The biggest event of the boxing calendar, a junior middleweight title unification bout between Floyd Mayweather Jr. (44-0-0, 27 KO) and Saul "Canelo" Alvarez (42-0-1, 30 KO), will go on Saturday, September 14th in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand. The event will be broadcast on Showtime pay-per view,
When it comes to Floyd Mayweather Jr., the best pound-for-pound fighter in the sport of boxing, it is hard to tell when his personality ends and the "Money" Mayweather character begins.
At a recent promotional stop drumming up publicity for his megafight with Alvarez, Mayweather derided his 23-year-old opponent as a mere "stepping stone" on his path to more money and glory.
"He's 42-0, but he hasn't faced 42 Floyd Mayweathers because he'd be 0-42. I'm at the pinnacle. I'm the face of boxing," Mayweather said. "September 14 is just another stepping stone, another opponent to me. But he knows he's facing Floyd Mayweather; I'm facing just another opponent."
Mayweather also boasted that he is ready to counter any style Alvarez chooses to attack him with. "If the game plan is to keep pressure, I can handle it. "If the game plan is to out-box me, nobody can out-box me. You have to be able to out-match me mentally, and I'm the strongest mental fighter in the sport of boxing. I've been here before so I know what it takes."
Mayweather may just be projecting bravado however. On multiple occasions Floyd has praised the skill and accomplishments of Canelo, frequently referring to him as a "strong, young champion."
He also admitted that his bluster is a way to sell tickets and create buzz.
"I can turn any fighter into a star," Mayweather said. "It's about being entertaining. I feel like if I didn't step up to the plate and speak my mind or be flashy and flamboyant then I probably wouldn't be in the position that I'm in right now. I think it's a gift."
Alvarez is far quieter than Mayweather, claiming to be solely focused on handing the mouthy champion the first loss of his career. "I don't care about his record," Canelo said. "I'm not coming to make a good fight, I'm coming to win."
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