Borges: Amir Khan Vs Canelo Alvarez ore than a puncher

LAS VEGAS — Amir Khan has contrasted his challenge of WBC middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez night to Sugar Ray Leonard’s upset of Marvelous Marvin Hagler 28 years ago, claiming that like that fight this one is about speed vs. power tomorrow. When the Mexican-born Alvarez heard that this week he snorted like El Toro prior to making clear he had his view that is own of.

“There is a difference between wanting and doing,” he said menacingly. “(Tomorrow) evening, he will see who will give who a boxing course. I’m ready to go all of those rounds. If a knockout presents itself I’m willing to take it but I don’t think about energy. I’m going to show him there’s a  lot more to me than power.”

Amir Khan Vs Canelo Alvarez. At 25, Alvarez has quickly become the new face of boxing, replacing the old standards, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao, as the sport’s biggest attraction. His loss to Mayweather 21⁄2 years ago is the third grossing fight that is highest in the sport’s history and their one-sided decision over Miguel Cotto last November that won him the lineal and WBC titles did over 900,000 buys on pay-per-view. Those numbers, as much as his flaming red hair and 46-1-1 record with 32 knockouts, have given him power available on the market few others can boast.

That will make him ten dollars million plus an upside regarding the HBO pay-per-view telecast and make Khan $6 million richer for agreeing to take on someone who'll likely outweigh him by near to 15 pounds at battle time. A former welterweight that is junior and Olympic silver medalist, Khan has never battled above 147 pounds and had to accept a catch weight of 155 to secure his first mega-fight, a figure that suits Alvarez better than Khan.

Although the latter wears the middleweight champion’s belt, Alvarez is really a junior middleweight more comfortable at 154 pounds than the 160-pound middleweight limit. Yet he are going to be definitely the bigger and more powerful guy tomorrow night in Las vegas, nevada, as he and Khan open the recently built T Mobile Arena to its first boxing event, so it is normal to think about this within the way by which Khan does.

That energy difference, perhaps not to mention Khan’s suspect chin and sometime wavering defense, tend to lead one to that conclusion but Alvarez is a relentless body puncher and an individual and relaxed practitioner of the dark art of prize fighting. He is more than a puncher definitely.

He can engage whenever openings is there and if attacked, he will respond with a flourish as he was by James Kirkland. But his is a methodical approach to mayhem.

“It’s a virtue that i've,” Alvarez said of his nearly eerily demeanor that is calm the ring and out. “It’s the confidence that the difficult work has been done. Khan is a very fast, very elusive, and extremely fighter that is tricky but we am happy utilizing the work I have inked and I have always been willing to go into the band and break him down. People expect me to go for the knockout but I never do it. It comes. if it comes,”

Those are the expressed words of somebody wise beyond their 25 years. Alvarez has been well schooled by Eddy and Jose “Chepo” Reynoso, sometime ago having been taught that to pursue a knockout is a fool’s errand. As he says, it comes as it pertains.

While Alvarez won't ever be recognised incorrectly as Mayweather in terms of boxing skill, its a mistake to think of him as simply a robust puncher with the Mexican aggression therefore valued by his country’s fight fans. It would be equally folly to compare him to Mexico’s greatest fighter, Julio Cesar Chavez, yet in a proven way they are starkly similar.

Both are patient assassins, two fighters whom believed carving up an opponent is a proposition that is long-term. While Alvarez acknowledges he has had past troubles with rate, not only against Mayweather but also Erislandy Lara, who he beat by a split that is controversial, he is firm in his conviction that he discovered much from those fights which will be applicable against Khan.

“Look, we think I faced every sort of design,” Alvarez said. “There’s so numerous styles that are different faced. I’ve faced people like this are fast, elusive. I believe he doesn’t bring anything different towards the dining table that We haven’t faced before within the past. He’s really fast. He’s explosive. He’s a really, very good fighter.

“Obviously both of us will have our advantages. The thing that is key during the battle to make the most of those advantages. I feel that I’m obligated to win the fight, not fundamentally to win by knockout, but to win the fight. Obviously I have to be ready, but I’ve faced dudes like him before.’’

That which was left unsaid is that he’s beaten dozens of guys except Mayweather, guys like Lara and Austin Trout as well as Cotto and Kirkland. Guys with rate and dudes with energy. Tomorrow night, Canelo Alvarez expects to perform some same again, not perhaps in the way Amir Khan expects but in the manner he knows well.

Canelo vs Khan preview and prediction: Can Amir Khan upset Canelo Alvarez?

This Saturday evening, Amir Khan gets the marquee that is big he's been wanting for years, as he headlines a major PPV against Canelo Alvarez. Khan happens to be very vocal about wanting this kind of battle, but he could never get Mayweather or Pacquiao to make it work well - now, he moves as much as a division that is new challenge for the Middleweight title.

The general viewpoint is that it's too big of a move for small Khan, and that Canelo's power is planning to end this fight considerably. Most are currently looking past Saturday evening and discussing Canelo vs. Gennady Golovkin, in the same way they did 2-3 weeks ago whenever Golovkin faced the Dominic that is horribly outmatched Wade. But all this talk of Canelo vs. GGG brings up an obvious question.

Are we overlooking Amir Khan? Can the smaller fighter accomplish the upset and shock the world Saturday evening?

Once again, most say no, he can't. Canelo's size, Canelo's power, and Khan's debateable chin all come together to produce a mountain Khan simply can not climb. But there are those who think Khan has a real shot here, and they have actually two very good reasons to support their argument.

The Speed of Amir Khan: Amir Khan is among the fastest fighters in his unit. He's very proficient at pressing the pace, getting down shots that are quick and outpointing opponents. In particular, he uses his jab well, with a much higher jab price compared to the average. This advantage is expected to be magnified (unless Khan has lost some of that speed in the move up) against the heavier Canelo, who does not possess particularly good foot speed. Canelo struggled to trap Miguel Cotto in their battle, and Cotto does not have the speed of Khan. Khan should be able to make use of the band to his advantage, continue the outside, and make use of his speed to outland Canelo.

Canelo Alvarez's Tough battles: Canelo is a superb fighter, but he is not an monster that is unstoppable. He's struggled in there often times, and those struggles have come against the fighters that are really technical has faced. Mayweather beat him by simply making Canelo box, plus the Erislandy that is gifted Lara Canelo a lot of problems (and, into the eyes of some, must have taken the win). Canelo's most useful performances come when his opponent wants to push in there and go to war - think of Alfredo Angulo, James Kirkland, Josesito Lopez. That is just not Amir Khan, and it's really not what Canelo will dsicover across the ring from him night saturday. When Canelo is in there with those fighters that are aggressive they can dictate the fight and outland their opponent. When he could be in there with a far more cerebral fighter, Canelo's output falls significantly, and he is frequently outboxed. This weakness of Canelo's plays directly to the strengths of Khan.

Amir Khan vs Canelo Alvarez: Ricky Hatton, Kell Brook and Lennox Lewis give verdicts ahead of WBC title that is middleweight

Amir Khan faces what generally seems to be one of the toughest fights of their professional boxing profession as he prepares to step to the band with Canelo Alvarez in nevada on Saturday evening.

Canelo's only loss arrived against Floyd Mayweather Jr in 2013 and it is the overwhelming favourite heading into the battle at the brand brand new T-Mobile Arena.

Khan, who may have won his last five bouts after back to back defeats by Lamont Peterson and Danny Garcia, and Canelo both successfully made the weight on ahead of the showdown friday.

Former and current stars from the world of boxing have been giving their verdict as the countdown to fight night reaches its climax.

Bernard Hopkins, former middleweight world champion that is undisputed

Canelo is certainly the absolute most effective of the two. Khan’s volume of punches remind me of Joe Calzaghe - you're not going to die, you didn't get harmed, however you've got so bee that is many that you don't understand where to scratch. Canelo wins within the 10th or ninth.

Verdict: Alvarez


Lennox Lewis, former undisputed world champion that is heavyweight

Amir is not going to be an guy that is easy find. Canelo just isn't accustomed some guy caught the ring. But Khan can't manage to show he's hurt if he does catch him. He has to fake it and appear like he is not harmed and keep Canelo off stability that way. If he does all this, then he can upset the chances.

Verdict: Khan

George Groves, world-title contender

I would personally love for Amir to do it. His speed are going to be a factor nonetheless it is a big action in weight – ideally Khan can negate Canelo’s power. It’s a huge, big ask, but it can be seen by me likely to distance and Canelo getting it.

Verdict: Alvarez


Eddie Hearn, sports promoter and director that is managing of Sport

I don’t want to encounter as a Khan hater because I’m maybe not. But I cannot see him winning this fight at 155lbs. Everything I’ve seen of him doesn’t look quite right. He could be not in his usual form and we am not convinced he will undoubtedly be able to wthhold the rate and footwork he needs to win this fight. I could see Canelo stopping him in the half that is first of fight.