Boxers To Clash In 154-Pound World Championship Unification Fight
WBC SUPER WELTERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION.
CANELO ALVAREZ AND WBA SUPER WELTERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION AUSTIN “NO DOUBT” TROUT OFFICIALLY SET TO UNIFY 154-POUND DIVISION ON SATURDAY, APRIL 20 AT THE ALAMODOME IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS LIVE ON SHOWTIME®
The Texas Three-Step is over for popular, unbeaten Mexican superstar and WBC Super Welterweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez and undefeated WBA Super Welterweight Champion Austin "No Doubt" Trout, who completed their highly successful three-city, two-day press tour in Texas on Thursday.
To infer that the three press conferences, all open to the public, were smashing successes would be an understatement.
Fans lined up around the building to get into the McAllen Convention Center in McAllen, Texas, to watch the press conference late Thursday afternoon, the final stop of the Press Tour. Nearly 1,000 of them had assembled in the room by the time Golden Boy Promotions President Oscar De La Hoya stepped to the dais to begin the proceedings.
Earlier Thursday, more than 500 fans flooded the food court at PlazAmericas Mall in Houston for the press conference. On Wednesday, the tour began in the fight's host city of San Antonio, at the fight's venue, the Alamodome, where approximately 1,500 fans attended
At each location, the boxers obliged the adoring fans with autographs and posed with them for pictures.
In an eagerly anticipated matchup of talented, exciting, unbeaten boxers, Canelo (41-0-1, 30 KO's), of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, will take on Trout (26-0, 14 KO's), of Las Cruces, N.M., in a 154-pound world title unification fight on Saturday, April 20 at the Alamodome in San Antonio live onSHOWTIME® (10:00 p.m. ET/ 7:00 p.m. PT).
Canelo vs. Trout is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, Canelo Promotions and Leija & Battah Promotions and the fight is presented in association with Greg Cohen Promotions. The event is sponsored by Corona and AT&T.
CANELO ALVAREZ, WBC Super Welterweight World Champion
"I'm very humbled by the attendance (at the press conferences). I get goose bumps when I get up here with everyone cheering. I want to thank you for your support. I'll be prepared as always. We'll be ready. Texas has a great vibe. The people here have a great vibe and that definitely helps me. It's a pleasure to fight at the Alamodome. This place has so much history. I fight for my people. They're my inspiration. I carry a great deal of responsibility on my shoulders, because I carry the hopes and dreams of my people. I'm undefeated and my record is thanks to my people, who support me every step of the way.
"I'm very happy to be in Texas. This is the very first time I'm fighting here and I can already tell I like it. I like San Antonio because it has so much history and so many boxing fans. I want to thank to all my fans for supporting me. On April 20, if God provides, the crowd will be on my side.
"We are working hard. My team and I are focused 100 percent on my opponent. I have great respect for Austin Trout and what he has been able to achieve. This fight is a complicated one. He's not only tough but a lefty and he also knows how to keeps his guard with his left. He's a very intelligent fighter, young, skilled and tough. It's not going to be an easy task to beat him, but we're working hard and getting ready. I respect Trout outside of the ring, but once he's in the ring, that's a whole different thing.
"This fight for me is personal. I know Trout beat my brother. I was there that day and that made me feel helpless. Now I'll get the chance to avenge his loss and bring him up to the ring with me when I win.
"Like in life, in sports, there are critics and skeptics. There's always going to be someone criticizing you. To fight Trout is not going to quiet down criticism against me, but I honestly don't mind it. I think all criticism is constructive.
"My daughter motivates me to be better and not to fail.
"I'm ready to fight Floyd Mayweather when he's ready to fight me."
AUSTIN TROUT, WBA Super Welterweight World Champion
"I was born in El Paso, Texas. This is where I'm from. I've been around Latinos all my life and I can say I feel like one of you. Boxing is never going to be dead when there are fans like this (in Texas). It's a sport that is 200 years old, but when you have a fight like this you know it is alive and well. Mark my words, on April 20, Texas will win.
"I want to thank the fans. The fans demanded this fight and made it happen. I believe that Canelo is a great champion. I have to thank him for making this happen. I want to thank the Lord, because I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Him.
"I'm a fast, hungry champion. I don't believe that Canelo is the second coming of Oscar De La Hoya. I do believe that I'm the better fighter. If I didn't think I could be victorious, I wouldn't be risking my life and limb to face this man. I wouldn't be risking my undefeated record and my belt if I didn't believe in myself. I'll be victorious and I'll go home as the unified champion.
"Someone's '0' has got to go. It sure as hell isn't going to be mine and I'm sure he is saying the same thing. That's the formula for a great fight. [Hip-hop artist] Drake said it best, 'Started from the bottom, now we're here. Started from the bottom, now my whole team's here.'
"I know that Canelo is a hungry champion. I'm not just hungry. I'm starving. I'm ready for April 20."
♔EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess♔, See you at the Fights and Thank You for your time.
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