Kirkland Says Canelo Will Need 'A lot More' To Beat Him

[Alaskanredman]

On May 5th, junior middleweight contender James Kirkland (31-1, 27KOs)sat ringside at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and watched Saul "Canelo" Alvarez (40-0-1, 29KOs) retain his WBC title with a dominating twelve round unanimous decision over former three division world champion "Sugar" Shane Mosley.

Canelo is now being positioned to headline his own HBO pay-per-view on September 15, also from the MGM Grand. Kirkland is the current frontrunner to face him.

Kirkland is recovering from shoulder surgery, which he required for an injury suffered in the March disqualification win over Carlos Molina. He expects to be 100% by September, and told BoxingScene.com that he's ready to challenge Canelo for the WBC title in the fall.

"He did a very, very beautiful job [against Mosley]. He came and put on a good show. He boxed, he was thinking, he threw combinations, he was smart. But I know one thing, when it comes to fighting a James Kirkland - what he brought to the table [against Mosley] - he's got to put on a lot more [for me]. Because I'm strictly a 100% fighter. They just know what they are getting themselves into when they step in the ring with Kirkland," Kirkland told BoxingScene.com.

www.boxingscene.com/kirkland-says-canelo-lot-more-beat-him--52850

 

[merce77]

If he looks like he did against Molina, Canelo will pick him apart. Mosley ain't Kirkland, that's for sure. But Canelo def ain't no Angulo.

 

[Upgrade Dave]

If he looks like he did against Molina, Canelo will pick him apart. Mosley ain't Kirkland, that's for sure. But Canelo def ain't no Angulo.

He's definitely more skilled than Angulo but if he gets suckered into a brawl, he's going to be putting himself in needless jeopardy. But if Alvarez beats Kirkland and then Cotto, then he deserves a Mayweather fight.

 

[merce77]

He's definitely more skilled than Angulo but if he gets suckered into a brawl, he's going to be putting himself in needless jeopardy. But if Alvarez beats Kirkland and then Cotto, then he deserves a Mayweather fight.

The one knock on Alvarez is that he seems to have the Josh Clottey syndrome, he waits too long to attack. The Mosley fight did nothing to convince me. The kid has quick hands, power and some skill but his biggest fights are against Mosley and Cintron. Ya'll seem convinced he can beat Cotto - I'm not at all. Sorry but when your only legit losses are to the 2 best fighters in the sport, you're world class, elite, whatever you wanna call it and that kid hasn't fought anyone elite yet. And beating Kirkland imo is not enough to gauge the kid either. He has to fight Cotto or Sergio and beat them well.

 

[Alaskanredman]

He's definitely more skilled than Angulo but if he gets suckered into a brawl, he's going to be putting himself in needless jeopardy. But if Alvarez beats Kirkland and then Cotto, then he deserves a Mayweather fight.

I stand by what I've said before. Kirkland fights so agressively that he may overwhem Canelo. With thay said, whatever that shit was against Molina will get his head rolled fucking with Canelo.

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[Upgrade Dave]

I stand by what I've said before. Kirkland fights so agressively that he may overwhem Canelo. With thay said, whatever that shit was against Molina will get his head rolled fucking with Canelo.

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That's what makes this a very interesting fight. I've never seen Canelo really pushed. I thought Gomez was more competitive than expected (and the stoppage was way too early) but Kirkland's sheer will and refusal to go down and stay down could fuck with him mentally and he might break. Alvarez is a nice boxer but Molina is a better one so Kirkland wouldnt' have the same challenges. That shit of standing there and letting James get off like he did with Shane would be a mistake.

 

[merce77]

I think Kirkland is a guy who fights up to the level of his opposition. Dude fought a no name Japanese and an un-entertaining boxer in Molina and looked shitty. He fights Angulo in Mexico and looked like Roberto Duran. We've been talking about the possibility of this fight for a while so I'm definitely looking forward to it. The winner should either get a shot at Floyd(the belt holder) or Sergio(the "real" champ, lineally that is).

 

[Alaskanredman]

I think Kirkland is a guy who fights up to the level of his opposition. Dude fought a no name Japanese and an un-entertaining boxer in Molina and looked shitty. He fights Angulo in Mexico and looked like Roberto Duran. We've been talking about the possibility of this fight for a while so I'm definitely looking forward to it. The winner should either get a shot at Floyd(the belt holder) or Sergio(the "real" champ, lineally that is).

Basically. Kirkland should have went for Canelo directly after Angulo.

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[meilmarc]

I think Kirkland is a guy who fights up to the level of his opposition. Dude fought a no name Japanese and an un-entertaining boxer in Molina and looked shitty. He fights Angulo in Mexico and looked like Roberto Duran. We've been talking about the possibility of this fight for a while so I'm definitely looking forward to it. The winner should either get a shot at Floyd(the belt holder) or Sergio(the "real" champ, lineally that is).

I think he looked like shit from him having to drop too much weight and that injury against molina, hope he gets his shit togethor. On the inside against molina he had no power in that fight.

 

[merce77]

I think he looked like shit from him having to drop too much weight and that injury against molina, hope he gets his shit togethor. On the inside against molina he had no power in that fight.

He also had no answers for Molina's effective boxing on the inside. Though the ref letting Molina hold at will helped him too. If your game is only about power, you're going to have a lot of nights like that. He boxed nicely against Angulo but it seemed like that went out the window against Molina. James might just be a head case, it took him more than a few rounds to even start listening to his trainer.

 

[Upgrade Dave]

He also had no answers for Molina's effective boxing on the inside. Though the ref letting Molina hold at will helped him too. If your game is only about power, you're going to have a lot of nights like that. He boxed nicely against Angulo but it seemed like that went out the window against Molina. James might just be a head case, it took him more than a few rounds to even start listening to his trainer.

He doesn't seem to be a guy who can make adjustments quickly. He had to be at least 2 rounds behind Wolfe when she switched up the strategy and that has to be infuriating as a trainer to see the holes but your fighter not taking advantage of them.

 

[merce77]

He doesn't seem to be a guy who can make adjustments quickly. He had to be at least 2 rounds behind Wolfe when she switched up the strategy and that has to be infuriating as a trainer to see the holes but your fighter not taking advantage of them.

Yup. But I guess that's part of what makes him exciting to watch. Dude is has strength, power and some skill but he's still vulnerable as hell. Guys like that tend to stay in big fights and collect good purses, see Gatti, Ward....

 

[Upgrade Dave]

Yup. But I guess that's part of what makes him exciting to watch. Dude is has strength, power and some skill but he's still vulnerable as hell. Guys like that tend to stay in big fights and collect good purses, see Gatti, Ward....

But those guys fought in a different era. Now a guy like Kirkland could be seen as too dangerous and prominent guys on the rise will come up with a host of reasons to not fight him. You think of Gatti and Ward, I think of Winky Wright.

 

[P03t]

Kirkland is gatekeeper status now...Canelo will run through him with ease....he can't handle a good boxer & Canelo can box with power & just as tough as Kirkland...

dude just doesn't have the skills to be elite...he will be a tough opponent for anyone tho...

I really believe the Angulo fight is the best we will ever see from him...