Saul Alvarez Aims High, WBC Diamond Belt Debuts

By James Blears

There were two bumps at the seven day weigh-in, at the Modelo Brewery’s headquarters, for the Puebla boxing extravaganza featuring Edgar Sosa and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez.

Edgar was five hundred grams above the stipulated weight and Saul went five hundred grams better than that, to be a kilo over.

Their opponents Omar Soto from Puerto Rico and Carlos Herrera from Argentina were within the weight stipulations.

The glittering occasion saw the first appearance of the much vaunted WBC Diamond belt, which will be first contested by Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto in their catch-weight bout on November 14th in Las Vegas. No shortage of sparklers adorn it. They include 861 diamonds, six rubies and 221 emeralds.

Precocious as ever, young Canelo, who has the composure which belies his years and his fiery appearance, is a young man in a hurry. He told journalists that he’ll allow himself the luxury to use the rest of this year as a learning curve, and next year - probably rather than going for a fight with Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, who he very briefly praised as a “good boxer,” - he’ll be aiming for the Pacquiaos, Cottos and Mosleys of this world.