Boxing: Alvarez-Golovkin confirmed for Las Vegas
"Everybody wanted this fight and I nailed it down," De La Hoya later said on ESPN
LOS ANGELES(AFP) - Saul "Canelo" Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin s eagerly-awaited middleweight superfight will take place at Las Vegas s T-Mobile Arena on September 16, fight promoters confirmed on Monday.
Oscar De La Hoya s Golden Boy Promotions had suggested a range of venues from Dallas to Los Angeles were being considered for the fight, one of the most mouthwatering match-ups in years.
However Golden Boy confirmed on Twitter that the fight would be held at the 20,000-capacity T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
"It s official!!! We re going back to Vegas! T-Mobile Arena will host the Fight of the year," Golden Boy wrote. "September 16! The fight you ve been craving for," the company added.
"Everybody wanted this fight and I nailed it down," De La Hoya later said on ESPN.
De La Hoya, who promotes Mexican star Alvarez, predicted an explosive fight.
"Everybody who wants to go to Vegas, have a great time. Watch a great fight with Triple G (Golovkin) and Canelo. I mean it s going to be a train wreck, let me tell you."
De La Hoya said Golden Boy had received offers from several large-capacity venues, notably the Dallas Cowboys AT&T Stadium in Texas and baseball s Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Madison Square Garden in New York had also lobbied for the fight.
However it was Las Vegas s record as a party destination that swung the deal towards the T-Mobile Arena.
"Ultimately the entertainment factor (was key)," De La Hoya said. "People want to go to parties after the fight. You want to stage the pre-fight parties, the weigh-in."
The hard-hitting Kazakh Golovkin (37-0, 33 knockouts) is widely seen as the favourite against Alvarez, who is 49-1-1 with 34 knockouts.
