Oscar De La Hoya, who knows all about the process of posturing and negotiating for major pay per view fights, and so generally he knows whereof he speaks. And the owner and founder of Golden Boy Promotions says that he is absolutely confident that Floyd Mayweather, the undefeated welterweight champion who just dominated Robert Guerrero in a fight that did not bring much aesthetic praise,. wants to fight Canelo Alvarez, the junior middleweight who brings charisma and a big Latin following with him in what could potentially be the biggest pay per view grosser of 2013.
De La Hoya told a Spanish publication in Los Angeles that Alvarez is “motivated” and “wants that fight,” which is no surprise. Certainly there is no question he wants to fight Mayweather, and that would make perfect sense, because that is where his career-best payday is located.
The trick, as always, is getting Floyd Mayweather to sign on the dotted line, and unfortunately for Golden Boy Promotions and its people like De La Hoya and CEO Richard Schaefer, who seem to speak plenty for the one guy who lets no one else speak for him, they have not gotten “Money” to agree to anything yet.
And Schaefer is claiming that some of the published rumors about Mayweather demanding that the fight be held at 147 pounds are indeed not true. Such a thing would constitute a logical excuse for Mayweather, because Alvarez would have a difficult time bringing his weight down, as a young fighter who is solidly in the 154-pound division, but it has become customary for a bout like that to take place at 150 or 151 pounds.
Edison Reynoso, who trains Alvarez, says his man will not come down at all from 154 pounds, though recent developments in boxing would seem to indicate that money talks loudest in situations like this. sometimes a fighter’s insistence on doing something transforms itself into sudden compromise when there is no other choice.
De La Hoya says that something tells him that Floyd wants to engage in the fight. What that is, he’s not letting on, but there is little question that Mayweather is in less of a position to be leveraged than most.
The word on Mayweather’s opponent isn’t likely to be revealed until he is good and ready to do so. That is because he is in a strong situation, by virtue of his deal with Showtime, which is guaranteeing him big money. The first fight that was part of that deal paid him $32 million for the decision win over Guerrero. Various opponents have been mentioned as possibilities for a September 14 date. One of those was Devon Alexander, who defended his IBF welterweight title last week against Lee Purdy. But Alexander says he hurt a hand in the process, which may take him out of the running. Another possibility may be Ruslan Provodnikov, who floored Timothy Bradley en route to a close decision loss in March.
Fights that would fill perceived public demand a little more include those with Alvarez and Amir Khan, but Mayweather may wish to be a little further into the Showtime deal before exploring those avenues. Either way, it is not probable that any quotes De La Hoya or Schaefer give to the press is going to have a profound effect on Mayweather’s decision.