Undefeated Kazakh champion Gennady Golovkin and Mexican Saúl ‘Canelo’ Álvarez completed the pre-fight weigh-in session this Saturday and both put down 72,640 kilos on the scale.
The first to go up to the weigh-in at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas (Nevada) was Golovkin, 35, who was impassive, perfect, with a good boy’s smile and complete confidence.
He gave the weight limit established for the middleweight category and then it was the turn of Álvarez, 27, who, already on the scale, gave the same weight for his debut in the new division.
The Mexican boxer was also smiling, confident and calm in the midst of an exquisite atmosphere, of maximum education and respect between both boxers and their respective teams, who greeted each other in a cordial manner.
Golovkin will display his middleweight titles from the International Boxing Federation (IBF), the World Association (WBA) and the World Council (WBC).
The Hispanic promoter Oscar de la Hoya, owner of the Golden Boy Promotions company, which carries Álvarez’s interests, and the head of the programming of the evening and the fight, was in charge of always being by the side of both fighters.
After the usual face-to-face photo, Golovkin’s greater size was confirmed, but Álvarez in turn showed a great physique with great muscles.
At the end of the weigh-in, the Mexican reiterated that he is ready for the great fight, admitted that the options for victory are divided equally and that in the end the winner will be whoever is more intelligent on the ring.
“The fight will be a mixture of power, speed and intelligence,” declared Álvarez (49-1-1, 34 knockouts). «The one who best knows how to combine all these elements will win. “What I am very clear about is that I risk everything in combat and that is why I have prepared myself to the maximum.”
For his part, Golovkin reiterated that he has all the respect for Álvarez, that he is ready to make a great fight and that in the end, regardless of the winner, the great beneficiary of the fight will be the sport of boxing.
Golovkin, meanwhile, is a perfect 37-0-0 with 34 knockouts.
With thousands of fans, mostly Mexican, who witnessed the weigh-in and always supported Álvarez, the promoters of the fight confirmed that the capacity of the nearly 17,000 seats that the T-Mobile Arena has, tickets have been sold for several months. .
Quite the opposite of what happened with the fight between Floyd Mayweather junior and the Irishman Conor McGregor, who on August 26 fought in a fight that the world of boxing considered a “farce” and that could barely sell 14,464 tickets.
The price of tickets to see the Golovkin vs. Alvarez fight ranges from $ 2,500 and will be much higher for those who try at the last minute to get one on the resale market.
It is also expected that the sale of pay television will exceed two million buyers, who will have to pay $ 70 to watch the fight, which guarantees the promoters an economic success of the fight.
De La Hoya has already announced that part of the proceeds from the fight will make an important donation for all the victims of the victims left by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma as they pass through the states of Texas and Florida, respectively.
“We know the suffering of thousands of people who have lost everything and we will always be by their side,” said De La Hoya. “We are going to help as much as possible.” EFE