everything, and I would know because I?m one of them. So, yes, there will be those that quickly come out and say that Alvarez should have faced harder tests prior to this fight. However, I think that?s a wrong way of looking at this. Aside from Trout, his opposition has not been great, but it has been plentiful and he should have learned a few things by now. So it?s kinda hard to sit back and state that Alvarez needed more time. Mayweather is where the money is, this is the money fight, so it had to happen, period.
Matt Knowles: Bank. Floyd is the most hated athlete of our generation , so no matter how he wins, there will be criticism and skepticism from the talking heads. Whether it?s by dominant KO, close decision or wacky DQ, people will point to Alvarez? youth and style as the reason for Money?s magnificence in the ring. As long as there are hundreds of sports talk shows on radio and cable, there will be at least dozens of so-called experts who will downplay Floyd?s greatness, no matter how dominant he is on Saturday night.
2. For Canelo to have a chance to beat Mayweather, he?ll have to stay in his face.
Stephanie Trapp / SHOWTIME
Patrick Cassidy: Bust. That?s probably his best option, but it?s not the only one. Mayweather is no longer a young man and he?s shown inklings that he can be hit at a significantly higher rate than when he was in his prime. I think Alvarez gives himself the best chance by staying in front of him, but I also believe that Canelo?s timing is vastly underrated and that he can plug Mayweather with a few shots that could put the fear of god into him. So no, it?s not his only chance.
Matt Knowles: Bust. If Canelo tries to slug it out with the best counter-puncher in history, he?s getting knocked out, period. For Alvarez to have any chance in this match, I believe he must lull Floyd to sleep and catch him with pot-shots from the outside in order to steal rounds. A face-first approach will spell doom for the red-headed phenom, and I believe his team is smart enough to realize this, and will game-plan accordingly.
3. Matthysse-Garcia is easily the best co-feature you?ve seen on a PPV in a long time.
Patrick Cassidy: Bank. Two of the top welterweights in the world. two of the heaviest hitters in the sport and two opposite personalities. It?s a fantastic fight that every hardcore fan has been craving for since Matthysse started showing us that his hands are on part with a cruise missile. It?s a dream bout, really. Garcia is an abrasive personality who hasn?t shown anyone that he can beat an elite fighter in his prime. Give him damaged goods (Khan) or decrepit corpses (Morales) and he?s all star, but Matthysse is a whole other animal. The only other time I can say I looked this much forward to a co-feature was when Israel Vazquez fought Jhonny Gonzalez on the Barrera-Juarez II PPV.
Matt Knowles: Bank. I?ve gone on-record a number of times stating that Tyson-Holyfield I was the best boxing card in PPV history, with Moorer-Botha for the IBF heavyweight title being the top co-feature ever produced. From top-to-bottom, November 9, 1996 is still the King (thanks Don!), but Garcia-Matthysse is an absolutely phenomenal co-feature. The match pits the 2 best 140 pounders in the world against each other, for the unified WBC/WBA world championship, with the victor leaping to the front of the line to potentially face the winner of the main event.
4. Despite his exceptional defense, this is a fight that will see Mayweather get hit about as much as he did in the Cotto fight.
Patrick Cassidy: Bank. 36 is a bitch of an age, even if you?ve spent most of your career avoiding punches and any attempt at presenting yourself as modest. Cotto was probably more damaged than Mayweather when they fought and it was still a very sub-par night for Money. I don?t put much stock in his performance against Robert Guerrero either, simply for the fact that Guerrero has never impressed me and always seemed to be a product of PR rather than punches. On the flip side, I have much more respect for Alvarez?s abilities to hit crafty fighters after watching him against Austin Trout. Ultimately, Mayweather?s defense is slipping, Alvarez?s timing and combinations are improving. Sounds to me like Floyd?s apt to be plugged a few times.
Matt Knowles: Bust. Miguel Cotto is one of the most experienced boxers of the new millennium, having faced all types of opponents with all types of styles leading up to his showdown with Money Mayweather. Alvarez has never been in the ring with an athlete like Floyd, who can make him miss by a mile while slashing-back with accurate counter punches. I do believe that Canelo will have some big moments, potentially scoring an early knockdown, but by the end of the bout only one guy will be landing significant scoring blows, and it won?t be the young buck on the block.
5. This PPV will break the 2 million buys.
Photo: Esther Lin /Showtime
Patrick Cassidy: Bust. It?ll get close, but it?s too hard in the age of the internet to hit that type of number. So many illegal streams will be circulating around the internet and social media prior to this fight that a lot of casual heads will simply opt for the free show rather than paying for high quality. It sucks, but it is just the way the internet works. We?ve seen it with the UFC, where there PPV numbers have been dramatically slipping and it is mostly tied to the ubiquitous nature of these illegal sites. With that said, this will still be a monster PPV.
Matt Knowles: Bust?but just barely. When Oscar met Floyd, setting the all-time record at 2.4 million buys, De La Hoya was the biggest draw in the sport, while Mayweather was the best athlete. Today, Floyd holds both titles, while Canelo is a niche-star in fractions of North America. The promotion has been outstanding, and there are legions of fans who believe Alvarez is the guy to take Floyd?s O, so the event will unquestionably be a huge financial success. I see the overall tally being right around the 1.9 million that the Bite Fight produced in 1997, but 2mil+ might be pushing it.
6. Alvarez is tailor made for Mayweather.
Patrick Cassidy: Bust. I?d agree with that statement if Mayweather was 30, but he?s not. Alvarez is young, seems to time his punches fairly well and hits much harder than any of Floyd?s most recent opponents. Floyd is going to have to work for this victory and even when he blocks Alvarez?s shots, it?ll still be taking something away from him due to the size discrepancy. I don?t see how he can make Alvarez completely miss and that?s going to drag Floyd down. I still think Floyd will win, but this is going to be a close fight in my estimation and that fact that is more related to the demographics of the fighters rather than their personal fighting style.
Matt Knowles: Bank. Floyd has historically had the most trouble (if you want to call it that) with opponents who could match his overall speed. The 3 names that immediately come to mind are Corley, Mosley, and De La Hoya, who displayed outstanding quickness and reflexes in their respective bouts with Mayweather. With all due respect to Canelo, he?s got slower hands and feet compared to those opponents, and his plodding approach is a style that Floyd should be able to solve by the halfway-point of the match en route to a clear decision win.
