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Cloutier’s Canada Corner
Canelo Established As Favorite
To Dethrone Sergey Kovalev
By Daniel Cloutier
Photo: Marlene Marquez
LAS VEGAS — If the Las Vegas bookies hit the target, the
Mexican Saul Canelo Alvarez will dethrone the Russian
Sergey Kovalev as WBO light heavyweight (175 pounds)
champion of the world Saturday evening in the ring of
the MGM Arena in Las Vegas. The bookies established
Canelo favorite by 4-1.
And it will be the first time that Alvarez will fight in
the light heavyweight division. Alvarez is WBC and WBA
middleweight (160 pounds) champion of the world. If
Alvarez becomes WBO light heavyweight champion of the
world, he will be the fourth Mexican fighter to win a
world championship in a fourth weight’s division.
The promoter of this event, the former champion of the
world Oscar De La Hoya, the big boss of Golden Boy
Promotions organization, believes that Canelo will reach
his goal: the conquest of a world title in a fourth
weight division. De La Hoya is Canelo’s promoter.
At the weigh in supervised by the WBO championship
committee and the Nevada Athletic Commission, Canelo
posted an official weight of 174.5 pounds, versus 175.3
for Kovalev. The Nevada Athletic Commission gave one
hour to Kovalev lose only 3 ounces. He did in minutes.
“I cannot be more ready for this challenge,” said Canelo
just before the weigh in. “It’s the most important fight
of my pro boxing career, and believe me, I won't
disappoint my fans. I know I have the determination, the
motivation and the preparation to win this historic
fight. I got a perfect training camp, then, I am
prepared mentally, physically, technically and
strategically to face this challenge. My fans are
expecting to see me win this fight, and I will make them
happy. I know I have the power and the technic to put
Kovalev in trouble. In provoking inside fighting, I know
I will dominate the action with my body shots and head
shots. I will have the control of the action. In
becoming world champion in a fourth weight division, I
will be more popular than ever in Mexico.”
Kovalev, like his opponent, believes he will be in the
winning’s side. “Alvarez can think he will be in the
winning’s corner, I can tell you he is wrong,” said
Kovalev. “I am the best light heavyweight in the world,
and I am determined to prove it Saturday evening. I know
I have the determination, the experience, the technique
and the power to win this bout. I will use my jabs, and
I will connect my power shots at the right time. I did
it at my last two bouts against the Montrealer Eleider
Alvarez and the British Anthony Yarde, and I dominated
the action and won these fights.”
Kovalev’s trainer, the former world champion Buddy
McGirt, is not worried at all for his fighter. “Sergey
got a perfect preparation, and when his motivation is at
the top, like it is now, I know he will be in the
winning corner,” said McGirt. “I am positive that my
fighter will offer us a splendid performance Saturday
evening. His motivation is at the top.”
Canelo’s trainer, Eddy Reynoso, replied: “Canelo is
considering this bout as the most significant fight of
his career, and I am positive he will offer us a
marvelous performance Saturday evening. He prepared
himself perfectly for this fight, mentally, physically
and technically. and I really believe he will get out of
the ring with the WBO light heavyweight on his
shoulder.”
The referee of the main event will be Russell Mora, from
Las Vegas, and the judges will be Dave Moretti, also
from Las Vegas, Julie Lederman, from New York and Don
Trella, from Connecticut.
The important bouts presented before the main event,
will involved the Californians Ryan Garcia and Seniesa
Estrada, Blair Cobbs from Las Vegas, the Russian Bakhram
Murtazaliev and Meiirim Nursultanov, from Kazakstan.
Garcia (18-0-0) will face another Californian, Romero
Duno (21-1-0) in a vacant WBC Silver lightweight (135
pounds) championship and a NABO North American
championship (12 rounds), Estrada, a female, will fight
the Texan Marlen Esparza (7-0-0) for the vacant WBA
Interim female flyweight (112 pounds) championship (10
rounds), Cobbs will challenge the Mexican Carlos Ortiz
(11-4-0) in a vacant NABF welterweight (147 pounds)
North American championship (10 rounds), Murtazaliev
will be opposed to the Spanish Jorge Fortea (20-1-1) in
an IBF super welterweight (154 pounds) elimination bout
(12 rounds), and Nursultanov (12-0-0) will face the
Mexican Cristian Olivas (16-5-0) in a WBC USNBC
middleweight (160 pounds) championship (10 rounds).
The fighters involved in the first preliminaries bouts
in the evening will be the super welterweight Evan
Holyfield, from Atlanta, the Texan cruiserweight (190
pounds) Tristan Kalkreuth and the Californian Russian
light heavyweight (175 pounds) Bektemir Melikuziev.
Holyfield will make his pro debut in fighting Nick
Winstead (0-1-0), from Louisiana, Kalkreuth (2-0-0) will
face Town Smith (3-3-0), from Oklahoma City, and
Melikuziev (2-0-0) will challenge Clay Collard (4-1-3),
from Las Vegas.
The fights Holyfield-Wiunstead and Kalkreuth-Smtih are
scheduled for four rounds, and the bout Melikuziev-Collard
will be eight rounders.
At the weigh in, Garcia posted an official weight of 135
pounds, Duno 135, Estrada 110.5, Esparza 111, Cobbs 147,
Ortiz 146, Murtazaliev 154, Fortea 153.5, Nursultanov
160, Olivas 160, Holyfield 154, Winstead 156, Kalkreuth
188, Smith 188.5, Melikuziev 174.5 and finally Collard
171.8 pounds.
Winstead was overweight by two pounds, and he got one
hour to lose these two pounds. We will know Saturday
morning if he will get a fine or not.
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