Stipulating a catch-weight of 152lbs; the first such in his career, ‘Money’ Mayweather is entering a contest that many believe is his closest match since the current two-weight world title holder took on ‘Golden Boy’ Oscar De La Hoya in 2007.
Back then, Mayweather was struggling to bulk-up sufficiently to hit the welterweight mark, but Floyd being Floyd, he took the toughest test on offer at the time and headed up for his 154lb debut on the fifth of the fifth.
Relying on his speed against the aging De La Hoya, Floyd used his superior reflexes to grind out what on my card was a 116-112 win; something which judge Chuck Giampa agreed with, although a split decision was the final verdict – with some even sure that Mayweather was defeated.
Since then, all that have challenged have been dispatched without coming close to an upset and soon it will be the turn of 22 year-old Alvarez, the young Mexican buck with a 42-0-1 record to match any fight veteran of ten years his senior.
‘Canelo’ is of a new breed of fighter, one that certainly has the attributes to score an underdog victory, and given his marauding style, makes for a fierce attack versus stubborn resistance battle at the MGM Grand on September 14.
Will Mayweather, 36, be willing to mix it with Alvarez as he did with the fading Cotto in 2012? Or will he rely on his shoulder rolling defences to fend off the WBC title holder whilst countering with his own lightning combinations?
However the encounter pans out, it will be an intriguing and fascinating contest as all those involving Mayweather’s have become – as fight fans around the world wonder whether ‘Canelo’ is to be ‘The One’ that dissolves the most talked about ‘0’ in the sport.
In six weeks’ time we will all find out.
