Canelo Alvarez is angry.
Angry after losing a wide decision to Dmitry Bivol in May and angry at Sept. 17 opponent Gennadiy Golovkin for what the Mexican star described as ongoing disrespect. And he promises to take out that anger on his longtime rival, whom he will face at 168 pounds at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Alvarez guarantees a knockout after drawing with and then outpointing Triple-G in 2017 and 2018.
“It’s personal for me,” Alvarez said in English at a news conference Friday in Los Angeles. “This is the way I am. I don’t pretend to be another person or say things in the media or in another place and then … pretend I don’t say anything.
“… He talks a lot of things. You know, guys. That’s why it’s personal. I just can’t wait to be in that ring.”
Golovkin (42-1-1, 37 KOs) drew Alvarez’s ire when he called him a drug cheat after he failed a doping test and was suspended, which delayed their second fight. That undoubtedly has stuck with Alvarez.
And Golovkin has suggested more than once over the past four years that Alvarez has been avoiding a third meeting between the two, to which Alvarez has also taken exception.
“He’s two different people,” Alvarez said. “He pretends to be a nice guy, but no. He’s an a–hole. He pretends to be a nice guy, to be happy. Then in another place he talks a lot of s—. It is what it is. Be a man and say what you say.”
Golovkin seems to be baffled by his opponent’s attitude. As far as the 40-year-old Kazakhstani is concerned, they buried whatever bad blood they had between them by shaking hands after their second fight.
He was asked whether he respects Alvarez (57-2-2, 39 KOs) and responded in Russian.
“You know if we take my opponent’s achievements I believe he did great,” Golovkin said through a translator. “I’m a big fan of boxing. From that standpoint, I respect him a lot. As for him saying that it’s personal, I really don’t understand what he’s talking about.
“After the second fight, we shook hands. I believed we put everything behind us back then. If he says he still has something against me … that’s his problem, not mine.”
To that, Alvarez said: “That’s what I think [after] that fight, I think the same way. We shake hands. After that, he started talking. It doesn’t make sense. It is what it is. I’m glad to be here. I can’t wait.”
And, obviously, the setback against Bivol gnaws at Alvarez. He was a significant favorite yet lost a wide decision to the light heavyweight champion, only the second setback in his long career. Floyd Mayweather outpointed him in 2013.
He was asked during the news conference whether he’s hungrier than ever after his disappointment. He responded without hesitation: “More dangerous than ever.”
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