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Lem’s latest: Mayweather rates Cotto, Alvarez above Maidana

Fighters Network
18
Jul

Floyd Mayweather Jr. said Marcos Maidana is not on the same level as Saul Alvarez and Miguel Cotto, two fighters he defeated before winning a majority decision over Maidana this past May.

At 154 pounds, Mayweather bracketed unanimous and majority decisions over Miguel Cotto and “Canelo” Alvarez, respectively, around a unanimous decision by Robert Guerrero prior to beating Maidana.

In succession, Mayweather dethroned Cotto as WBA 154-pound titleholder in May 2012, handled Guerrero at 147 pounds a year later and faced Alvarez in September for the RING, WBA and WBC junior middleweight belts.

“To be honest, Miguel Cotto and Canelo Alvarez are better fighters than Maidana. They are better, stronger boxers. With me and Canelo, it was more of a chess match as opposed to Maidana who came at me very dirty and reckless,” said Mayweather at Pershing Square in Los Angeles on Thursday during the fifth and final press conference in advance of his Sept. 13 rematch with Maidana.



“I knew something crazy was going to happen in our fight, which it did, I got a headbutt. Even though we are in a brutal sport, if you beat me, do it the right way. I got here with hard work and dedication and a strong belief in my team. Please don’t cheat to beat me. If you are going to beat me, earn it the hard way.”

There was a surprise appearance at the event by Richard Schaefer, who resigned as CEO of Golden Boy Promotions early last month. Schaefer’s exit was followed by that of Bruce Binkow, who left his post as COO of Golden Boy and was present on Thursday as a consultant to Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe.

From the podium, Mayweather credited Schaefer as “a guy who was with me doing record-breaking pay-per-view numbers,” adding, in part, “I commend you. I love you. I love your family.”

 

CANELO ALVAREZ-ERISLANDY LARA EPILOGUE AIRS SATURDAY ON SHOWTIME

Showtime will air the epilogue episodes of “All Access” on Saturday shoring up the aftermath of Alvarez’s split decision victory over Erislandy Lara on July 12 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Alvarez (44-1-1, 31 KOs) defeated Lara (19-2-2, 12 KOs) by a decision that was marginally disputed among members of the boxing community.

Click here for Canelo Alvarez vs. Erislandy Lara insiders scores

Although Lara landed more punches overall at 107-to-97, including a 55-to-9 advantage in jabs, Alvarez landed more power punches, 88-to-52. Alvarez outlanded Lara to the body, 73-4, while Lara was more accurate to the head, 103-to-24.

Alvarez’s previous fight was a 10th round stoppage of Alfredo Angulo in March that helped him rebound from the loss to Mayweather last September. Before Mayweather, Alvarez unanimously decisioned previously unbeaten left-handerAustin Trout, flooring him in the seventh round of their bout in April 2013.

A southpaw, Lara’s previous two wins were a 10th-round stoppage of Angulo, during which he was floored once each in the fourth and ninth rounds in June of last year, and a unanimous decision over Trout, whom he dropped in the 11th round in December.

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