LOS ANGELES (AP) — Canelo Álvarez is hurting after his first loss in nearly a decade, and he is still angry about everything that happened during five years of fighting and arguing with Gennady Golovkin.
Álvarez says he is determined to channel all those bad feelings into a spectacular knockout win over Golovkin as they complete their rivalry trilogy on September 17 in Las Vegas.
The Mexican superstar stated Friday that his third fight with Golovkin was a grudge match as they began promoting their showdown with a press conference in Hollywood. Álvarez (57-2-2, 39 KOs) was stunningly beaten by light heavyweight Dmitry Bivol seven weeks ago, but he guaranteed he will “definitely” retire 40-year-old Golovkin by facing him for the first time. keep in his career.
“(It will be) so sweet,” said Álvarez. “For me it will be very satisfying because of everything that has come around this fight.”
Álvarez’s personal distaste for Golovkin seemed very genuine, even as Golovkin (42-1-1, 37 KOs) downplayed any personal hostility. The fighters stood nose to nose and motionless on the Hollywood stage for nearly two full minutes for a rather succinct press conference.
Neither fighter can deny that their rivalry has gone to crap for years, especially after Canelo’s failed drug test in 2018, prior to the only loss of Golovkin’s career.
“He always acts like he’s a nice guy in front of people, but he’s a (jerk),” said Álvarez. ‘He is. I don’t pretend to be nice. This is who I am. I don’t pretend to be a different person, and he always pretends in front of you, “Oh, I’m a nice guy.” He is not.”
They have also met in two incredibly close fights that are among the best moments of both fighters’ careers. The first game in 2017 was ruled a draw, while Álvarez won the rematch by a narrow majority decision.
Golovkin was looking for a third fight much earlier than Álvarez. The coronavirus pandemic played a part in Álvarez’s decision to wait four years for the rubber match, but he also admits he waited partly because he simply doesn’t like Golovkin.
Golovkin dismisses Álvarez’s bold statements about knockout as a fighting stance.
“If it’s so personal to him, my question is why did he put off the (third fight) so long?” Golovkin asked through his interpreter. “If it’s personal, you should ask him why.”
Álvarez says it’s because he was trying to get all four super middleweight titles together by 2021, but it’s also because of Golovkin’s trash talk, especially in languages other than English. Álvarez wasn’t specific about what comments put him off.
Golovkin reacted to his loss to Canelo in 2018 with characteristic coolness, but he has only fought four times in the ensuing four years as he sought the chance of redemption and the huge reward offered by a third fight with Álvarez. Golovkin took 2021 off before returning to the ring last April with a ninth round stoppage from Ryota Murata.
“From an emotional point of view, I have completely cooled down,” claimed Golovkin. “I think it’s just another fight. But I was still fighting and he was competing in golf tournaments. He should, but jumping around in weight classes, I don’t know.”
Golovkin’s comment was a hidden shadow of lvarez, whose near-daily golf habit became a popular thing blamed for his surprise loss to Bivol last month. Álvarez said he definitely won’t stop playing golf, but he plans to improve the condition that made him visibly more tired as the fight with Bivol progressed.
“He always talks about I’m scared, I run away,” said Álvarez. “(He says) I’m not fighting the best guys out there, (while) he’s fighting those Class D fighters. He talks a lot about me, that’s why it’s so special to me.”
Golovkin will move into super middleweight for the first time in his career for the third fight for the third fight against lvarez, who has all four major championship belts at 168 pounds. Golovkin was the long-reigning linchpin of the middleweight division before his loss to Álvarez, but he has since regained two of the belts.
Both fighters live in Southern California. They meet again on Monday in New York.
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