By Miguel Rivera
Former unified middleweight and light heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins expects blood and fireworks in the upcoming showdown between Saul "Canelo" Alvarez (49-1-1, 34 KOs) and Gennady Golovkin (37-0, 33 KOs).
Canelo challenges Golovkin, with the IBF, WBA, WBC, IBO middleweight titles up for grabs, on Mexican Independence Day weekend, September 16th, from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
HBO will distribute the four fight pay-per-view event.
Hopkins is a partner in Golden Boy Promotions, who guide Canelo and are also the lead promoter on the card.
The 52-year-old future Hall of Famer is expecting no excuses from either boxer - especially over the weight. This will be Canelo's first bout at the full middleweight limit of 160-pounds.
"[The winner] will be the one who has the most talent. I don't think the weight will be a problem. Both are going to be strong and ready, this is not the time for excuses. The two have signed," Hopkins told Eduard Cauich.
"There will be blood on their faces, mostly on Canelo's shorts. The two will have to pay a price for the victory, but there will only be one winner. It's going to be one of the bloodiest fights in the last 20 years. We're going to be talking about this fight for a long time."
Golovkin was in action in March, when he won a twelve round unanimous decision over Daniel Jacobs to retain his four titles at Madison Square Garden in New York City. It was the first time Golovkin had gone twelve rounds in his career, and Jacobs was the first opponent to last the distance in GGG's last 24 fights. Prior to Jacobs, Golovkin had stopped 23 opponents in eleven rounds or less.
Canelo, who was holding the WBO junior middleweight title, jumped up to a catch-weight of 164.5-pounds to dominate countryman Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. over twelve rounds at T-Mobile.