Canelo Alvarez vs. James Kirkland Promises Great Violence
Punishing sluggers Saul Alvarez and James Kirkland are set to lock horns later this year, and the ensuing violence is already simmering hotter than Canelo's cinnamon-red hair.
Originally announced via Alvarez's official Twitter account, Golden Boy Promotions president Oscar De La Hoya confirmed some of the details Saturday, via ESPN.com's Dan Rafael:
"The scheduled 12-round bout, which will be at a contracted maximum weight of 155 pounds, likely will take place May 2 either at the Alamodome in San Antonio or the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, De La Hoya said.
De La Hoya said the fight will be live on HBO, not on pay-per-view.
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This isn't the first time, however, a fight between these two men has been announced. They were set to fight in September 2012 before Kirkland pulled out with a shoulder injury.
He hasn't stepped foot inside the ring in more than a year for one reason (money) or another (it's the money) since beating Glen Tapia in late 2013.
So long as he pulls through this time around (which, admittedly, is no guarantee), a fight between him and Canelo promises serious action.
It's not the Mexico vs. Puerto Rico superfight between Alvarez and Miguel Cotto that fell apart for good last week, but it will do.
Explosive
Canelo Alvarez (44-1-1, 31 KO) is a boxer-puncher by trade but a seething warrior by heart.
In his 46 professional fights, he has faced a wide array of opposition from complex southpaws (Erislandy Lara, Austin Trout) to former world and European-level champions (Shane Mosley, Ryan Rhodes).
But he's yet to square off with a real puncher of merit like Kirkland.
Familiar with The Mandingo Warrior's exciting style, De La Hoya continued to tell Rafael what he plans to name the event: "We'll probably call the fight 'Explosive,' because that is exactly what it will be."
Kirkland (32-1, 28 KO) has a penchant for violence that's been sorely missed.
His 28 knockouts include handing Joel Julio the first stoppage loss of his career and two incredible displays of power over granite-chinned brawlers Brian Vera and Alfredo Angulo.
Kirkland is a vicious southpaw who can send world-class boxers to the canvas with either hand. Two left hands knocked the swarming nightmare Carlos Molina down late in their fight, and a spectacular left uppercut-overhand right combo did the same to Vera.
All the same, Alvarez possesses his own two-fisted attack and 31 knockouts to his name. The Mexican superstar is a stinging combination puncher whom striking analyst Jack Slack described as "one of the more creative offensive fighters in the world."
When he opens fire on Kirkland, though, the Texas native will have more artillery to send back than any opponent Canelo has ever faced.
This fight has warfare written all over it.
"El Perro" Angulo
Canelo is no stranger to fighting southpaws, earning (albeit close) decision wins over "No Doubt" Trout and the slick Lara. Kirkland, never the technician those former titlists are, might be tailor-made for the more accurate-punching Mexican. And he's always been a bit chinny, especially in the early rounds.
Kirkland's infamous upset knockout loss to Nobuhiro Ishida in 2011 came in the first round. It was a pair of right crosses that felled him twice.
It's the same punch that Allen Conyers and "El Perro" Angulo dropped him with in Round 1 of their fights.
Not to be mistaken as delicate, The Mandingo Warrior lived up to his moniker to storm back to win both of those bouts, thanks in large to fine conditioning under trainer Ann Wolfe.
His scuffle against Angulo—the only common opponent between Kirkland and Canelo—was particularly thrilling.
After hitting the deck in the first minute of the fight, Kirkland managed to survive the ensuing onslaught from Angulo and even send the Mexican toppling over to the ground to close what ESPN.com and The Queensbury Rules boxing blog called the best round of 2011.
The remaining five rounds were all Kirkland, as he blasted El Perro with relentless combinations until referee Johnny Callas had no choice but to call an end to the bout.
Alvarez, too, owns a TKO over Angulo. There was no back-and-forth action in this one, though—it was a straight bludgeoning. Angulo found virtually zero success against his younger, swifter opponent.
The end came in Round 10 by way of a sky-piercing uppercut that shook Angulo so badly he seemed to freeze in time.
Destructive wins over such a case-hardened combatant are a testament to Alvarez and Kirkland's KO prowess.
Remember the Alamo
As De La Hoya mentioned, the announced contest doesn't yet have an official home. But taking the fight to San Antonio, Texas, makes too much sense to pass up.
It would also fall in line with what Steve Kim of the Undisputed Champion Network tweeted about Golden Boy Promotions and how it should set up some big fights this year in the home of the Alamo:
Alvarez has fought in San Antonio before. A ruckus crowd nearing 40,000 flocked to the Alamodome to see him and Trout clash in 2013.
Growing up an hour way in Austin, Kirkland is also familiar with the Alamo City, fighting three times there—including his professional debut.
Some of the greatest fighters of all time make up the Alamodome's rich boxing history. Champions of lore like Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao, Evander Holyfield, Julio Cesar Chavez and Pernell Whitaker have exhibited their gloved expertise in the stadium.
Canelo guarantees big attendance numbers just about anywhere he goes. That's especially true in San Antonio, and the surefire melee set to go down against Kirkland would be a welcome addition to the city's fistic history.
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