Page 22 - ARUBA TODAY

A22 SPORTS
Tuesday 29 augusT 2017

Canelo-GGG to MayMac fans: We’ve got a real show for you

By GREG BEACHAM before the bout, declaring a spectacle. It was the
AP Sports Writer that Mayweather and Mc- most popular MMA fighter
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Oscar Gregor were “disrespect- against the most popular
De La Hoya had no desire ing the sport of boxing.” boxer. ... You shouldn’t sell it
to watch Floyd Mayweath- De La Hoya didn’t back as a real, competitive fight.
er Jr.’s victory over Conor down from that opinion But we were happy that it
McGregor last weekend. during public workouts in wasn’t a disaster to where
Neither did middleweight downtown Los Angeles for people would be down on
champion Gennady Go- Alvarez and Golovkin, who buying this fight.”
lovkin, who smirked at the attracted well over 1,000 Although Loeffler praises
idea of taking the time fans standing in 90-degree McGregor’s showmanship
away from his family. downtown Los Angeles and MMA skills, he likened
“I just thought it was a fraud, heat for four hours. the matchup to Muham-
and I still think it’s a fraud,” “Only Mayweather knows, mad Ali’s infamous 1976
De La Hoya said Monday. why it lasted 10 rounds,” fight with Japanese pro
But now that Mayweath- Boxer Gennady “GGG” Golovkin, left, spars with his coach Abel said De La Hoya, who lost a wrestler Antonio Inoki.
er’s farewell victory over Sanchez at an open-to-the-public media workout at L.A. LIVE in close fight to Mayweather “It was really more of an
the UFC champion went Los Angeles on Monday, Aug. 28, 2017. in 2007. “Obviously, May- exhibition,” Loeffler said.
off without a major embar- Associated Press weather is not the biggest “It wasn’t really a boxing
rassment for boxing, De who promotes Alvarez, or people who don’t watch puncher in the game. If match.”
La Hoya and fellow pro- to Loeffler, who guides Go- every big fight. there was a Canelo in But don’t mistake Loeffler
moter Tom Loeffler hope lovkin’s career. And if those casual fans there, obviously it would for an Oscar-style hater. He
their upcoming megafight “We were all pretty con- now want to see the best last one round.” thinks the long-term ben-
between Saul Alvarez and vinced that Floyd would that boxing has to offer, De Golovkin said he might efits of that short-term cu-
Golovkin will be carried win,” Loeffler said. “We La Hoya and Loeffler are watch the replay of May- riosity outweigh the draw-
to new heights by a surge were just hoping that it selling Mexico’s biggest star weather-McGregor this backs.
of interest created by the wouldn’t be a disaster against an unbeaten Ka- week, but didn’t seem terri- “The more boxing exposure
spectacle of the summer. where people were going zakh knockout artist for four bly interested. Alvarez, who we can get for the sport
If you liked Floyd and to say, ‘We’re never going middleweight title belts. took his only career defeat in general, the more fights
Conor, they think you’re to buy another pay-per- “I’m glad that so many against Mayweather in that can be made,” Loef-
going to love Canelo and view.’” people bought the fight so 2013, said he ordered the fler said.
Triple G. Loeffler and De La Hoya they can see what boxing pay-per-view, but “to see “It brought (boxing) to the
Golovkin meets Alvarez are both grateful that most is all about, and what box- a show, not a fight. I knew mainstream. It got a lot of
on Sept. 16 in the same casual sports fans seemed ing is all about is September what I was getting.” attention that many oth-
Las Vegas arena where to enjoy Mayweather’s 16th with Canelo and Triple “We weren’t negative on er events never have a
Mayweather stopped Mc- 10th-round stoppage vic- G,” De La Hoya said. that event,” Loeffler add- chance of getting. But I re-
Gregor in the 10th round tory: The unusual fight ap- De La Hoya sent out a fu- ed. “We just made it clear ally think (Alvarez-Golovkin)
last Saturday. The result was peared to be competitive, rious, profane tweet to his that this is the real box- is the highlight of boxing for
no surprise to De La Hoya, and it largely entertained 1.8 million followers one day ing match, and that was this year.”q

PLAYOFFS plaints from players.

Whether it returns depends
on if the PGA Tour wants to
Continued from Page 17 promise for entertain- risk another low turnout for
The occasion was that ment, with Johnson in the its most important stretch
make-or-lose par putt on final group and Spieth and of golf. Noise is one of the
the 18th hole at Glen Oaks Fowler right in front of him. most underrated aspects
Club that never looked like The crowds were thin and of golf, and one only has
it was going in until gravity relatively muted. Sunday to look back at Erin Hills
took over as it spun around was not much different, for the U.S. Open — where
the back side of the hole. even with Johnson and fans were kept some 80
Johnson took two steps to Spieth in what amounted yards away from the ac-
the right, then clenched to a four-hour duel. tion — to appreciate that.
his fist and gave it a half- Moments like that at The TPC Boston, site of next
thrust. Bethpage Black, and at week’s event, typically is
“I thought it was going to Ridgewood or Plainfield Dustin Johnson, right, lines up a putt on the 15th green across raucous over the Labor
miss and then it went in in New Jersey, would from Jordan Spieth during the final round of The Northern Trust Day weekend. Still to be
and ... yeah, it was weak have attracted a gallery golf tournament on Sunday, Aug. 27, 2017, in Old Westbury, N.Y. determined is whether
though, I have to say,” he that stood three-deep or Associated Press that’s still the case this
said. “But I was excited.” more. On this occasion, twice. Too much golf too with New Jersey. Or that year, knowing that the
Take his word for that. the crowd was barely soon for one area? Not in not enough people on Dell Technologies Cham-
The fans were excited, two-deep and surrounded greater New York. Long Island know about pionship is on its last week,
too. There just wasn’t very only the green, or halfway Another theory was that it Glen Oaks to be inspired as the tour heads toward
many of them. down the fairway. was a bad date with sum- to take long shuttles into a eliminating one of its play-
It was hard to ignore the Glen Oaks filled in this year mer winding down, though club so private that access off events to try to finish be-
lack of buzz at private Glen because the Presidents that wouldn’t explain the was shut off to any type of fore the NFL begins.
Oaks Club, located in an Cup will be played next big crowds at Bethpage taxi service. The quality of golf remains
elite section of Long Island month across from Man- last year or in 2012 on the The course was beautifully high, dismissing any notion
about 15 minutes away hattan at Liberty National, same date. Perhaps it’s manicured and pleasing that players are ready to
from Bethpage Black. which already has hosted because Long Island is lim- to play. There was never pack it in after the majors
The weekend held great the FedEx Cup opener ited in its reach compared going to be many com- are over.q