Boxers Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin will "have the world's attention" for their bout slated for Sept. 16, and AT&T Stadium, T-Mobile Arena and MSG have already been mentioned as possible venues for the fight on Mexican Independence Day, according to Lance Pugmire of the L.A. TIMES. Alvarez and Golovkin "shook hands on the deal" inside the ring on Saturday after Alvarez defeated Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Golden Boy CEO Oscar De La Hoya said that he was "somewhat surprised by the ease in which Golovkin promoter Tom Loeffler agreed to terms on a contract that was signed by both fighters last week." Loeffler credited HBO Sports Exec VP Peter Nelson for "helping to broker the deal." De La Hoya said that he expects Alvarez-Golovkin to be the best-selling PPV since the "disappointing" Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Manny Pacquiao fight drew 4.6 million buys in '15 (L.A. TIMES, 5/8). ESPN's Dan Rafael reported Arlington and Las Vegas "clearly are the leading candidates" for the fight. T-Mobile Arena has a "close association with Canelo’s team." Meanwhile, Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones "wants big events in his building," and Alvarez' win over Liam Smith last September headlined one of the three boxing cards held at the stadium. The Cowboys have "left that date open this coming season," as the team will play in Denver that weekend ("SportsCenter,” ESPN, 5/7). Golovkin's trainer Abel Sanchez said that the camps also "have heard from Dubai" about hosting the fight (DAILYNEWS.com, 5/7).
RIGHT FIGHT, RIGHT TIME: USA TODAY's Bob Velin writes Alvarez-Golovkin is "probably the best fight that can be made in boxing." What it "really means is that boxing's promoters are finally realizing that if they don't match the best against the best, fans will stay away in droves" (USA TODAY, 5/8). De La Hoya on Saturday said, "Boxing was in a hiatus, but with these fights tonight, fights coming in the future, boxing is back, bigger and better than ever." YAHOO SPORTS' Kevin Iole wrote Alvarez-Golovkin is the "kind of match that has the potential to uplift the sport" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 5/7). In Las Vegas, Ed Graney wrote Alvarez has "star appeal and charisma" and those traits "can still sell millions" of PPV buys (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 5/7).
FIFTH ELEMENT: The AP's Mike Cranston wrote there was a "distinct Latino flavor" for the Alvarez-Chavez fight on Saturday, as many of the 20,510 fans inside T-Mobile Arena "wore either red (Canelo) or green (Chavez) headbands as they celebrated the Cinco de Mayo weekend (AP, 5/7). The L.A. TIMES' Pugmire noted fans in the arena, which was "sold out nine days after tickets went on sale, roared at Alvarez's festive wearing of a Mexican poncho into the ring." All Las Vegas closed-circuit venues were also "sold out by the time" the fight began (L.A. TIMES, 5/7).
