On April 20th, it will be the WBC Champ vs the WBA Champ
An opportunity to eliminate one of the alphabet organizations is at hand. Henceforth, from Saturday, April 20, 2013 on, whichever organization’s boxer loses, that organization can no longer have a champion in that weight class. Imagine if the sport could eliminate the clutter of titles. The watchword would be simplicity. It’s gotten to the point where Boxing resembles our on-line mailboxes. We can no longer handle the confusion, the mishmash of info. For our sanity, we have to decipher which is important and which is frivolous.
The eagerly anticipated matchup of the talented, exciting and unbeaten boxers, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (41-0-1, 30 KOs), of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, and Austin “No Doubt” Trout (26-0, 14 KOs), of Las Cruces, New Mexico, to define the real 154-pound champion is dead ahead at the Alamodome. The show dubbed “Deep in the Heart of Texas” has nothing to do with the Texas Two-Step, this one is serious business.
After completing their three-city, two-day press tour in Texas on Thursday, both fighters are now back in their prospective gyms working hard. While visiting our Texas brethren, the boxers obliged the adoring fans with autographs and posed for a ton of photos.
During that press tour, Stephanie Trapp of Showtime was with the fighters to snap away with her camera. Below are the wonderful photos she sent us from the three locations: the Alamodome in San Antonio, the venue for the fight, the Food court at the PlazAmericas Mall in Houston and the McAllen Convention Center in McAllen, Texas.
Austin Trout arrived in Houston on a private jet. If we can get you to take a closer look at the photo (top left) you’ll notice Trout is planning to reveal his true identity.
Toddler (up top) seems to be wondering, ‘Daddy, why’s this man squeezing my wrist?’
Amateur and professional photographers are often clicking away in hopes of getting that one classic photo. In this photo we have a woman taking a snapshot with Oscar De La Hoya. In the rear is the jealous husband. Before the confrontation, Oscar remembers the lady saying, “My husband is just going to love this photo.”
Two more photographers: the serious camera buff who for some reason is taking a photo of the crowd and a young lady who can’t believe she’s just snapped a photo of her idol.
For this gentleman’s next birthday someone should have him invest in a decent camera. The collectible photos won’t be so blurry.
Behind the dais at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Oscar De La Hoya reminded folks of the presidential candidates who came to town stumping for votes. “And if I’m elected”
Saul Alvarez (L) has been offering Austin Trout several tips. One of them was, “For proper balance, you should let your sideburns grow.”
While in Texas to promote his fight, Saul Alvarez dressed to impress, very dapper.
Not to forget Austin Trout, the debonair boxer has always been a fashion plate.
Below are quotes from the boxers and members of the various organizations helping to promote the fight:
Canelo Alvarez:
“I’m very humbled by the attendance (at the press conferences). I get goose bumps when I get up here with everyone cheering. I want to thank you for your support. I’ll be prepared as always. We’ll be ready. The people here have such great enthusiasm and that definitely helps me. It will be a pleasure to fight at the Alamodome. A place with so much history. I fight for my people. They’re my inspiration. I carry a great deal of responsibility on my shoulders, because I carry the hopes and dreams of my people. I’m undefeated and for that I give thanks to my people, who support me every step of the way.
“I’m very happy to be in Texas. This is the very first time I’m fighting here and I already can tell I like it. I like San Antonio because it has so much history and so many boxing fans. I want to thank all my fans for supporting me. On April 20, if God wills, the crowd will be on my side.
“We are working hard. My team and I are focused 100 percent on my opponent. I have great respect for Austin Trout and what he has been able to achieve. This fight is a complicated one. He’s not only tough but a lefty and he also knows how to keep his guard up with his left. He’s a very intelligent fighter, young, skilled and tough. It’s not going to be an easy task to beat him, but we’re working hard and getting ready. I respect Trout outside of the ring, but once he’s in the ring, that’s a whole different matter.
“For me, this fight is personal. I know Trout beat my brother. I was there that day and that made me feel helpless. Now I’ll get the chance to avenge his loss and bring him up to the ring with me after I win.
“Like in life, in sports, there are critics and skeptics. There’s always going to be someone criticizing you. To fight Trout is not going to quiet the criticism against me, but I honestly don’t mind. I think all criticism is constructive.
“My daughter motivates me to be better and not to fail.
“I’m also ready to fight Floyd Mayweather when he’s ready to fight me.”
Austin Trout:
“I was born in El Paso, Texas. This is where I am from. I’ve been around Latinos all my life and can say I feel like one of you. Boxing is never going to be dead when there are fans like this. It’s a sport that’s 200 years old, but when you have a fight like this, you know it is alive and well. Mark my words, on April 20, Texas will win.
“I want to thank the fans. The fans demanded this fight and made it happen. I believe that Canelo is a great champion. I have to thank him for making this happen. I want to thank the Lord, because I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Him.
“I’m a fast, hungry champion. I don’t believe that Canelo is the second coming of Oscar De La Hoya. I do believe that I’m the better fighter. If I didn’t think I could be victorious, I wouldn’t be risking my life and limb to face this man. I wouldn’t be risking my undefeated record and my belt if I didn’t believe in myself. I’ll be victorious and I’ll go home as the unified champion.
“Someone’s ‘0’ has got to go. It sure as hell isn’t going to be mine and I’m sure he’s saying the same thing. That’s the formula for a great fight. (Hip-hop artist) Drake said it best, ‘Started from the bottom, now we’re here. Started from the bottom, now my whole team’s here.’
“I know that Canelo is a hungry champion. I’m not just hungry, I’m starving. I’m ready for April 20.”
Oscar De La Hoya, President Golden Boy Promotions:
“This fight is no joke and that is the beauty of it. We don’t know who is going to win. This is the type of fight that we should be putting on. How many times have you seen two fighters that are undefeated, two fighters that are champions risking it all? You seldom see that, but on April 20, you get to see two fighters that will risk it all to unify their belts.”
Jesse James Leija, Texas Boxing Legend:
“We brought the big fight here, now we need your help. Bring grandpa, grandma, the wife, the girlfriend, everyone. We need everyone here. We want people to say, ‘Vegas who?’ We don’t need Vegas, we need San Antonio, but we can’t do that without your support.
“I told Oscar De La Hoya to bring a fight to Texas or we’re going to get back in the ring for a rematch. Raul Martinez will be on the card. He will be our next world champion.
“We want to keep bringing fights to Texas. It’s great for the economy, great for the sport of boxing.”
Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President & General Manager of SHOWTIME Sports:
“At Showtime, our goal is to bring boxing fans the best fighters and biggest fights. That’s what April 20 is going to be. We’re bringing the biggest young stars and the biggest young champions to the fans on our network.
“On September 15 (2012), Canelo fought on Showtime and set an all-time ratings record. In December, Austin Trout faced Miguel Cotto in a fight no one thought he could win. He not only won, but that fight also set a new Showtime ratings record. I know April 20 will be another record-breaking event.
“Champions are often too afraid to take the tough fights. These two are stepping up to the plate and for that, they should be rewarded.”
“We are approaching the biggest and best run of fights on Showtime in the history of the network. On April 20 we have Canelo Alvarez vs. Austin Trout. On April 27, we have Danny Garcia vs. Zab Judah and on May 4th on Showtime PPV we have Floyd Mayweather facing Robert Guerrero in a mega-fight.”
