(Photo credit: Esther Lin/Showtime) By Daniel Hughes: Next weekend the MGM Grand, in Las Vegas, Nevada hosts a real genuine 50-50 fight when Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (43-1-1, 31 KO’s) faces Erislandy Lara (19-1-2, 12 KO’s) in a light-middleweight contest at the catch-weight limit of 155lb. The fight eagerly anticipated and just over a week away, and will be a contest boxing fans and writers have been looking forward to ever since the ink on the contracts were signed.
Lara, the avoided Cuban, is in many ways in the ‘who needs them club’ against the young Mexican, Canelo, who could certainly of looked to have taken an easier challenge at this point of his career. The fight will certainly throw up pressure on both to perform, look good and get the win for vastly different reasons. Lara at 31 years old, has been given a chance to talents to a worldwide audience against Canelo.
Lara is a well-known name among the hardcore fight fans only. The opportunity to put his name out to the casual fight fan will not be lost on him, or his team. It is a great chance to secure further big fights, big money should he beat Canelo next Saturday night. The Canelo fight brings a real added pressure to perform, he has been avoided of that there is no doubt he will need to show why next week.
The feeling I have, should he lose, and those that wouldn’t take a fight with Lara previously will obviously have all the ammunition needed to continue to do so. He will need to win rounds clearly next week for me, should it go to the cards. I can’t see him winning a close decision, that itself an added obstacle. The path back to getting such a big fight like against Canelo would again see him rebuilding as a chief support fighter, Lara you sense has had more than enough nights performing that role.
Canelo at the tender age of 23, wants of course to become the next Mexican superstar. The night he was out boxed by Floyd Mayweather Jr at a catch weight 152lb, showed he has some way to go before he can take on that mantle. The pressure of following in the footsteps of the many previous Mexican boxing legends is not one to be taken lightly. Lara will pose many problems that he will need to overcome. The Cuban moves well, defense based on movement, slipping shots, sharp counters and combinations.
Canelo the pressure fighter, will need to display the art of cutting the ring off and when doing so making sure he breaks up the rhythm of Lara’s work. He has power, but will also need to set up his attacks by not telegraphing his work, Canelo has ability for sure and will need it all at the MGM, on 12th of July. The pressure on Canelo to win.
To me this is a career defining fight for both and the pressure is immense. Canelo should he lose, he will have time on his side to come again but maybe not to the level his legions of fans would have hoped he would, that level, pound-for-pound superstar status. The chance to become a superstar fighter should he lose, real question’s will be asked. The boxing public unforgiving in that regard.
It certainly is a fight I have looked forward to watching unfold, both have much on the line. It is a fight I can see going to the cards and certainly the discussion and possible controversy from there, who knows? The fight will be career defining for both winner and loser alike. The only sure fire winners beforehand the fans, those that crave those 50-50 fights at the highest level because boxing certainly needs more of them. While many fighters it seems avoid the hardest challenges out there, to have both boxers taking a career defining fight should certainly make the 12th July, 2014 a date for all true fight fans not to miss.
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