Uppercut Magazine.com - Canelo vs. Gomez

By David A. Avila

Lost in the shuffle of a mega welterweight wake Mexico’s ultra popular Saul “Canelo” Alvarez prepares in Big Bear to make his second world title defense against another popular fighter Alfonso Gomez.

Still, it’s easy for Alvarez because of his fans.

WBC junior middleweight titleholder Alvarez (37-0-1, 27 KOs) fights former television darling Alfonso Gomez (23-4-2, 12 KOs) of the Contender reality television fame on Saturday Sept. 17 at the Staples Center. It’s the same night Floyd Mayweather challenges WBC welterweight titleholder Victor Ortiz.

Normally this would be TV programming suicide, but Alvarez’s fight will be shown on the same HBO pay-per-view fight card as Mayweather-Ortiz. It’s a very unique arrangement.

“He has a rock star like following in Mexico,” said Richard Schaefer, CEO for Golden Boy Promotions. “He is clearly considered Mexico’s new icon.”

While Mayweather and Ortiz battle 300 miles away, Golden Boy Promotions is expecting a large Mexican following to attend Alvarez’s fight in Los Angeles as he battles fellow Guadalajara native Gomez.

So far the fighter known as Canelo has been able to attract large crowds in Southern California. When he fought Matthew Hatton to win the title in March, the red head Mexican slugger sold out the Honda Center. He did the same in Guadalajara for his last title defense against Ryan Rhodes.

That was a surprise to many but not to his promoters.

“Here in America they call him the Mexican James Dean. In Mexico he is known simply as el Canelo,” Schaefer said about Alvarez’s drawing power.

So popular is Alvarez that he’s followed by numerous paparazzi in his country and has headlined magazines and television programs anxious to show his various nocturnal activities. He’s been seen with actresses and models including Miss Universe. It’s a main reason that he now trains in Big Bear, California.

“The only thing on my mind right now is Alfonso Gomez,” says Alvarez, 21, a man of few words.

Gomez, 30, has tasted television fame in the past with his gutsy performances on the reality show the Contender. Then, he followed that up with bravura wins over Arturo Gatti, Ben Tackie, Jesus Soto Karass and Jose Luis Castillo. Only a loss to Puerto Rico’s Miguel Cotto was the only defeat he’s suffered in seven years.

“Fighting these mega fights for me are dreams come true. Unfortunately I wasn't successful on my first try, yet the experience to be with a great champion like Miguel Cotto and gave me a lot of experience and gave me a lot of confidence to pursue that same dream,” said Gomez whose family moved from Guadalajara when he was 11 years old. “And so far I haven't lost since then, so now I get my second try against another superstar like Canelo.”

Alvarez has been criticized by some for not fighting more well known or feared fighters but realizes that Gomez poses a serious threat.

“I remember Oscar (De La Hoya) was being criticized as well. When you are on top, when you are the number one idol and so on, then you always have these naysayers and you always have these critics out there, and Canelo is experiencing that now as well,” says Schaefer.

Gamboa vs. Ponce De Leon

Cuba’s lightning quick Yuri Gamboa (20-0, 16 KOs) defends the WBA featherweight title against Mexico’s Daniel Ponce De Leon (41-3, 34 KOs) on Saturday Sept. 10, in Atlantic City. HBO will televise the battle between the southpaws.

Because Gamboa and Ponce De Leon are smaller prizefighters they don’t receive the recognition due for their boxing ability. Gamboa and Ponce De Leon are both explosive punchers who can box adroitly. But the Cuban has the speed advantage.

“It’s a great opportunity. I just want to show Americans what I have,” says Gamboa who departed Cuba in 2007 and is a former Olympic gold medal winner.

Ponce De Leon is also a former Olympian and a former junior featherweight world titleholder. Recently, he moved up a weight class as a favor to his promoter Golden Boy to fight the feared speedy slugger Adrien Broner. Many felt Ponce De Leon should have been declared the winner.

“With (Adrien) Broner a lot of people thought I won. It was just an opportunity presented to me. I took it. Everyone saw the results except the judges,” said Ponce De Leon.

One added dimension to this fight is that it’s the first in several years that rival Top Rank and Golden Boy are promoting a fight together.

Fights on television

Fri. Showtime, 11 p.m., Lateef Kayode (17-0) vs. Felix Cora Jr. (22-5-2).

Fri. Telefutura, 11:30 p.m. Gabriel Rosado (17-5) vs. Keenan Collins (13-6-2).

Sat. HBO, 4:30 p.m., Vitali Klitschko (42-2) vs. Tomasz Adamek (44-1).

Sat. HBO, 10:30 p.m., Yuri Gamboa (20-0, 16 KOs) vs. Daniel Ponce De Leon (41-3)