Canelo Alvarez has remained steadfast about fighting on May 2 no matter whom his opponent is and regardless of what other fights may be scheduled for that date. He now has Oscar De La Hoya, the president of Golden Boy Promotions, backing him up.
"Regardless of who Canelo fights, he is going on May 2," De La Hoya told RingTV.com over the weekend. That comment is a shift from late in 2014 ahead of Amir Khan's fight with Devon Alexander when De La Hoya said if Mayweather-Pacquiao was set for May 2, he'd attempt to talk Alvarez out of challenging him.
When Mayweather announced on Showtime he'd be willing take on Pacquiao, he specifically cited the weekend of Cinco De Mayo as his target date.
Floyd Mayweather is not ducking or dodging any opponent. Bob Arum is stopping the fight. We have been trying to make this fight happen behind the scenes for years now but the fans and the people have been fooled because they have been listening to the people on one side. Now it's time for us to talk. We want the fight. Get ready. Let's make it happen, May 2. Mayweather versus Manny Pacquiao, let's do it," Mayweather said.
There is great pressure for both Alvarez and Mayweather to make the right choices of opponents if they're going to go head-to-head on May 2. Alvarez has been linked to Miguel Cotto for a while-if so, it would be tough for Mayweather to top that with any opponent other than Pacquiao.
The Cotto-Alvarez discussions are moving slowly however, with Alvarez starting to accuse Cotto of avoiding the bout.
"I don't understand what's happening," Alvarez said of the slowdown. "I already granted Miguel Cotto a lot of things to make this fight happen. It's been more than a month, and Miguel Cotto hasn't signed the contract."
Alvarez then played on Cotto's pride.
"If he doesn't take this fight, he will pass down in history unlike anybody else if he were to duck a fighter who defeated his brother," Alvarez said.
"Miguel Cotto has to decide whether or not he wants to fight me. I'm not going to wait much longer. I'll let him make his decision. Hopefully, his decision won't hurt his country and all of the fans that want this fight."
[Ring TV]
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