By Miguel Rivera
Former world champion and Hall of Famer, Guadalupe 'Lupe' Pintor, expects Mexican superstar Saul "Canelo" Alvarez to beat IBO, WBA, WBC middleweight world champion Gennady Golovkin.
The two boxers will clash in a rematch on September 15 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Their first contest resulted in a controversial twelve round split draw, in September 2017 at the same Las Vegas venue.
Despite the inactivity and the very close nature of the first meeting - Pintor believes Canelo is still rising up and Golovkin, who is 36 years old, is rising down and may not be the same fighter that he was a year ago.
"It's a very interesting fight, really. I believe that Canelo has matured in all aspects," said Pintor.
"Golovkin is a professional man, but time does not forgive and he is a year older than that important fight they had (in September 2017), and right now I believe that Canelo can beat him."
Pintor is not very happy with the status of boxing in Latin America and views Canelo as the current sole star.
"He is the only one (Canelo). Boxing has died in Latin America. I remember when I was a child there were fighters from Chile, Argentina, Venezuela, Colombia, Puerto Rico, Nicaragua, and now there are no Mexicans, only one appears from there from time to time and soon concludes the race because they do not have that ambition, that vision," the retired fighter complained.
The rematch was initially scheduled for May 5, but it was postponed until September of this year, due to Canelo's suspension for testing positive for clenbuterol back in February. The suspension concluded on August 17th, which allows him to move forward with the rematch.
Golovkin instead went forward with a contest against Olympian Vanes Martirosyan and blew him away in two rounds at the StubHub Center in Carson, California.
