The Texas Three-Step is over for popular, unbeaten Mexican superstar and WBC Super Welterweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez and undefeated WBA Super Welterweight Champion Austin “No Doubt” Trout, who completed their highly successful three-city, two-day press tour in Texas on Thursday.
To infer that the three press conferences, all open to the public, were smashing successes would be an understatement.
Fans lined up around the building to get into the McAllen Convention Center in McAllen, Texas, to watch the press conference late Thursday afternoon, the final stop of the press tour. Nearly 1,000 of them had assembled in the room by the time Golden Boy Promotions President Oscar De La Hoya stepped to the dais to begin the proceedings.
Earlier Thursday, more than 500 fans flooded the food court at PlazAmericas Mall in Houston for the press conference. On Wednesday, the tour began in the fight’s host city of San Antonio, at the fight’s venue, the Alamodome, where approximately 1,500 fans attended.
At each location, the boxers obliged the adoring fans with autographs and posed with them for pictures.
In an eagerly anticipated matchup of talented, exciting, unbeaten boxers, Canelo (41-0-1, 30 KO’s), of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, will take on Trout (26-0, 14 KO’s), of Las Cruces, N.M., in a 154-pound world title unification fight on Saturday, April 20 at the Alamodome in San Antonio live on SHOWTIME.
Below are quotes from the boxers, members of their teams and executives, including De La Hoya, Texas boxing legend and former Two-Time World Champion Jessie James Leija and Executive Vice President & General Manager of SHOWTIME Sports, Stephen Espinoza, among others, from the three press conferences:
CANELO ALVAREZ, WBC Super Welterweight World Champion
“I’m very humbled by the attendance (at the press conferences). I get goose bumps when I get up here with everyone cheering. I want to thank you for your support. I’ll be prepared as always. We’ll be ready. Texas has a great vibe. The people here have a great vibe and that definitely helps me. It’s a pleasure to fight at the Alamodome. This place has so much history. I fight for my people. They’re my inspiration. I carry a great deal of responsibility on my shoulders, because I carry the hopes and dreams of my people. I’m undefeated and my record is thanks to my people, who support me every step of the way.
“I’m very happy to be in Texas. This is the very first time I’m fighting here and I can already tell I like it. I like San Antonio because it has so much history and so many boxing fans. I want to thank all my fans for supporting me. On April 20, if God provides, the crowd will be on my side.
“We are working hard. My team and I are focused 100 percent on my opponent. I have great respect for Austin Trout and what he has been able to achieve. This fight is a complicated one. He’s not only tough but a lefty and he also knows how to keeps his guard with his left. He’s a very intelligent fighter, young, skilled and tough. It’s not going to be an easy task to beat him, but we’re working hard and getting ready. I respect Trout outside of the ring, but once he’s in the ring, that’s a whole different thing.
“This fight for me is personal. I know Trout beat my brother. I was there that day and that made me feel helpless. Now I’ll get the chance to avenge his loss and bring him up to the ring with me when I win.
“Like in life, in sports, there are critics and skeptics. There’s always going to be someone criticizing you. To fight Trout is not going to quiet down criticism against me, but I honestly don’t mind it. I think all criticism is constructive.
“My daughter motivates me to be better and not to fail.
“I’m ready to fight Floyd Mayweather when he’s ready to fight me.”
AUSTIN TROUT, WBA Super Welterweight World Champion
“I was born in El Paso, Texas. This is where I’m from. I’ve been around Latinos all my life and I can say I feel like one of you. Boxing is never going to be dead when there are fans like this (in Texas). It’s a sport that is 200 years old, but when you have a fight like this you know it is alive and well. Mark my words, on April 20, Texas will win.
“I want to thank the fans. The fans demanded this fight and made it happen. I believe that Canelo is a great champion. I have to thank him for making this happen. I want to thank the Lord, because I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Him.
“I’m a fast, hungry champion. I don’t believe that Canelo is the second coming of Oscar De La Hoya. I do believe that I’m the better fighter. If I didn’t think I could be victorious, I wouldn’t be risking my life and limb to face this man. I wouldn’t be risking my undefeated record and my belt if I didn’t believe in myself. I’ll be victorious and I’ll go home as the unified champion.
“Someone’s ‘0’ has got to go. It sure as hell isn’t going to be mine and I’m sure he is saying the same thing. That’s the formula for a great fight. (Hip-hop artist) Drake said it best, ‘Started from the bottom, now we’re here. Started from the bottom, now my whole team’s here.’
“I know that Canelo is a hungry champion. I’m not just hungry. I’m starving. I’m ready for April 20.”
OSCAR DE LA HOYA, President of Golden Boy Promotions
“I was in San Antonio a few months ago and told Jesse James Leija and Mike Battah that we would be back. So standing here, bringing you a big mega-fight featuring Canelo Alvarez against Austin ‘No Doubt’ Trout really is a dream come true for Golden Boy Promotions and I.
“These types of fights normally take place in Las Vegas and are normally shown on pay-per-view. However, we had to bring this fight in particular to San Antonio because of the fans. It’s not on pay-per-view. It’s on SHOWTIME.
“We have over 10,000 tickets that are going to be on sale at 10 dollars each. We want to make this a historical event, but that won’t happen without the fans. Without you, it wouldn’t be possible.
“This is an opportunity for Canelo to show everyone in boxing that he is the real deal. He’s not only a champion, but can stage his own show, pull in his own fans and draw his own great ratings.
“Boxing gives hope and strength to a lot of people. Boxing is a sport that can reach and impact people. This fight is showing the world that boxing is alive and well. Boxing is strong and we have the future right here with Canelo Alvarez and Austin Trout.
“When they show Canelo’s fights in Mexico, his ratings are through the roof. He is a superstar in Mexico. Fans believe in him and are 100 percent behind him because they want to see the next Mexican fighter that is going to give them the strength to move forward.
“Canelo is a hard worker and he wants to be put to the test of fighting the very best.
“This fight is no joke and that is the beauty of it. We don’t know who is going to win. This is the type of fight that we should be putting on.
“How many times have you seen two fighters that are undefeated, two fighters that are champions risk it all? You seldom see that, but on April 20, you get to see two fighters that will risk it all to unify their belts.
“Golden Boy wants to show the world that boxing doesn’t have to be in Vegas alone. Boxing will be where the fans are. That’s why we are bringing this world championship to Texas.”
I have seen canelo fight before he became golden boy. And I have to tell you, he has never had to box and survive (and he can box a la mayweather) in any of his fights in the U.S.
Against trout he has a challenge but i think that he’ll be able to overcome him.
I think the thing that makes a fighter a true champion ,is the class he brings along with it. I have never been impressed with mayweather walking around carrying sacks of money and trying to show the world he has made millions,and is filled with flash is a no class act. I know there must be a lot of feather shaking and turkey strutting,but when the bell rings the flash has to go and the true champion heart has to show. Like a champion of old once said this man could not carry my jock strap, Homles speaking of the rock who retired undefeated with a 49 and 0 record with 45 KOS . That kind of stupidity shows no class at all. The announcers who are total racists at ringside,no matter who is fighting they take the black guys side even if he is being beaten half to death, if he loses they make excuses for his loss. Alverez is the new face in boxing ,he and Rios will carry this sport into another generation ,like alexis aguao,and salvador sanchez, so many class acts that come from mexican heritage, so humble ,so great. To me that is a true class act. I do hope they can find a phone booth for mayweather and alverez to fight in, because running isnt fighting ,when you speak of speed it is suppose to be the speed of hands and the foot work ,not the ability to duck and run ,that is not boxing that is show.
So you say!!!! Hmmmm?
This will be a no contest, camillo is the man of the day when It comes to boxing . One must be on the very top of his game and trout has a long long way to go. I have been watching boxing for 50 years running now and I know a champion when I see one, not holding a belt, holding some of the most fierce punching power I have ever wittnessed, alverez it the total package.End of story
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