Canelo Alvarez took time from his training camp in San Diego to participate in a Q&A discussing his mega-fight against Miguel Cotto on Saturday, Nov. 21 from The Mandalay Bay.
The event will be produced and distributing live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.
He sat down for a Q & A session to let us know what he is thinking about the fight and how he plans to win.
You have never shied away from wanting the biggest fights available to you from a very young age. Why has that been so important to you?
“It’s very important for me to fight the best because I want to cement my legacy, I came to this sport to fight the very best out there and that’s a goal of mine. In that sense you’ll get recognition by the fans, the media and the fighters themselves. Everybody knows my style of fight and everyone knows that I love to please the fans in the arena and the viewers watching me by television.”
Will you have more of an advantage being a boxer or a puncher against Cotto based upon how you match up with him?
“The advantage for this fight is to train hard, Cotto is a great fighter who has a lot of experience, he is also a boxer puncher and I respect him, I wouldn’t say I have advantages over him I just believe in my preparation for this fight. We are having a great training camp and we will be ready for November 21st. It will be a great fight I can assure you that much because the elements and ingredients are in to make of this battle a classic.”
What kind of pressure comes with carrying the title as Mexico’s most popular fighter?
“It’s a big responsibility to represent my country, I feel very honored and proud to do so, I’ve been doing it since I started my career and I hope I can do it in the future. Great fighters in the past had done so, like Julio Cesar Chavez, Salvador Sanchez, Ruben Olivares, Carlos Zarate just to name a few. So I’m humbled that my countrymen have confidence in me and I’m just willing to do whatever it takes inside that ring to make them happy.”
As you enter your prime, what type of legacy are you hoping to build?
“I want to be known as a good fighter, a fighter that always fights the best, I never back down from a challenge and I just want to continue on that path, to bring the best out of me to please the audience and to have the best fights possible.” I know the road to the Hall of Fame is far away for me right now, but working hard and be consistent in the sport, could be a very good possibility to be part of that historic and glorious site.”
Face Off with Max Kellerman: Cotto/Canelo debuts Saturday, Nov. 14 at 11:30 p.m. ET/PT on HBO.
Cotto vs. Canelo takes place Saturday, November 21 from The Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. The event will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.