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SPORTSSaturday 16 January 2016
Alvarez hopes win against Pettis launches him to title shot
DAN GELSTON Eddie Alvarez fights against Donald Cerrone, in Las Vegas. Ed- close to home. tion.
AP Sports Writer die Alvarez is already thinking about his big post-fight meal at With his family in the stands, Both fighters refrained from
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Ed- one of his favorite local spots. But the Philly native has to get Alvarez said he would love alcohol during interviews at
die Alvarez got a kick out past Anthony Pettis at UFC Fight Night this weekend. to fight for a champion- a French cafe in Philadel-
of seeing the landmarks in ship and headline a card in phia. Felder even lugged
his Kensington neighbor- (AP Photo/John Locher) Philadelphia. Philadelphia his own gallon of water with
hood on the big screen in hasn’t been the site a card him, sipped black coffee
“Creed.” with or without Conor Mc- in Florida and moved back since UFC 133 in August and declined to eat from a
When the fictional fighter Gregor in the way — and to Philadelphia in January 2011, and the promotion’s basket of mixed breads.
Adonis Creed spars at Front beating Pettis can only so- 2015 to train year-round in only other show was UFC Playing the role of veter-
Street Boxing, it’s the same lidify his spot as a pay-per- the area. He boxes in Kens- 101 in August 2009. UFC is an mentor, Alvarez gave
gym where Alvarez got his view title contender. ington, between the lower looking at a return trip and Felder a training tip that
start at 8 years old. Alvarez’s “The only way I lose is if I northeast section of Phila- could run the Wells Fargo doesn’t necessarily include
padman, Ricardo McGill, make small, fundamental delphia and north Phila- Center for a major show or alcohol abstinence.
had a cameo. The beat- mistakes,” he said. “I just delphia, and has strength even a Fight Night at Tem- “Some Saturdays during
up bars and hardscrabble don’t see it.” and conditioning training in ple’s Liacouras Center. sparring, I have wine in my
streets all stirred emotions Alvarez hoped a return to New Jersey. Alvarez com- “Philadelphia is on the short water bottle,” Alvarez said.
for one of the UFC’s top his roots could help him re- mutes more than he did list of cities we’d like to visit “That is incredible, by the
lightweight contenders. turn to form. when trained in Florida, but in 2016,” UFC spokesman way. If you even want to
“Just seeing where I grew The 31-year-old Alvarez with a wife and four young Dave Sholler said. “We have a great Saturday, and
up, the streets, that was the ditched his training camp children, he wanted to stay don’t have a date secured your training has become
coolest part of ‘Creed’ for yet, but it’s on the radar monotonous, fill your bottle
me,” he said. and we are hopeful to up halfway with wine, don’t
Alvarez (26-4) wants to give make our return soon.” tell anyone and (go and)
Philly fight fans a real rea- Alvarez could even share spar.”
son to cheer when he takes the card again with Phila- Felder bust out laughing.
on Anthony Pettis (18-3) at delphia native Paul Felder. “Five minutes into spar-
UFC Fight Night 81 on Sun- “The Irish Dragon” fights ring, you’ll be whacked,”
day in Boston. Sunday on the Fight Pass Alvarez said. “Once your
Both fighters have plenty to prelim card against Daron blood’s pumping and, right
prove in the co-main event Cruickshank. Felder, com- after in between rounds,
of a stout card. Pettis, who ing off two straight losses, your first squirt, 8 minutes
made a splash after com- spent the last few weeks in and you won’t give a
ing over from WEC, fights training in Philadelphia. (darn) about anything. It’s
for the first time since he lost Like Alvarez, Felder (10-2) a fun, fun, Saturday.”
his lightweight title to Ra- credited his Philly upbring- Oh, Alvarez prefers an apo-
fael dos Anjos at UFC 185. ing for sparking a love of thic wine. He tried the bot-
Alvarez lost his UFC debut MMA. “The karate school tle once on friend Frankie
to Donald Cerrone in the I trained at when I was a Edgar and the UFC great
wake of a bitter split with kid saved me from sitting nearly threw up.
Bellator and is fighting for out on those steps and Both fighters promised
just the third time in three drinking 40s,” he said. He they’d cut loose and cele-
years. mixed training with acting brate with a night — or two
“I feel like it’s taken me a and earned roles in plays or three — on the town with
little while just to get com- staged at three major Phil- victories.
fortable and enjoy a UFC adelphia theaters. Felder Alvarez said the true happy
fight,” Alvarez said. “There’s has become friends with hour could come with a de-
been so much built-up anx- Rob McElhenney, one of cisive defeat against Pet-
iety and I hate fighting like the stars and creators of tis. “I don’t think it’s if I win
that. I think I’m settled down “It’s Always Sunny in Phila- against Anthony, it’s how
there and usually that’s delphia.” McElhenney, a I win that will determine a
where I do my best. Third noted MMA fan, lived for a title shot or not,” he said. “I
round is always my best, week in a fight ranch with have to do it in a manner
so I’ll call my third fight my Felder and Cerrone in Al- that warrants a title shot.
best.” Alvarez has his aim buquerque, New Mexico to Come Sunday, it has to be
on a championship bout — write a screenplay in isola- furious.”q
