Tickets for “The One” — priced at $350-$2,000 — sold out in 24 hours, producing a record live gate.
The Showtime pay-per-view, at $64.95 a pop, likely will set a PPV box office record, breaking the old mark of $139 million.
The revenue streams are deep and seemingly endless.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Saul “Canelo” Alvarez on Saturday at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas no doubt will go down as one of the highest-grossing boxing matches of all-time.
But will it be a fight?
In a poll of 30 boxing writers in the recent issue of Ring Magazine, 25 predicted Mayweather will come out on top.
Here are five reasons Alvarez can win, according to his promoter, Oscar De La Hoya, who in 2007 gave Mayweather one of the toughest fights of his career:
5. Age and conditioning
De La Hoya said his game plan against Mayweather was working fine for the first half of the fight, but at 34 and at the end of his career, he faded late.
Alvarez, 23, is reaching his prime heading into his match against Mayweather, 36.
Said De La Hoya: “For the first time in Canelo’s career, he’s hired a strength coach, a nutritionist and a chef.”
4. Size Alvarez is a natural 154-pound junior middleweight, which should work in his favor. Although the fight is being contested at 152, the advantage goes to Alvarez here.
Mayweather is a natural welterweight and is at his best at the lighter weights.
Said De La Hoya: “Two of Mayweather’s toughest fights came against Miguel Cotto and myself at 154 pounds.”
3. Frustration factor
Many opponents get rattled by Mayweather’s mind games leading up to the fight, something that often carries over into the ring.
De La Hoya said Alvarez is mature beyond his years when it comes to focus and will not be affected by Mayweather’s antics.
Said De La Hoya: “Canelo is very calm. Not much bothers him. He won’t be intimidated.”
2. Speed and footwork
This is where Mayweather excels, but De La Hoya believes Alvarez is underrated in both categories.
Alvarez showed skill in this area in his April win over Austin Trout at the Alamodome, and De La Hoya says he’s been working hard to improve.
Said De La Hoya: “People are going to be shocked at Canelo’s speed and footwork. I think Mayweather will bring out the best in Canelo.”
1. Ring smarts
Mayweather rarely throws more than one punch at a time and “only fights for 30 seconds a round,” De La Hoya said.
Alvarez has the edge in punching power, but trying to overpower Mayweather “actually works in his favor,” De La Hoya said, and foes are better off trying to outbox him.
Said De La Hoya: “You have to be aggressive but smart, make Mayweather work but pick your opportunities, and make them count.”
Prediction
Not surprisingly, De La Hoya thinks Alvarez will win. What is a surprise is how.
“I may be the only one, but I think Canelo will knock him out in the sixth or seventh round.”
Glenn Whipp is a writer for the San Antonio Express News. His article is distributed by MCT Information Service.
Wed. Apr 24th, 2024
