It Sure Doesn't Look Like Fans
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LATIMES.COM/SPORTS D3 Alvarez appears pretty at ease with moving up Kovalev’s awkward Alvarez vs. weigh-in turns focus Kovalev to opponent’s pursuit of, possibly, Chavez. When: Tonight, 6 By Norm Frauenheim Where: MGM Grand Arena, Las Vegas How to watch: DAZN LAS VEGAS — Weigh- Main event: Canelo ins, like body language, are Alvarez vs. Sergey hard to interpret and often Kovalev, unreliable. Want to predict a light-heavyweights. fight? Get an astrologer. Other fights: Ryan Garcia There are no winners. vs. Romero Duno, But sometimes there are lightweights; Seniesa signs, and there were plenty Estrada vs. Marlen Esparza, flyweights; Blair Friday as Canelo Alvarez Cobbs vs. Carlos Ortiz, and Sergey Kovalev went welterweights. through the formal ritual of Ethan Miller Getty Images stripping down to their CANELO ALVAREZ, left, easily made weight Friday for the WBO light-heavyweight title fight while Sergey shorts and stepping onto a pened at the weigh-in, Alva- Kovalev, who holds the belt, needed four attempts to get down to the limit of 175 pounds. scale in front of a few thou- rez still expects a difficult sand people. task at overcoming Ko- Alvarez looked comfort- valev’s advantages in height able. Kovalev did not. and reach. For the first time, It figured to be the other Alvarez said, he will feel the way around on the eve of power from a fighter who is Who’s hungry? It sure their light-heavyweight fight expected to outweigh him by Saturday night at the MGM at least 10 pounds at opening Grand. Alvarez (52-1-2, 35 bell. knockouts) is moving up two “It will be complicated,” weight classes, from 160 Alvarez said. pounds to 175, for the first But the odds continue to doesn’t look like fans are time. He is moving into a di- favor him in his quest to vision long occupied by Ko- make the history he has valev (34-3-1, 29 KOs). Yet promised. He is seeking a Kovalev struggled to make fourth title at a fourth Alvarez might have overestimated the interest in Kovalev fight weight in a scene that was weight, which would be one part strip tease and alto- more step toward perhaps gether awkward. eventually becoming the DYLAN HERNANDEZ The burden was inher- could be psychologically Derevyanchenko. He was Kovalev needed four trips equal of Julio Cesar Chavez, ited from Floyd Mayweather damaged, as the menacing awarded a close decision, to make weight. The first who ranks as Mexico’s best LAS VEGAS Jr., a great fighter who was aura that made him special but looked his age. The time he stepped onto the ever. — Less than an even greater match- was seemingly extinguished ageless Golovkin became scale, he was a pound too It was no coincidence, half of the maker. The objective of a by a couple of losses to old overnight. heavy at 176. Off came his perhaps, that Chavez seats were fighter is to maximize earn- Andre Ward. Alvarez would have necklace and down went his showed up Friday and occupied in ings while minimizing risk, Ward revealed that Ko- triumphed easily against weight, but by only a half- talked to reporters before the part of the and Mayweather never lost valev was particularly vul- that version of Golovkin. He pound. Off went his shorts the weigh-in. It was also in- MGM Grand sight of that. nerable to body punches, could have been credited as he stepped behind a white evitable that he would be Garden Arena The question is whether which are a specialty of with sending Golovkin towel and back on to the asked whether Alvarez sup- that was open Alvarez did that by selecting Alvarez. toward retirement. scale. Still four ounces too plants him if the 29-year-old Friday after- Kovalev as his opponent. Alvarez has explained Instead, the way in which heavy. takes Kovalev’s belt. noon. The fans who were The lack of enthusiasm that he chose to fight Ko- his rivalry with Golovkin He jumped back into his “Bull...,” Chavez said. there were noticeably lack- around this fight indicates valev because of the oppor- has played out has dimin- shorts and headed back- He was joking. Kind of. ing in enthusiasm. the public is skeptical of tunity to win a world title in ished his reputation. As it stage. He was given an hour “Truthfully, I don’t The crowd was nothing Kovalev’s chances. With a fourth weight class. But was, Alvarez was criticized to shed the excess baggage. know,” he said. “I think Mexi- like the raucous masses in Alvarez moving up two Kovalev wasn’t the only for waiting until Golovkin He needed six minutes. co has had great world front of which Canelo divisions from his optimal fighter who offered him that was 35 to fight him. If he Whatever he did, it worked. champions. The best Mexi- Alvarez typically has fighting weight of 160 chance. There are two other fights Golovkin again and Again, he stepped behind can fighter isn’t based in ti- weighed in on days before pounds, however, Kovalev fighters who hold versions wins, he won’t be seen as the white towel, stepped out tles. There are Mexicans his fights. The fans never has a size advantage that of the light-heavyweight having conquered a long- of his shorts and onto the who have world champi- broke into song, never could present serious prob- championship, Artur Beter- time tormentor, but as scale. Kovalev was at 175, not onships, but that’s not why chanted his name loud lems. biev and Dmitry Bivol. having beaten up a geriatric. an ounce less or more. they will be the best Mexican enough to echo throughout At 5-foot-9, Alvarez is So why did Alvarez pick The failure to detect The fight, without fines fighter of all time.” the venue. three inches shorter than Kovalev? Golovkin’s decline earlier or the loss of his belt, is on Chavez was asked if Alva- The scene was alarming, Kovalev. With this fight Kovalev has the most raises questions about (DAZN, 6 p.m.). But the rez is, in fact, chasing him. considering the significance taking place at 175 pounds, recognizable name, but whether Alvarez shares weigh-in left further ques- “No, no, why would he be of Alvarez’s showdown Alvarez also will be the another factor could be that Mayweather’s ability to tions about whether Ko- talking about me?” he said. against light-heavyweight naturally lighter fighter. Beterbiev and Bivol are perceive barely noticeable valev lost his chances along “... Just because Canelo’s champion Sergey Kovalev. And though he has suc- undefeated. shortcomings in his oppo- with the shorts. Was the fighting right now doesn’t This will be more than a cessfully forced previous Whatever the case, Alva- nents that can be exploited. struggle to make weight a make him the best of all fight. This will be a measure opponents to fight at close rez appears to have erred in The worst-case scenario sign that the 36-year-old time. He could win five or six of Alvarez as a matchmaker. range, it’s possible he never not taking a third fight with is that Alvarez misjudged Russian was fatigued? He world championships, but Whether Alvarez has the gets anywhere near Kova- hated rival Gennady Kovalev. had said that he had more that won’t make him the right feel for deciding whom lev and loses by a wide Golovkin. Streaming service DAZN energy because of a scaled- greatest Mexican fighter of to fight, and when, will have margin. The two most important didn’t invest $350 million in back training, including all time. significant consequences, In which case, Kovalev fights of Alvarez’s career Alvarez for him to lose the fewer rounds of sparring. “He’s a great fighter, but not only for his legacy, but would be a low-reward, were with Golovkin. The third fight of their 10-fight Kovalev, who holds the to say he’s the best of all also for the sport. high-risk opponent, which initial encounter was de- deal. World Boxing Organiza- time.... It’s hard to choose As many matches are would make him the worst clared a draw, the second a But the alternative is tion’s version of the 175- one. The champions of the televised or streamed online possible option Alvarez narrow decision victory for also problematic. Even if pound belt, never has been past, Salvador Sanchez, Jo- these days, the sport contin- could have chosen. Alvarez. Alvarez has identified Ko- given much of a chance in se Napoles, [Carlos] Zarate, ues to require major events Then again, maybe Alva- The consensus was that valev’s weaknesses and is this fight. Alvarez, who was Ruben Oliveras, a great to thrive. rez knows something no one neither fighter did enough certain he can take advan- at a comfortable 174½ fighter. Mexico has had a lot Alvarez is about the only else does. Maybe the per- to separate himself from the tage of them, he appears to pounds, is expected to be of great fighters.” active fighter with the pro- ceived danger is an illusion. other. have overestimated the about a 4-1 favorite at open- That’s the historical file necessary to deliver such At 36, Kovalev is phys- Golovkin, now 37, fought public’s appetite for this ing bell. scale. Alvarez is trying to fights. ically diminished. He also last month against Sergiy fight. No matter what hap- move up on that one too.