Oscar De La Hoya recently twitted, “Met with Canelo and I’m ready to unleash him.”
Word is that the WBC super welterweight world champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez will defend his world title against James Kirkland on September 15 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
The 21-year-old Mexican star has penciled in a Hall of famer on his resume after defeating “Sugar” Shane Mosley on Cinco de Mayo weekend. Alvarez (40-0-1, 29 KOs) kept landing the power punches that kept rocking the old veteran giving Mosley the most blows he has ever received in the 34 of his fights that CompuBox has tracked.
James Kirkland rose to the top after a sixth-round KO victory against fan favorite Alfredo Angulo. Kirkland was dropped three times and knocked out in the first round by light hitting Nobuhiro Ishida. And Angulo, with 17 knockouts 
in 21 fights, was favorite to win but with 15 seconds to go in the sixth round, Kirkland dropped Angulo with a power left hook that, Kirkland says, Angulo never recovered from.
In his most recent fight James Kirkland was awarded a controversial 10th-round disqualification victory over Carlos Molina when Molina’s corner entered the ring after the bell rang to end the round. Kirkland had dropped Molina just as the bell rang and officially the round was not over as referee Jon Schorle was giving Molina, who did not appear hurt, a count.
Overall all, I think Canelo vs Kirkland will be a good scrap and I can’t wait to see what Anne Wolfe, Kirkland’s trainer, has planned for Canelo but first we have to wait until Golden Boy officially announces the fight.
I have yet for anyone involved to speak on Canelo’s mandatory defenses. June 18 will mark one year since his last mandatory defense. By rule he needs to be stripped for failing to defend hs title as the rules state. I’ve asked the WBC on the matter but they had no answer whatsoever. Anyway…
Kirkland vs Canelo should be a war of two body punchers. I hope no one pulls out of the fight with an injury or has weight issues. Looking forward to this one.
Hey, for as much crap as Alvarez has taken for his padded record and the WBC escorting him to a title, I actually am starting to think he’s improving with every fight. Sometimes it’s easy to forget he’s only 21. I thought he and his corner handled the cut well in the Mosley fight. If the Kirkland that fought Carlos Molina shows up, Alvarez will have an early KO. I’d like to see him fight Paul Williams, who I think still has some fight left in him. And if Oscar De La Hoya is ready to really “unleash him” give Miguel Cotto a call. Oh yeah, and I’m no fight promoter, but if they want to build him into a superstar in the US like he is in Mexico, teach him a few words of english for the post fight interview. Couldn’t hurt.
I’ve also heard Paul William’s name mentioned as another potential opponent, either way it certainly is a step up for Canelo and I think either fighter can give him his first loss but at the same time he can also win both fights. Both Kirkland and Williams haven’t looked liked the beasts they have both gained the reputation of being in their last couple of performances.
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