Fifteen thousand fans will be allowed inside Hard Rock Stadium in Miami – home of the NFL’s Dolphins – to watch Canelo Alvarez fight Avni Yildirim on Saturday (DAZN).
And that’s OK with Alvarez.
The Mexican star’s title-winning fight against Callum Smith on Dec. 19 at the Alamodome in San Antonio had similar COVID-19-related restrictions. A reported 12,000 attended that event.
“They only let us put 15,000 people in because of the pandemic, but with that we are fine,” Alvarez said. “Last time in San Antonio it was around 12,000 and the stadium sounded like it was full.
“Let’s hope that normalcy will arrive soon, and the stadium can be filled, but with 15,000 I feel very good. And if there were 1,000 it would be the same. The support of the people is incredible, and I feel very grateful.
“You do feel the vibe of the fans when they are yelling and that motivates you much more, but you have to get into your head that in the end you are the only one up in the ring. I always prepare 100 per cent.”
Alvarez (54-1-2, 36 KOs) will be fighting in Miami for the second time. He stopped Raul Pinzon in the first round in 2008 at the Miccosukee Indian Gaming Resort, when Alvarez was 18 years old.
Miami has a large Latino community, which isn’t lost on the super middleweight titleholder.
“I feel very motivated to be in Miami and have this fight,” he said. “And to put on a great show for the people there because I don’t just represent Mexico, I represent all Latinos.
“I like everything about Miami and I am very happy to be here. It is an honor to fight at Hard Rock Stadium. I feel very excited, very happy. It’s even more motivation for me.
“To open another door in order to have another home for my fights, I really feel very happy.”
Alvarez won the WBA and WBC 168-pound titles by easily outpointing Smith. Yildirim (21-2, 12 KOs) is the mandatory challenger to the WBC title.
[lawrence-related id=18040,17675,17549,17532]