Canelo Alvarez Conference Call Transcript and Mp3 Recording from August 24, 2015
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CANELO ALVAREZ CONFERENCE CALL TRANSCRIPT AND MP3 RECORDING FROM AUGUST 24, 2015 Click HERE for an MP3 of the Conference Call OSCAR DE LA HOYA, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions: Thank you very much. Thank you to all the media. [SPEAKING IN SPANISH]. We are here for the Canelo Alvarez-Liam Smith conference call. First of all, we want to thank you and welcome the two-time world champion Canelo Alvarez who has a record of 47-1, and won with 33 knockouts. On September 17th over Mexican Independence weekend, Canelo Alvarez will make his long-anticipated return to Texas to fight Liam Smith who has a record of 23-0 with 13 knockouts, and that will be for the WBO Junior Middleweight Junior championship title at the famed AT&T Stadium, home of America's team, the Dallas Cowboys. Texas has been a natural choice for us, and for all Texas fans who love Canelo Alvarez, and the fan base are some of the most loyal for every fight. The fans have shown up in huge crowds wearing red and green, cheering Canelo and chanting his name. Texas is Canelo's home away from home, and Canelo versus Smith will be a homecoming celebration for Canelo. We have witnessed some of Canelo's most epic fights in Texas, from his match with Austin Trout at the Alamo Dome where he filled up 45,000 seats, and obviously when he fought James Kirkland, which was named Knockout Of The Year, at the Minute Maid Park in front of 31,000 screaming fans. So Cowboys Stadium is a stadium created for larger-than-life fighters, just like Canelo. And the two other fights that have been fought there were headlined by legendary Manny Pacquiao. We're excited to announce that ticket sales are going extremely, extremely well. It's outpacing Manny Pacquiao's last two fights, which we're extremely excited about knowing that we will have a full house at the Cowboys Stadium. Tickets are still available, priced from $750 all the way down to $40. I would like to thank our sponsors, Tecate Cerveza Born Bold and Casa Mexico Tequila. Thank you for your continued support. And obviously if you can't be with us live in Dallas, this fight will be televised live on HBO Pay-Per-View, which is our exclusive and proud partner for this event. We're extremely proud and excited to have Canelo Alvarez headline Mexican Independence Day weekend, and this is only the beginning for Canelo Alvarez headlining special weekends for many years to come. So it's a perfect fit that we stage this fight in Texas to be shown across the globe. At this time, I would like to introduce to you one of the team members who makes everything happen, who gets Canelo in shape, who has the strategy, who has been doing a wonderful job with his premier. I would like to introduce to you a man they call "Chepo," and that is Jose "Chepo" Reynoso. Chepo? JOSE "CHEPO" REYNOSO, Manager and Trainer to Canelo Alvarez (Via Translator): We're very excited. We're very relaxed right now, but we're very excited in anticipating with a lot of enthusiasm September 17 so that all the fans can celebrate and say "viva Mexico," "viva Canelo." OSCAR DE LA HOYA: Thank you. And next I would like to introduce to you the man who trains him, the man who gets on the mitts with him, strategizes. If you look at Canelo's last fights, he's been growing, he's been improving. He's only getting better. And Canelo is a fighter who wants to be the very best, and he will stop at nothing to get to that goal of his. So next up I would like to introduce to you the trainer, Eddy Reynoso. Eddy? EDDY REYNOSO, Head Trainer to Canelo Alvarez (Via Translator): Good afternoon, everybody, and what can I say? We're three weeks out from the fight. We're very happy. Canelo's been working very, very hard. He's looking great, and we can't wait for September 17th. OSCAR DE LA HOYA: Without further ado, I'd like to now introduce to you the former two-time world champion. Since the age of 15, when he turned pro, he's accumulated a record that is bar none, like no other in boxing today. At the tender age of 26, he's already fought the very best fighters out there there is to fight, and the best is yet to come. Fighters like "Sugar" Shane Mosley, Floyd Mayweather, fighters like Alfredo Angulo, Miguel Cotto, fighters like Erislandy Lara, fighters like Austin Trout. I believe there is no fighter today at the age of 26 who has fought so many ex-world champions and current world champions. So he hails out of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, with a record of 47-1 and 33 knockouts. It's my pleasure to you to introduce Saul "Canelo" Alvarez. CANELO ALVAREZ, Former Two-Division World Champion (Via Translator): Good afternoon, everybody. Thank you, all, for being on the call. Thank you for the support for this fight, for supporting me. This is going to be a great event, and you don't want to miss it. Thank you all for participating on this call. Q. Canelo, I just wanted to ask you how much have you studied Liam Smith? And from your perspective, why is this the right fight for you at this time? CANELO ALVAREZ: Yes, I have looked at him, and the style more than anything is what we like. He's a good fighter, he's a champion. He's very strong. He's got a Mexican style, you know, a guy that stands there and likes to exchange punches, so that's one of the things that attracted us to the fight. And, you know, part of the reason for choosing him is he's a world champion. I want to win another world title in my weight class, 154. Then after that we'll see what's available. Q. When you look at him, he does seem like he's very aggressive. Do you think that aggression will exist knowing that he's fighting you? CANELO ALVAREZ (Via Translator): No, I don't think he's going to change his style. I think he's going to do what he does best -- be aggressive, throw combination, keep coming forward. That's what he does best. But, obviously, for me, I'm always ready for any style. I prepare myself for any style and I'll be ready for anything. Q. It's been a long time since a Mexican fighter has been the A side of the equation promoting a promotion on Mexican Independence. How do you feel, and was that your goal? And now that you've reached your goal, are you happy? CANELO ALVAREZ (Via Translator): His answer was yes, I'm very excited. Very excited. I'm happy. It's an honor for me to represent my country. This is what I wanted. These are the dates that are important for our country, for Mexicans, and I'm here and I'm going to take every advantage of it. Q. First of all, did you see the Olympics, and what do you think about the critics? There are a lot of critics in Mexico that criticized a lot of the athletes for their performances. Do you think it's something that's right or do you think it's changed? CANELO ALVAREZ (Via Translator): Yes, it's unfortunate, but that happens a lot in Mexico. They criticize the athletes. The athletes are the ones that pretty much put Mexico on the map internationally, and it's a shame that some things they get criticized so harshly. It's something that should change, and I think if we were all supporting each other, we'd be in a better place. Q. Canelo, I wonder what your thoughts are about fighting in Texas again. CANELO ALVAREZ (Via Translator): I feel very happy. For me, I've always been treated very, very well, a warm reception each time I fight in Texas. For me, the most important thing is to give them a good fight and that's what I want to do. I want to give them a good fight. They've always treated me well in Texas, and I love being in Texas. Q. Have you seen AT&T Stadium yet? What are your impressions of it? CANELO ALVAREZ (Via Translator): It's very impressive, very, very impressive how big it is. And the big screen, and it's very, very beautiful. It's impressive and it motivates me. It motivates me just imagining how it's going to be on September 17th. It's something that gets me really excited, and I can't wait. I can't wait to get out there and fight. Q. Eric, you were just talking about the fans. Basically they're tough on their own people over there in Mexico. So that's kind of what I've always thought. Can you ask him when the decision was made for him to not fight Golovkin until September of next year, can you ask if he was concerned about how his fans might react, and has he received any negative feedback for not fighting Golovkin sooner? CANELO ALVAREZ (Via Translator): Yeah, you know, there's always going to be critics. They're always there, and it's something that's part of it.