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SPORTS Saturday 15 december 2018

Canelo cannot afford slip in Garden bout against Fielding

By BARRY WILNER tioned about it, but it’s
AP Sports Writer clear Triple G is not fore-
NEW YORK (AP) — In an most on his mind.
odd way, there is more For now.
pressure on Canelo Alva- “It is no secret we want
rez when he fights Saturday to win this fight and then
night against unheralded come back to our division,
Rocky Fielding than there 160 pounds,” he said.
was in his two matchups “But we can make combi-
with Gennady Golovkin. nations between 160 and
A loss to the WBA super 168. We will see what the
middleweight champion future has ... but I can guar-
not only could taint his de- antee we will go back to
cision over Golovkin this 160 pounds.
year, it could significantly “We had two good fights
muddle the future for the ... maybe in 2019 we can
Mexican star. have a third fight. We’ll see.
Alvarez moves up from 160 Right now, I am 100 percent
pounds to 168 in search of focused on Saturday. What
a third division title, which I do know is I will fight in
would place him in special May and September next
company among his coun- year. What I will do is give
trymen — only eight others great fights to the public.”
have held three division NOTES: The main under-
crowns. That’s the quest at In this Oct. 17, 2018, file photo, boxers Canelo Alvarez, left, and Rocky Fielding pose for photos card fight of Canada’s
Madison Square Garden at Madison Square Garden in New York. David Lemieux against
against Fielding, a heavy Associated Press Tureano Johnson has been
underdog despite owning stealthily. It’s not likely that got some impressive vic- ing up in weight, to fight canceled after Lemieux
the belt. Fielding, making his first title tories on his resume. In ad- somebody who is used to was hospitalized with dehy-
“For me it is very big to enter defense, has seen anything dition to a win and draw fighting stronger fighters, dration issues while trying to
that select group of Mexi- like Canelo in the ring. over Golovkin, Alvarez has who is used to taking stron- make weight.
cans who have become Fielding upset Tyron Zeuge beaten Miguel Cotto, Amir ger punches,” Alvarez said. A former middleweight
three-division world cham- in Germany on July 14 with Khan, Erislandy Lara, Shane “I know the challenge, but champion, Lemieux always
pions,” Alvarez said. “It is a fifth-round knockout. This Mosley and Austin Trout. I like the challenge, and I has struggled to make the
what is motivating me. It is is his shot at the big time at More than a few observers am happy for it.” 160-pound limit. But he was
very important to enter into age 31 — sure sounds like a question whether Fielding Inevitably, Alvarez gets in line for a possible fight
that list of very big fighters Rocky story. could handle any of them, asked about a third bout with Alvarez if he fought im-
from Mexico ... to enter his- So while the only time he’s let alone Canelo. with Golovkin, considering pressively on Saturday.
tory, that is what I want, to seen a sports event at the But Alvarez is going from how close their previous In his last fight, he knocked
make history. Making histo- Garden was a Knicks game middleweight to super mid- two fights were, and the out Gary O’Sullivan in
ry, the door is almost open. three years ago — Alva- dleweight, which can be money and attention that the first round on the Al-
So I am very motivated to rez also is making his MSG dicey. would be there. He doesn’t varez-Golovkin card in
win this fight.” debut — Fielding isn’t let- “That’s the risk, to be mov- exactly shrug when ques- September.q
As for moving up in weight ting on if he has any stage
but down in class — no one fright.
is comparing England’s “You know, I went to Ger-
Fielding (27-1, 15 knock- many and no one gave
outs) to Golovkin — Alva- me a chance there,” he
rez insists there are no wor- said with a smile. “It’s the
ries. He’s not going to be same here. No one gives
looking ahead to his 2019 me a chance here, but I’ve
schedule just yet. prepared well, I believe in
“I never like to get overcon- myself. I’ve come here as a
fident, whether I am the fa- champion.”
vorite or not,” said Alvarez, Alvarez, 28, comes in as
who is 50-1-2, the only de- a much more heralded
feat to Floyd Mayweather champion. Some consider
five years ago, when Alva- him the best in the busi-
rez wasn’t quite ready for ness these days, and he’s
such a master boxer. “To
me it is not important who
is favored. For boxing, one
punch can change every-
thing; anything can hap-
pen in the ring.
I get my confidence in
training for what I can do in
the ring.”
What he can do in the ring is
punch with power, defend
with elan, attack quickly or