Undefeated.
That is the label Saul Alvarez (35-0-1, 26 KOs) brings into the ring with him Saturday as he faces Matthew Hatton for the vancant WBC light middleweight title (10:30 p.m. ET on HBO). At just 20 years of age, Alvarez is a rising star, and has been on this path since his boxing career began.
In Mexico, boxers gain tremendous followings, but it is rare that someone so young has gained the acclaim Alvarez has. One of the few comparable situations is his promoter, Oscar De La Hoya.
“Just to explain to you the popularity of this young fighter,” De La Hoya said, “I've been down with him in Mexico many times. He does have that rock star-like following from the grandmothers to the teenagers. It is truly incredible.”
The rest of the fighters in his weight class are eager to end what they view as a hype train. That zero in the loss column might as well be a target for guys like Hatton looking to be the first to take down the young sensation. Alvarez, however, is not worried.
“You know, mentally I’m very strong,” he confidently stated. “I never think of defeats. I only think of wins. Yeah, people will come after me because of my record, my name, because of who I am, but like I said, I’m very strong mentally, and I don’t think of losing a fight. Not now. Not now.”
De La Hoya recently said he believes “Canelo,” as Alvarez is nick-named for his red hair, will be the one to beat Manny Pacquiao. Floyd Mayweather’s name has been mentioned as a possible future opponent. There are many attractive fights out there for this young phenom, but he knows he has a big road block in front of him.
“Right now, the only thing I’m thinking of is Matthew Hatton,” Alvarez said. “There are no easy fights, regardless of opponent and this fight is no exception. This is a championship fight. I know that if I win the title, the big fights will come. This year, 2011, I said it was going to be the best year for myself. I know there are big fights ahead for me.”
Alvarez has had the majority of his fights in Mexico, but this one will take place at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. Beating Hatton in Anaheim would increase his popularity in the states and give his legion of fans back home another reason to hang their hats on the prospect who may carry Mexican boxing for years to continue.
“I’m very confident in myself in every fight,” Alvarez said. “The only thing I can say to fans is they’re going to see a very good fight. I’ve trained very hard. I don’t want to predict things, but it’s going to be a very good fight for all the fans.”
