Boxing Update: “Canelo” Alvarez Picks Morales Over Maidana
Undefeated Mexican phenom Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (36-0-1, 26 KOs) is coming out swinging, this time on the side of countryman Erik “El Terrible” Morales (51-6, 35 KO’s). Alvarezis convinced that the legendary Six-Time and Three-Division World Champion Morales will be victorious when he steps into the ring against former World Champion Marcos “El Chino” Maidana (29-2, 27 KO’s) in this Saturday’s HBO Pay-Per-View main event taking place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev.
“It will be a battle between Morales and Maidana, but I know Morales will win the fight,” said Alvarez. “This is a very difficult fight, but Morales definitely has the skills and experience to give Maidana a fight he has never experienced before. I know the spirit of the Mexican fighter and Morales is the best example of that spirit and style. It will be too much for Maidana in the end.”
“I’ve seen Maidana fight,” Alvarez continued. “I saw him struggle against DeMarcus Corley and lose to Andriy Kotelnik neither of who are anywhere near the level of Morales. If Maidana thinks he can fight Morales the way he fought them, he’s going to have a long and difficult night.”
In Saturday’s fight against Maidana, Morales has experience on his side. He is the last man to defeat Manny Pacquiao, and has beaten the likes of Marco Antonio Barrera and Jesus Chavez. Alvarez, like many, is predicting an “action” packed fight. Boxing’s brightest rising star and newly crowned WBC Super Welterweight World Champion “Canelo” will be ringside to watch his legendary countryman in battle and believes Mexicans everywhere should support Morales Saturday night.
“The entire nation of Mexico is behind Morales and we are going to rally around him on Saturday night,” said Alvarez. “He has given our country and boxing fans around the world some of the best fights we have ever seen. He has always gone to battle in the ring for the Mexican people. I believe Morales will do it again and come away victorious.”
“Action Heroes,” featuring Morales vs. Maidana in a 12-round junior welterweight bout, Robert Guerrero vs. Michael Katsidis in a 12-round bout for the vacant WBA and WBO Interim Lightweight Championships, James Kirkland facing Nobuhiro Ishida in an 8-round middleweight bout and Paul Malignaggi vs. Jose Miguel Cotto in a 10-round welterweight bout, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Erik Morales’ Box Latino and Universum Box Promotions and sponsored by Cerveza Tecate, AT&T, DeWalt Tools and Tres Generaciones Tequila.
Guerrero vs. Katsidis is presented in association with Sampson Boxing. The Pay-Per-View bouts will be produced and distributed live on HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT.
Before the highly-anticipated “Action Heroes” televised fights kick off on HBO Pay-Per-View on Saturday, April 9, fight fans can get ready for one of the biggest cards of the year with three preliminary bouts featuring Danny Garcia, Nate Campbell, Gary Russell Jr. and Rakhim Chakhiev, that will air live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. The broadcast will be available free of charge and shown by several satellite and cable providers, as well as online, beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET / 4:00 p.m. PT.
Tickets for “Action Heroes,” priced at $350, $250, $150, $75, $50 and $25, are on sale now. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com