Kelly Swanson
Thank you, everybody, for joining us. We are definitely in fight mode for September 17th Star Power, and this is the second conference call in a series of four. Just to do a little homework before I turn this over to Richard Schaefer, upcoming events include a Victor Ortiz media workout next Tuesday, August 30th, followed by a Victor Ortíz media conference call Wednesday, August 31st.
Also Érik Morales will be having his media workout in Mexico on that same day. And the following week right after Labor Day we have the Floyd Mayweather media workout in Las Vegas on Tuesday, followed by his conference call on the 7th, and then that takes us into Fight Week. We will be supplying everybody with a full schedule of events, so please look for that, as well as transcripts for all of these calls.
Now to make the comments and introductions about Star Power and our participants today I’d like to turn it over to Richard Schaefer, Chief Executive Officer of Golden Boy Promotions. Richard.
Richard Schaefer
First, good afternoon to everyone. We just had a conference call with HBO where we were going through the Fight Week and our PR team all of the Fight Week activities, and I have to tell you I can’t wait. There’s going to be so much stuff going on during Fight Week, so if you can make sure you come in early. Every day is going to be filled with activities. I really can’t wait; it’s three and a half weeks to go to fight time.
And there is one fight on the card, which might steal the show, might steal the night, because both of these fighters, Canelo Álvarez and Alfonso Gomez, are action-packed fighters. They’re coming to fight, and it’s really great to have both fighters on the call today.
We had yesterday the media day up in Big Bear, in Canelo’s training camp. Almost 50 media members, I was told by Ramiro Gonzalez, were up there. Tremendous coverage for Canelo, as he continues his rise to superstardom in Mexico. But obviously one man who has something to say about that and is going to try to derail that train is going to be Alfonso Gomez.
I’d like to acknowledge now Team Gomez, Gary Gittelsohn, the Manager for Alfonso Gomez, and I would like to introduce and have Alfonso Gomez make some comments. His record is 23-4 and 2 with 12 KO’s. He was born in Guadalajara. He is coming off an amazing and impressive five-fight win streak with victories over Jesus Soto-Karass and Jose Luis Castillo. He has fought many great fighters, including Arturo Gatti, Ben Tackie, Jesse Brinkley, he’s ranked number six in the rankings, and on September 17th it’s going to be his second world title shot, but I think more importantly he is really pumped up and trying to derail that Canelo train. He knows what a victory over Canelo would mean. I know he’s training hard and he’s going to be ready for September the 17th. It’s a pleasure for me to introduce to you now Alfonso Gomez.
Alfonso Gomez
Thank you, Richard, and everybody listening. I’m just really happy to have this opportunity; there’s thousands and even millions of boxers who are looking for a chance like this, and I feel blessed and grateful that I got it. I don’t want to take any shortcuts in the training. I’m not taking anything for granted; I know that Canelo is a tough fighter, he is strong, he’s young, he’s determined, he has a great team behind him. So I’m putting all my efforts and all my work in the gym so on September 17th I won’t disappoint anybody, but most importantly I won’t disappoint myself in this second chance for a world title.
R. Schaefer
As we all know that that great showdown is going to take place in Los Angeles at Staples Center, and it will be available for the pay-per-view consumer as part of the big Star Power pay-per-view extravaganza, which will take place that night on September 17th distributed by HBO Pay-Per-View. And it includes, besides the Canelo/Gomez fight, of course as well Mayweather and Ortiz and Morales and Lucas Matthysse and Jesse Vargas versus Josesito Lopez. A great night to really celebrate our sport, the sport of boxing.
Tickets here at Staples Center are still available. They’re starting at $50, and for those people who are going to see it live at Staples Center they will be able to see as well right after the Canelo/Gomez fight they will get the live feed from Las Vegas where they can then see as well Mayweather and Victor Ortíz. The whole night the party is not going to be over; after the Canelo/Gomez fight at Staples Center courtesy of Tecate, which is the main sponsor for the entire card in Las Vegas and in Los Angeles, is going to feature two of the most prominent regional bands from Mexico continuing the celebration of the Mexican Independence night. And it’s going to be Los Tucanas de Tijuana and El Gran Silencio, which will perform live following the fights.
Now it is an honor for me, first of all, to acknowledge the two men, which have been behind Canelo from the very beginning from when he was a young boy going to the gym and have guided him so masterfully and skillfully to help him to become the big superstar he is now in Mexico. And that, of course, is José Chepo Reynoso, who is the Manager for Saúl Álvarez, and Edison Reynoso, who is the trainer, and it’s a pleasure for me to acknowledge them. They are up in Big Bear, of course, getting Canelo ready.
And now to the new star, the new superstar from Mexico, who really is becoming quickly an international sensation. He’s only 21-years young, he has a rock star like following, sells out the huge arenas in Mexico, and the same here in the United States. He’s clearly considered Mexico’s new boxing icon, has captured the WBC Super Welterweight title, and is now going for his second defense of that title against Alfonso Gomez. Here in American many call him the Mexican James Dean with his looks and his freckles and the red hair, of course. He is known by fight fans and fight aficionados south of the border and here in the United States as simply “El Canelo.” It’s an honor for me to introduce Canelo Álvarez. Canelo, por favor.
Canelo Álvarez
Hi, hello to everybody. I’m very happy and I’m working hard for this fight. I know it’s going to be a very good fight. Alfonso Gomez is a fighter that has a lot of heart, he has good experience, he throws very, very good combinations, and I think that he is going to win for this fight is going to be the fans. It’s going to be a great fight, don’t miss it, and I’m very happy.
R. Schaefer
Okay. Thank you very much, Alfonso. Thank you, Canelo. We are going to open it up now to the media for any questions.
Q
Canelo, you’re in Big Bear; it’s your second training camp up there. Obviously you’re feeling good; you’re probably seeing the difference now in training up there. Aside from this fight, obviously this is an important fight, but aside from this fight what are your sights set on for next year or maybe after this fight, are you willing to face the top guys, the top fighters? What plans do you have?
C. Álvarez
For me I’m not looking past this fight; for me this is the most important fight for me at this time, and hopefully I’m successful. We’ll see what comes next, but I’m just thinking about this fight. This is the most important fight for me at this time.
Q
The objective for this fight is to fill up the Staples Center?
C. Álvarez
My biggest objective is to win. I have to win this fight. Obviously I’m inviting everybody to come to support me like always, but my main objective is to win this fight. That’s the most important thing.
Q
Alfonso, now if I’m not mistaken you were born in Guadalajara correct? I think you live in Southern California now, but you grew up in Guadalajara correct?
A. Gomez
Yes.
Q
So and I believe that Canelo lives in Guadalajara and that’s his home area. And so other than the fact that this should be a good action fight because of the way you two guys go at it is there a sense, at least from your point of view, that it’s sort of like a rivalry fight because you’re both from the same Mexican city not just both from the same country?
A. Gomez
Well I don’t know if that’s the case, I just feel like he’s a great fighter. Like Richard Schaefer was saying, he has a rock star following down there, and that’s something that I’ve always wanted. And I feel like winning this fight will definitely give me a bigger name in Guadalajara, Jalisco, which is a dream come true for me since we’re both from there. My dad said it in the press conference in Texas, at the end of the day the title is still going to stay in Jalisco because we’re both from there, so that kind of tells you that the people from Jalisco, from Guadalajara, they’re great fighters, including myself, Canelo, and past champions like Chololo and Cobrita and etc. etc. etc. So-
Q
It would be great bragging rights then not only to be world champion, but also to have the bragging rights of your city.
A. Gomez
Of course. That’s something he has right now and that’s something that I want, so I’m training really hard to take it from him in a way so I can have a little bit of the cake he already has.
Q
Canelo the same question about just if you have any notion of besides this being a significant fight for you in your career as a world champion but also that you are is facing not only a fellow Mexican but somebody that is from his same home city. And if there’s any sort of sense of a rivalry because of that.
C. Álvarez
No, I don’t feel that at all. Rivalries are born inside the ring, and I don’t care if he’s from Guadalajara or if he was from anywhere else, my job is to go in the ring and to win, and that’s what I’m concentrating on. And I don’t feel it at all; I don’t feel no rivalry whatsoever.
Q
The fight that he has against Alfonso is on September 17th. That happens to be the same night that Julio César Chávez Jr. is also making his first defense of his middleweight belt, and of course everybody who follows this knows that there’s been a lot of discussion the possibilities of them facing each other and they both have big followings and are big stars in Mexico. The fact that their fights are on the same night could go at least whoever will get maybe a bigger audience or maybe there will be some sort of competition for who’s going to put on the best show right and like that. Does it even cross his mind about that and what does he think about the fact that he is fighting on the same night as Chávez, who has been built up as a potential rival for him?
C. Álvarez
No it doesn’t bother me at all. He has his fans. I have my fans. I’m going to go into the ring to do my job. It doesn’t matter; I don’t care about what he’s doing.
Q
Alfonso, when did you move from Mexico to California?
A. Gomez
I moved from Mexico to California when I was 11-years old.
Q
So where do you live now? Do you live in Orange County?
A. Gomez
Yes, I live in Anaheim, California. Yes.
Q
Alfonso, you know you’ve had a 10-year pro career now. You’ve had one world title shot; you were unsuccessful. I know that’s the dream of every fighter who gets pretty good. How much would a world title mean to you?
A. Gomez
Well it’s not only getting a world title, it’s getting a world title against a superstar like Canelo. My first try was against another superstar, which was Miguel Cotto. So fighting these mega fights for me are dreams come true. Unfortunately I wasn’t successful on my first try, yet the experience to be with a great champion like Miguel Cotto and gave me a lot of experience and gave me a lot of confidence to pursue that same dream. And so far I haven’t lost since then, so now I get my second try against another superstar like Canelo.
And for me that’s a dream come true, because if it’s about getting world titles there’s ways of doing it against lesser known opponents but I think my life story wouldn’t have it any other way but to actually go for the biggest fish out there, and in this case it’s Saúl Canelo Álvarez. So for me it’s not only a dream come true to become world champion, but to do it against a great champion like Saúl it adds to that satisfaction.
Q
Now do you think, and you kind of answered this partially, do you think you are more prepared and have a better chance of winning this world title, and if so how come?
A. Gomez
Yes there’s no doubt about it. For my first try against Miguel Cotto, like I say I never create excuses, but have a broken hand during training really didn’t prepare me properly for that fight. Nevertheless, in this instance I am 100% healthy, I am 100% motivated. And I feel like this is going to be a way for me to erase that loss that I had against Miguel Cotto since a lot of critics and a lot of media have said that the outcome of this fight is going to be similar to the outcome of the Miguel Cotto fight.
But they don’t know what was behind that loss, so for me it’s not going to be the same thing; it’s going to be different, it’s going to be action packed, it’s not going to be a one-sided fight. I believe that this is a great opportunity for me to show that on that Miguel Cotto night it was just a bad night for me. And like I say, I’m training real hard, there’s no injuries, no mishaps, so far the training has been excellent, and I have no doubt that that night is going to be 12 rounds of exciting boxing and I know I’m going to be the world champion.
Q
Alfonso, I have one more question for you if I may. One of the things that I’ve heard other boxing writers say, and of course we’re wrong a lot, is that Alfonso Gomez is a good fighter but maybe not quite good enough to be world champion, kind of one of those fighters we call a tweener, kind of in between. What do you say to those people who think that you’re good but not good enough to be a world champion?
A. Gomez
Well I really can’t say anything about it-I can only show them. Like I said, so far I’ve been trying my best to be world champion, just like every fighter, but the fact that I’ve been having these opportunities come up to me, the fact that I’m a very well known fighter all around the world that in itself is a great satisfaction to me. But obviously I need the icing on the cake; I really need that cherry on top of my cake, which is that world title fight. And like I said, this is a great opportunity to shut all those naysayers and all my critics and all the people to do it. Like I said, I really can’t say anything about it. There’s only way one to show it, and that’s September 17th, and I’m really focused in this to actually win this title fight so they can actually call me a champion and not a tweener or whatever it is called.
Q
Richard, what do you think-kind of the same question I just posed to Alfonso Gomez. There are a lot of people, and he even said it himself, there are a lot of people who think this outcome is going to be the same as it was against Miguel Cotto. That Alfonso doesn’t really have a serious chance of winning this fight, and that Saúl is not fighting the great guys yet and all that kind of stuff. What do you say to those people?
R. Schaefer
Well I don’t think they give Alfonso Gomez his just due. I mean every fight is always seems to be more important than the other one, but this one here there’s so much at stake for Alfonso’s career. There’s so much at stake, the bragging rights we were talking about, and I know that Alfonso is going to come and try to win and I think somebody who is as competitive as Alfonso is you can just never count him out.
And the same is for Canelo; he’s being criticized, and I remember Oscar was being criticized as well. When you are on top, when you are the number one idol and so on, then you always have these naysayers and you always have these critics out there, and Canelo is experiencing that now as well. The fact is when Canelo went in for his first title defense against Ryan Rhodes a few of your colleagues actually picked Canelo to lose because that was a very, very tough test, and look what he’s done with Ryan Rhodes. Canelo finds a way to step up to the challenges.
And he knows headlining, headlining at Staples Center, one of the premier venues not just in the United States but in the world where the famous Lakers play, for him to be the headliner there can you imagine the additional pressure that gives to a 21-year old fighter? Look what happened when Victor Ortíz headlined at Staples Center against Marcos Maidana. So the question is is Canelo ready to deal with these pressures. And this is a dangerous fight for him, and Canelo has everything to lose and Alfonso Gomez has everything to gain.
And this is exactly these kinds of fights, like with Victor and Maidana, this is where the danger is, and that’s why people would be well advised not to underestimate Alfonso Gomez in that fight and realize the added pressure Canelo has. So a very, very evenly matched fight. It’s a dangerous fight for Canelo and Canelo knows that, that’s why he has been really dedicated himself up in Big Bear to the training camp.
Q
Canelo, the Baldomir fight was kind of a litmus test and perhaps your most defining fight given Baldomir’s track record and the fact that Baldomir was kind of talking trash as if he’s going to teach this young guy a lesson in the ring.
C. Álvarez
You know what, I don’t think it was my toughest fight. I’ve had other tougher fights; at least three other ones that I feel were tougher fights. But it goes to show, like I always say, I like to do my talking in the ring. Yes, he was talking, he said he was going to do this and that, but I like to do my talking in the ring and I think I proved that I was better than him. But I don’t think that it was my toughest fight.
Q
Which fight or fights do you think was either tougher and/or more rewarding and why?
C. Álvarez
Well you know there’s been like three guys that I consider: Euri Gonzalez, Michel Rosales, and Ryan Rhodes. Ryan Rhodes I might have made it look a little easy, but it wasn’t easy in there; these guys were tough guys, they were able to take my punch, and they kept coming. So I think that those fights were tough.
Q
Okay. The next two questions I have one for Alfonso. Alfonso, would you consider this fight- You had said in a couple interviews that they think you’re going to be easy because you’re moving up in weight and some other things. Why is this fight the perfect storm, so to speak, for you to show how good you are as a fighter?
A. Gomez
You know what, I don’t consider myself a great fighter. I might not have the power that other fighters have, the speed, the KO’s, but I do give 100% and I feel that I work hard, maybe harder than anybody else. I train hard in the gym, I give everything of myself in every fight, and I throw many, many punches, and that’s been very successful for me. And that’s all I can do and that’s the type of fighter I am.
Q
Richard, I guess this is more directed towards you. At the time he fought Baldomir, and I think, Eric, you were saying the same thing, that Baldomir was kind of a scary guy, he’s a tough guy, he’d gone the distance with Vernon Forrest and Floyd Mayweather. How do you view that performance; do you consider it maybe a breakout performance even if he doesn’t, one that kind of really kind of let the world know what he’s capable of?
R. Schaefer
Well you know it was exactly a year ago from Staples Center, as a matter of fact as well, when it was the fight right before the Shane Mosley/Mora bout, and in many ways I think it was like the coming out party for Canelo here in the United States. And a lot of people have heard his name, have heard about him, and I think it was the first time a lot of people here in the United States really got to see Canelo Álvarez, and what a first impression it was, I mean he clearly stole the night. And I think that was the first impression, and as they say first impressions count, and so I think we were all so impressed with his performance.
But if you think what he has done since then within a short period of time, within a year, captured the world title, defended it against a very tough guy, and now headlining at Staples Center it really is like amazing what Canelo has done as a 20, 21-year old young man in the career of just one year.
Eric Gomez
Yes, I mean obviously when we first discussed the fight I feel that we have a great team of matchmakers when it comes to Saúl Canelo Álvarez headed by Oscar himself, he gets very involved, Don Chargin, Roberto Diaz. When we get together and we discuss fights for Canelo we’re always obviously we’re being very careful, but we want him to get the experience. And when we did that fight with Baldomir we all knew it was a risk, it was a risky fight because Baldomir if there’s one thing he has he has a chin and he keeps coming and you have to be in great shape to fight Baldomir. What he did was very, very impressive, it was incredible, because you can see Baldomir coming after him, but he was trying to set him up for something big and then all of a sudden Saúl catches him and it was game over.
So I think that it was a great experience for everybody, it was a great experience for him, and he’s developing nicely. Obviously we feel the same way now with this fight. Alfonso’s a tough guy; this is probably the toughest fight he’s ever had. But you have to do this, you have to develop the fighters, and he’s ready, he’s got to be ready for these kinds of fights.
R. Schaefer
Yes. You know what I want to just quickly add to that is I think Carlos Baldomir said it best after the fight when he spoke to us, to Oscar, and he said you know what in all the fights I had I’ve never been hit as hard as I’ve been hit by Canelo. That statement coming from Carlos Baldomir just shows you how special Canelo is.
Q
My first question is for Alfonso. You’re going against a bigger fighter so how have you changed your training to prepare for a move up in the weight class as opposed to other fights?
A. Gomez
There’s no real change. I’m just training hard; I’m training harder than ever. The weight’s not going to be an issue; I’m probably four pounds over the weight limit right now, so that’s not an issue. I have been training with bigger guys because he is a bigger fighter, so I’ve been training with bigger guys, guys that are heavier than me so that when I fight the night of the fight I won’t feel that much of a difference. But there’s no real secret, just been training real hard for the fight.
Q
For Canelo, how do you prepare for the fight knowing that it’s such a big fight within the U.S. headlining at Staples Center and being with the same names as Mayweather and Morales? How have you been able to focus on your training and not let kind of that aspect affect you and just focus on Gomez instead of everything else around the fight?
C. Álvarez
No, you know what I’m concentrating just on the fight. I’m concentrating on Alfonso, and I’ve been able to do well just concentrating on that. I know it’s an important night of boxing, I know it’s a big pay-per-view, but it motivates me, that motivates me. But as far as the fight itself I’ve been concentrating on Alfonso and I don’t worry about the rest.
Q
One last question for both fighters, this is a night of Mexican Independence and it’s a fight that has been very much geared towards the Mexican audience. So how does it affect you knowing that you’re the big kind of Mexican fight, and how do you feel knowing that the fans are probably looking to your fight above the other ones in that sense and you’re kind of representing the country?
A. Gomez
I feel it’s an honor for me; it’s an honor for me to be fighting a champion like Saúl Canelo Álvarez. And obviously we feel that this fight is going to take up a lot of the attention for the night of boxing because you have two Mexicans in there; two Mexicans that are going to go to war. They’re going to make a great fight, and I think we’re going to steal the show and that’s what we’re looking forward to. But it’s an honor to be fighting on Independence Day and to be fighting with a fellow Mexican, and we’re going to make a great fight.
C. Álvarez
No, you know what I’m very happy, I’m very happy, and I’m becoming accustomed to fighting on these big dates; I’ve done it before. And these dates are very important for Mexico, and I love the fact that I’m representing my country. And no, I do it with a lot of honor and I feel very happy.
Q
Richard, what makes Canelo this crossover star? And with the language barrier is that a problem in marketing him here?
R. Schaefer
It’s really not a problem, because Canelo is learning English and I’m learning Spanish so it’s really not a problem. But sometimes the language barrier is really not a barrier because if you can entertain the crowds and the people with the way you fight and what you stand for and how humble you are and where you came from. And let’s not forget the ladies if you can bring in the ladies because of your looks, I think that’s a great step to really make a mark, of course not just in Mexico but here in the United States as well.
And I think that’s why when you look at Canelo the way he has been able to sell out the Honda Center when he fought here in Los Angeles against Matthew Hatton or if you look at the television ratings, which he is bringing in with HBO from his very first performance on HBO. I think that just shows you that the American public, Hispanic or not, male or female, they are all embracing Canelo Álvarez. And he realizes that obviously learning English is important as he is going to start getting involved with sponsorships and things like that and really making an ever bigger mark here in the United States, so he is taking very actively English classes and pretty soon we are going to do all these interviews here in English.
Q
Richard, I think you’ve talked about this before I think, but can you talk about the mindset of having this duel card and having him headline in Staples Center do you believe at this point in time he’s too big of a star just to be the under card?
R. Schaefer
Well I mean that’s for sure; Canelo Álvarez is no under card fighter he’s a main event. And Los Angeles is his town; we think it is very important for Canelo to capture that market here in Los Angeles. More than half of the people now are Hispanic, for Hispanics boxing is in their DNA, and Canelo is whom they look forward to. It is amazing how Los Angeles really has become Canelo Álvarez’ home away from home, and I think that was important to us when we signed Canelo to have him really capture the Los Angeles market. Los Angeles has been waiting for the next great star they can really embrace, and especially since Oscar had retired, and that’s what they get here. They have Canelo now and they are fully supportive of him.
Q
Real quick last question for Alfonso. Alfonso, you called Canelo a great champion, but to a certain extent do you believe there’s a lot of hype surrounding him, especially when you’re dealing with someone who is being called James Dean and all this kind of stuff? Do you believe there is some hype there, too?
A. Gomez
You know I don’t think it’s that much of hype. Yes, there’s some marketing behind him, but you’re not going to become a world champion by staying on the couch. You know what, he’s earned it, he’s earned it, and he can fight, and that’s what it takes to be a world champion. And a lot of the hype behind him it is because of his fighting, it’s not just because of the marketing. I feel that if I beat him in this fight I’m hoping I can steal some of the fame and some of the following. But no, I respect him and I consider him a good fighter and a good champion.
R. Schaefer
Well I totally echo that, and I think that’s why this is such an intriguing fight; the style from Alfonso Gomez is very similar to the style of Canelo. They come to fight, they come to entertain, and they know how to capture the public’s interest. Alfonso did that when he became the attraction and the fan favorite when he was on The Contender; it’s because what he stands for and how he fights, and Canelo is exactly the same. Let me just say that.
The last fight Canelo had in Mexico almost 40 million people watched him. Numbers don’t lie-40 million people. And I talked to the head of Televisa Sports, Ricardo Perez Teuffer, and he was telling me that right before Canelo’s fight they had the semi-final gold cup with the Mexican National team, Mexico was playing Honduras, and Canelo Álvarez his rating on Televisa was bigger than the national soccer team of Mexico. I’m not making that up, Televisa told me themselves. So these numbers don’t lie and there is no hype, there is really fact with Canelo that the people just love him.
Q
What makes you think that you can beat Saúl Canelo Álvarez? So many have tried, all these other opponents have tried; what is it that you’re going to offer, why is it that you feel you can beat him?
A. Gomez
Look I’m not sure what they thought or what they had in their head, I can’t speak for those other guys, but I know what I’m thinking and I know that I can win this fight. I’m going to fight the full and hard with everything I have. I’m ready to go 12 rounds hard. And this is my future; this is probably one of my last opportunities to win a world title, and that’s what I have in my head and that’s what I’m thinking.
I want a better future for my family, I want a better future for my wife and my daughter, and I’m going to go in that ring like it’s my last fight. I’m willing to die in the ring just like a true Mexican. And obviously people are saying that it’s going to be a tough fight, but I don’t care. I’m going to go in that ring and I’m going to be possessed, I’m going to go in there like a demon, and that’s what I have to do to become a world champion and that’s what’s going to make me victorious.
Q
Do you consider yourself a better fighter than Baldomir, Ryan Rhodes, Matthew Hatton?
A. Gomez
You know I can’t really say that. I feel that I’m more determined. I don’t like to think that I’m a better fighter than them, but I’m probably smarter and I’m more determined. That’s basically what it is–I’m more determined. I know that this fight is going to secure my future. I know that this fight is everything to me; it’s what’s going to put food on my table. I’ve been fighting for 20 years, I’m 30-years old now and this is one of my last opportunities here, and I understand that so I’m going in there like I’m possessed. And I have full dedication to this fight and I know what the implications are with the victory, so that’s what I have to say.
Q
“In your last time you fought at the Staples Center your last fight there you had a great knockout against Baldomir, probably the best knockout you’ve had or the highlight knockout of your career. Is that what you’re training for, is that what you’re trying to do, is that what you’re going to be looking for when you fight Alfonso Gomez?”
C. Álvarez
Obviously a knockout’s spectacular; that’s what everybody wants to see, that’s what the fans want to see, that’s what the people watching on TV want to see. Everybody wants a knockout. And it’s great if I can do it, but I’m not looking towards that. If the knockout comes it comes. I train for every fight 12 rounds and I’m going to be ready to go 12 rounds. I won’t be looking for the knockout, but if it comes great.
Q
Saúl, did it bother you when they changed the date for Chávez Jr., and it’s going to be on the same night that you’re fighting, did that bother you at all?
C. Álvarez
No, not at all. Like I said it before, it doesn’t bother me at all. I have my fans, he has his fans, and the people that are going to follow me they’re going to follow me and whoever wants to follow him can follow him. It doesn’t bother me at all.
Q
There’s a lot of speculation, a lot of rumors that the promoters are talking for a Chávez fight in the near future, maybe some time next year. What do you know about it, are you looking forward to that?
C. Álvarez
Look I don’t know; I don’t know, I have no idea. The only thing on my mind right now is Alfonso Gomez. That’s what’s in front of me. If my promoters are talking and if they’re trying to work something out great and all they have to do is just let me know the time, the date, and I’ll be ready for that. But right now I’m concentrating on Alfonso Gomez, and that’s what’s ahead of me.
Q
You know also Érik Terrible Morales will be fighting on the same night. Do you think that the fans are going to want to follow you more than him as well?
C. Álvarez
I don’t know, I really don’t care. I’m going to fight. I’m going to do my fight and people can follow him and that’s great and they can follow me. It’s the same night of boxing, so it doesn’t really bother me. I really don’t think about it.
R. Schaefer
Well that’s the beauty of it. Since it’s all on one pay-per-view fans don’t have to pick they can see everything.
Q
First question I have for Canelo. Canelo, especially in the last year or two you fought a lot of very experienced fighters who have a lot more championship fights than you. Can you tell us what you think the experience factor is going to be when you’re fighting Alfonso Gomez, who has fought and beaten people like Arturo Gatti and Ben Tackie and Soto-Karass and Castillo and a bunch of others?
C. Álvarez
You know what, yes, of course he has a lot of experience. He has a lot of experience, but you know what, so do I; I have a lot of experience as well. I have nearly 50 fights, and I feel that I have a lot of experience. And like I said, this is going to be a great fight. It’s going to be a great fight, and I think that the winners are going to be the fans when they see this fight.
Q
Canelo, you just accomplished an enormous amount at a relatively young age today in boxing and you seem to be getting better in terms of technique as the fights go on. Not everybody at your at, at 21, does that. What has been key for you in showing that maturing in the ring?
C. Álvarez
Well, you know what, the dedication, the dedication, and I’m constant, and I’m always in the gym, so that’s helped me tremendously. I like to learn and I could teach myself after every fight. I like to watch videos; I see all the errors I made, I try to correct them, and I love watching videos. And I love it, I love boxing, it’s in my heart, and that’s what I feel that’s made me better and get better.
Q
For Alfonso, obviously the fight is being mainly built up with Canelo and getting the main attention to it. You’re obviously confident you’re going to be able to win in this fight. Tell us what you’ve seen about him that makes you think that you can win in this fight.
A. Gomez
Yes, obviously the whole attention, the whole promotion seems to be around Canelo Álvarez. Look I’ve been training hard. I’m training hard and I’ve become better as well; I’ve become a lot better as well through trial and error, I’ve become a lot better from my losses, I became a lot better through blood sweat, tears, everything. And I’m training like never before in this fight. I’m not saying it’s going to be an easy fight, it’s going to be a tough fight, but I’ve improved in many things, I’ve corrected a lot of my errors, and I just feel that I’m a better fighter from when I was back from some of the losses I had. So obviously it’s going to be a tough fight, but I just feel that I’m going to be victorious.
Q
Do you think some of those recent fights that you’ve had with veteran fighters has really improved your game as well in the ring after the Cotto fight?
A. Gomez
Yes, yes, of course I’ve learned from those fights, I’ve learned tremendously. You look at my record I haven’t lost since the Cotto fight, and after The Contender I’m at eleven and one with the only loss coming to Cotto, so I’ve become a lot better. I’ve become faster. I’ve become stronger. And yes, you learn from those fights. I think that I really rededicated myself to boxing and I’m training a lot harder now, 100%, and I’m giving everything, all of it to boxing. So this is a great opportunity for me, and I’m not taking it lightly. I’m studying videos of him. I’m studying my own videos trying to figure out my errors to see what he sees in me, and that’s what’s made me a better fighter. And I have so much experience now I feel that this is what’s going to help me win the fight.
R. Schaefer
Thank you very much, and I want to thank both fighters and just make a few final comments.
Look there’s no question that this is the single biggest fight card we have ever promoted. All of these fights, and you heard it today from those two fighters today already they are, they are evenly matched fights, which without doubt will provide firework in the ring. It’s an accumulation of main events all put together in one historic night, Star Power on September 17th on HBO Pay-Per-View.
Records, and I always say that records are here to be broken and I will not rest until we break the De La Hoya/Mayweather record, which currently stands at 2.487 million pay-per-view homes sold in one night. Ladies and gentlemen, we are on track to break this record based on little signs, which are starting to pop up here and there, and they all tell us the same and follow the same pattern, and in comparing it to the De La Hoya/Mayweather numbers they tell us record. Closed circuit numbers, closed circuit locations, participating bars and restaurants all indicate new records numbers. Sponsors activations, conversions from our sponsors for radio, TV, billboards, and so on over $15 million, including the participation of a record 3,000 movie screens across the nation. That’s double the number, by the way, of what we had for Mayweather versus Oscar, and all these 3,000 screens are going to very heavily promote the event. Ticket requests from celebrities, media credential requests, foreign interest.
Pay-per-view in England, in Australia, in Canada, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Spain now as well, and French Canada, for the first time a French language pay-per-view feed in Canada, another 164 countries. And then listen to that one, due to the tremendous volume of calls the satellite providers and cable operators are already getting now, I mean usually people order the pay-per-view the day of the event, but people are already calling now that they have decided for the first time ever to open up the ordering window for the pay-per-view following 24/7 this weekend. For the first time following the first episode of 24/7 people are going to be able to order the pay-per-view already.
So you look at all these signs we are excited, we can’t wait. It all starts. Records are to be broken, but it all starts with the fights, with the quality of fights, and as I said, this is the best card we have ever put together right here with this fight, Canelo Álvarez against Alfonso Gomez, having the opportunity and the potential to steal the night.
Thank you, everyone. Thank you. Gracias, Canelo. Gracias, Alfonso, and I see you guys soon.
END OF CALL
