By Jhonny Gonzalez
David Coldwell, the trainer of junior middleweight Ryan Rhodes, knows it won't be easy to beat the boxer who is arguably the biggest star in Mexico, Saul "Canelo" Alvarez, in his hometown of Guadalajara. The fight will take place on June 18 for Canelo's WBC junior middleweight title. Coldwell knows his fighter has two ways to go about things - to give Alvarez a beating for twelve rounds or to stop him inside the distance. They have a plan in place and won't get reckless by wasting rounds in pursuit of a knockout victory.
"I am so happy. It's been six years of work and ups and downs. We are proud that the WBC has placed Ryan in as the mandatory. We have done the hard work and now ¡t is time to win the fight! I believe that I've watched six of his fights. Ryan was preparing to fight (Alfredo) Angulo, but now I'm studying to Alvarez. We are very confident," Coldwell told Benjamin Jacobs.
"Ryan has the experience, speed and punch to win. Some are going to look at his record and to think that he's fought with nobody, but once they get in the ring and Ryan sits down on his punches, they are going to be very surprised. Within two or three years, Alvarez will be very good, so it is better to fight with him now and I believe that Ryan's southpaw style make life difficult for him."
"We know he is Golden Boy's new star and we are not going to win on points, unless we give him a beating for twelve rounds. We are not going to desperately pursue the knockout, but that's what we are going to get."