Alfredo Angulo seemed like an opponent tailor-made for Canelo Alvarez's strengths when it was announced in January, and then played out as such on March 8 when they met at the MGM Grand. Alvarez pummeled the stationary Angulo round after round, before referee Tony Weeks stopped the action in the 10th.
Lara cancels scheduled bout with Ishe Smith for July 12 Canelo fight
On July 12, Canelo will be facing a different animal in Cuban Erislandy Lara, whose last two conquests are the same as Alvarez's--Austin Trout and Angulo. While Alvarez is clearly Golden Boy's golden goose, and potentially the successor to Oscar De La Hoya as the sport's darling, CEO Richard Schaefer isn't sure Canelo won't be defeated.
"Great fight. Great Matchup. It's a 50-50 fight," Schaefer told RingTV in an e-mail. "The two best jr. middleweights not named Mayweather, fighting each other."
Miguel Cotto fight to happen if Canelo beats Lara?
Lara dominated Trout in December of 2013, winning unanimously by wide margins on all three scorecards, while Alvarez found himself in a dogfight with the defense-first southpaw. Although Canelo knocked him down for the first time in his career, Trout gave him fits and won more rounds than the Lara fight.
Conversely, Lara was floored twice by Angulo before eventually winning via stoppage. Angulo suffered a broken orbital bone late in their bout that caused nauseating swelling almost immediately. Lara was believed to be ahead on the cards, but his susceptibility to Angulo's power was startling. Meanwhile, Canelo's bashing of Angulo was clear and vicious.
Lara's been extremely vocal about wanting to face the Mexican superstar, crashing Canelo's post-Angulo presser to issue a challenge as well as poking him on social media and through interviews. In December, Lara made derogatory remarks in Spanish and in English toward Alvarez on Twitter.
"Canela?????????? I thought u were BORN READY?? Jajajaja tu eres un payaso y el mundo lo save #MEXICO #CUBA."
He followed that up by tweeting "I tell @Caneloofficial I beat him and his 7 brothers on the same night!!! #NOTbornready #Laravs7canelos."
He will get his shot on July 12 to back up the smack talk, and could have the style to pull off an upset. Canelo looked phenomenal against gutty warriors Josesito Lopez and Angulo, but struggled vs. Trout and was utterly helpless against Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Lara is filed in the slickster category, so Alvarez may need to rely on the knockout punch.
Who you got? Canelo or Lara? Make your pick @SportsWN
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