According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, the September 17th Canelo Alvarez – Liam Smith Pay-Per-View card generated close to 300,000 buys.

“We’re going to wind up doing close to 300,000 homes, which is great when you combine that with almost 52,000 fans we had in the crowd,” Oscar De La Hoya said. “We’re very happy, extremely happy with the numbers.”

“Obviously, nobody had ever heard of Liam Smith, and when you have to try and sell a pay-per-view fight with somebody that nobody has ever heard of, you have a tough job ahead of you,” De La Hoya said. “We were able to attract the fans who love boxing, and they were treated to a special fight. When it was all said and done it was a terrific fight, a lot of action.”

“I’m sure when Canelo decides to fight at 160 next year there will be plenty of name fighters and opponents who will bring excitement and great fights and the fans will acknowledge that and, once again, he will do even bigger pay-per-view numbers,” De La Hoya said.

After taking x-rays and conducting a CT scan, the doctor found an avulsion fracture of the right thumb. Canelo does not need surgery and the prognosis is excellent.

Canelo’s hand will be immobilized for the next six weeks, and he will be unable to fight again in 2016.

This does nothing to Canelo’s plans to move up and take on the best in the middleweight division next year.

For more information visit us at www.goldenboypromotions.com, follow us on Twitter: @GoldenBoyBoxing, follow the conversation on Facebook www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, and visit us via Instagram on @GoldenBoyBoxing.

By Bart Barry-

NOT ARLINGTON, TEXAS – Saturday Mexican junior middleweight Saul “Canelo” Alvarez toed the line against former Commonwealth super welterweight titlist, former BBBofC British super welterweight titlist, former WBA Continental super welterweight titlist, former WBO Inter-Continental super welterweight titlist, and reigning and defending WBO World super welterweight titlist, Liam “Beefy” Smith. Canelo prevailed by ninth round knockout, nevertheless, a result that suffered nary a moment’s doubting since their contract was signed.

Canelo selected Beefy, softened Beefy, slipped Beefy and stabbed Beefy – in a spectacle ending with a left hook to the liver and resembling more nearly a bullfight than a competitive athletic contest between men. The bullfight metaphor holds as a way to impart what our sport’s championship matches have become in the Mayweather and post-Mayweather eras, because if Saturday’s attendance figure in the former Cowboys Stadium can be believed, the real problem most of us had with Mayweather fights were not their lopsidedness or handicapping but rather Mayweather’s ineptitude at the estocada – an ungrateful and graceless unwillingness to risk himself slightly enough to thrust his sword in a hopeless opponent.

We didn’t mind Mayweather’s taunting the dimwitted creature in a corral beforehand just as we didn’t mind Mayweather’s attention to securing his traje de luces just as we didn’t mind Mayweather’s picador jabs to soften the flailing beast just as we didn’t mind a festooned decoy like Joe Cortez on standby in case things got unexpectedly competitive, none of it, but we were deeply insulted by Money’s failure to square his shoulders to a dying creature and give us our catharsis by taking its consciousness. Not even a billion-dollar purse would buy Mayweather that ear.

Canelo conversely thrusts his sword with precision and aplomb, and in an era when competitiveness is not demanded by consumers the Mexican’s habit of closing fights imperatively rather than dully or via his opponent’s trainer makes him an exceptional draw, along with Mexicans’ extraordinary appetite for a sport that is now much less than they deserve. Less explicable is Brits’ passion for a sport in which their exports fare so poorly at the international level; where the Mexican retains a still-justifiable belief his country’s best fighter in a weightclass may well be the world’s best fighter in that weightclass it’s hard to imagine a British aficionado who believes likewise very often.

But still we get Khans and Brooks and Smiths and Murrays served to Canelo and Gennady Golovkin because of their reliable fanbase and predictable fighting styles; they are toros bred to lose valiantly, not gore. No banderillero is needed in these bullfights because no bull is eligible for import to a corrida till figurative spears decorate his nape – it is best if he is slow of foot and quick to bleed but if not his chin should be suspect, and if somehow he is both nimble and durable he’s put in the ring with a man much too large for him to render unconscious.

“Brook landed some great combinations in that round!” we say; “Smith really showed valor when all was lost!”

All was lost for Smith throughout but he absorbed a beating gamefully and soon was distracted by futility enough to mistake Canelo’s retreating as opening, and Beefy remained so confused through three rounds and two knockdowns he’d still be tripping the Mexican’s every trap as you read this had Canelo not put his middle knuckle on the button, that quarter-sized opening to the liver that resides between the right hipbone and lowest rib, in round 9. Smith crumpled as every man does when struck there, and Canelo had another knockout victory that in another era would corrupt his legacy more than burnish it. Or as Saturday’s commentary crew might put it: What combination punching! what red hair!

We cloak fated mismatches like Canelo-Beefy with lore to obfuscate what we know they are, recollecting for our friends that time the underdog did this or the favorite broke his hand doing that or statistics showing, historically, being a torero is a dangerous trade whatever the fraternity’s record against its opposition. Our matadors play along best they are able – taking a backwards step every other round or bleeding every third or fourth fight – but ultimately their contempt tells, contempt for their opponents’ weaponry, mostly, but also contempt for their promoters’ embellishments and contempt for fans who would reward them so longly for such short risk.

Then we tell ourselves Canelo and GGG deserve their riches because any man who steps through the ropes blah blah blah without mentioning how complicit we’ve become in the brutalization of these victims trotted to the ring for b-side paychecks. Perhaps it’s better Mayweather was so professionally opposed to risktaking schemes, then, doing enough to subdue and humiliate his toros but nothing so personal or sadistic as clipping their consciousnesses.

This whole ugly flesh trade was more honorable, frankly, when promoters matched two men of equal ratios of talent and size then bought judges’ favoritism; spectators at least enjoyed 36 minutes of competition before getting outraged at official scorecards. Today’s opposite of that: Imagine for a moment promoter Oscar De La Hoya feeling desperate enough about Liam Smith’s chances Saturday to waste money ensuring a decision victory for Canelo by bringing, say, Chuck Giampa out of retirement. At long last we’ve come to the clean sport Oscar promised us a decade ago.

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry

Follow all the action as Liam Smith defends the WBA Jr. Middleweight title against Canelo Alvarez.  The action from AT&T Stadium kicks off at 9 PM ET / 6 PM PT with a 3 fight undercard that will start with super bantamweight’s Diego De La Hoya battling Luis Orlandito Del Valle; Joseph Diaz takes on Andrew Cancio in a featherweight bout and in the co-feature, Willie Monroe, Jr. battles Gabriel Rosado in a middleweight clash.

NO BROWSER REFRESH NEEDED…THE PAGE WILL UPDATE AUTOMATICALLY

Round 1: Hard right from Alvarez..Jab..Double jab..body shot..jab..

Round 2 Good right from Smith..2 jabs and hook from Alvarez..Hard right to body..Alvarez bleeding over his left eye..Left from Smith..

Round 3 Alvarez lands a body shot..Hard right..right to head..body shot..left right to body.Good left fro, Smith..right..Uppercut by Alvarez..Good uppercut from Smith..

Round 4 Smith cut above his left eye..Body shots from Alvarez..

Round 5 Smith lands a body punch…jab..double uppercut and body from Alvarez..good right from Smith..Hard right

Round 6  Good right from Smith..2 hard uppercuts from Alvarez..Body shot..Great right to the body

Round 7 RIGHT TO HEAD AND DOWN GOES SMITH..Big left hook from Alvarez..Smith lands a right..

Round 8 Counter right from Alvarez..Good left from Smith..HARD BODY SHOT AND DOWN GOES SMITH..

Round 9 Body shot from Alvarez..another good body shot..HUGE LEFT TO THE BODY AND DOWN GOES SMITH…HE IS HURT AND THE FIGHT IS STOPPED

Round 1 Right hook from Monroe..2 jabs…

116-112, 118-110, 117-111 WILLIE MONROE JR

Round 1: Diaz lands a left..Left at end of round

Round 2  Cancio lands a left hook…Right from Diaz..Good body shot..Solid left..

Round 3 Cancio bleeding from the nose..Trading uppercuts…1-2 from Cancio

Round 4 2 straight lefts from Diaz..

Round 5 Diaz lands a combination..Jab/straight left…Good right from Cancio..Straight left from Diaz..And another 1

Round 6 Good body shot from Diaz..Good left

Round 7 8 Punch combination from Diaz

Round 8 2 rights from Cancio..Combination..Combination from Diaz,,Good left hook from Cancio..Good left from Diaz..

Round 9 REF STOPS FIGHT…TKO WIN FOR JOSEPH DIAZ JR.

Round 1 De La Hoya lands a right..

Round 2  Del Valle lands a left and right to chin..Jab from De La Hoya..Jab ..Straight right from Del Valle..Good right..Let to body from De La Hoya..

Round 3 Good exchange..Right from Del Valle..Solid right from De La Hoya…Good body shot from Del Valle..

Round 4 Del Valle lands a right..De La Hoya lands a right ..Good body shot…Good exchange

Round 5 Exchange of rights’..Hard right from De La Hoya

Round 6 Left hook to body from De La Hoya..Good left hook to body…Good right..

Round 7 Del Valle has a mouse under his right eye

Round 8 De La Hoya lands a nice right

Round 9

Round 10 Nice jab from De La Hoya..

100-90, 99-91 twice for DIEGO DE LA HOYA

Canelo Alvarez won the WBO Junior Middleweight title with a 9th round stoppage over previously undefeated Liam Smith in front of 51, 240 fans at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Alvarez came out with a fast and vicious assault for which Smith was able to withstand.  Smith got in an occasional right and uppercut.  In round four, Smith was cut over his right eye.

In round seven, Alvarez landed a hard right to the head that sent Smith to the canvas for the first time in his career.  Smith went down again in the next round from a perfectly placed left to the body.  Alvarez finished things with another left to the body that not only dropped Smith, but curled his legs in the air undoubtedly due to a quick sharp pain from the show at the fight was stopped at 2:28.

Alvarez of Guadalajara, Mexico is 48-1-1 with 34 knockouts.  Smith of Liverpool, England is now 23-1-1.

Willie Monroe, Jr. won a 12-round unanimous decision over Gabriel Rosado in a middleweight bout.

Monroe won by scores of 118-110, 117-111 and 116-112 and is now 21-2.  Rosado is 23-10.

Joseph Diaz Jr. remained undefeated as he bloodied and battered Andrew Cancio for almost nine rounds en route to a technical knockout victory.

In round three, Cancio began to bleed from his nose after eating an uppercut.  From there it was all downhill for Cancio as he ate combination after combination and the blood streamed down his nose and all over the trunks of both fighters until the fight was stopped at 2:27  of round nine.

Diaz, 125 1/2 lbs of South El Monte, CA is 22-0 with 13 knockouts.  Cancio, 126 lbs of Blyth, CA is 17-4-2.

“This is a great victory, it will open up so many doors for me moving forward,” said Joseph Diaz, Jr. “I felt very comfortable today, I was the better puncher, I was faster and was able to cut the ring more efficiently.  I knew that Cancio was going to be a strong guy, I knew he was going to be tough and try to push me around, so I had to be the better fighter tonight. I was able to display my defense and my power.”

Diego De La Hoya remained undefeated with a 10-round unanimous decision over Luis Del Valle in super bantamweight bout.

De La Hoya, 121 3/4 lbs of Mexicali, MX won by scores of 100-90 and 99-91 twice  and is now 16-0.  Del Valle, 121 3/4 lbs of Bayamon PR is 22-3-0-1.

Former world title challenger Sadam Ali won a ten round unanimous decision over Saul Corral in a welterweight bout.

In round four, Ali dropped Corral with a right to the head.

Ali of Brooklyn, NY won by scores of 99-91 and 99-90 twice and is now 23-1. Corral is now 22-8.

“The plan was to get the knock out, but that didn’t happen with this victory,” said Sadam Ali. “My opponent definitely had a Mexican style to him, and I was not expecting the reach he had with his arms. I knew I hurt him in the exchange of blows in the fourth round, and other times throughout the fight. This is still the win I needed and worked hard for, and I know the next fight I am in will demonstrate my will power.”

Vergil Ortiz scored a first round stoppage over Ernesto Hernandez in a scheduled four-round super lightweight bout.

Ortiz is now 2-0. Hernandez is 1-4.

“I feel motivated with this win. Never in my dreams did I expect to be on such a stage so early in my career,” said Ortiz. “In the ring, I knew my opponent was hungry for redemption early because he kept trying to throw some overhand punches. But I kept tight and when I landed my double jab and straight right punch combination, I had a feeling that he wasn’t going to get back up. I am glad I have such a solid start to my career, and I’m looking forward to more massive fights.”

Hector Tanajara Jr won a four-round unanimous decision over Roy Garcia in a lightweight bout.

Scores were 40-36 on all cards for Garcia, 132 1/2 lbs of San Antonio, TX and is now 7-0. Garcia, 133 1/2 lbs of Alice, TX is 3-20-1.

“It’s an amazing feeling being able to fight in my home state – I could hear my family members cheering from the stands, and it’s a blessing that they were able to come out to my first Texas performance,” said Hector Tanajara, Jr. “I honestly thought I was going to be able to get the knock out, but my opponent wanted to brawl and he had a resistance in the ring that I didn’t expect. In the end, I got my victory, and back to the gym we go to begin training for the next one.”

Zachary Ochoa remained undefeated with a eight-round unanimous decision over Daniel Montoya in a junior welterweight bout.

Ochoa is now 16-0. Montoya is 11-5.

“It felt good to go all eight-rounds.” said Zachary Ochoa. “It’s a good experience for me, to make sure that all my training is working.  He was a tough guy, resilient, but I was in control the whole time. I knew my body shots were hurting him and I continued doing that to break him down. I knew going in it was going to be a tough fight, but we trained exactly for this, and we are ready to take on the next talented fighter.”

Alexis Salazar won a four round unanimous decision over Larry Smith in a super welterweight bout. The scores read 60-54 twice and 58-56 for Salazar who is now 8-3. Smith is 10-29-1.

“I felt good throughout the fight. I feel it was my technique that won this fight for me,” Alexis Salazar said. “My opponent was a tricky guy to fight and I thought it would be an easier night for me because of his loss streak on his record, but he made me work and I think it was a good experience.”

Anthony Yarde (8-0, 7KOs) scored a first round stoppage over Rayford Johnson in a scheduled four round light heavyweight bout.

Yarde of Great Britan is now 8-0 with seven knockouts. Johnson is 11-21.

Arlington, Texas (September 16 2016)–Middleweight contender Willie Monroe, Jr. weighed in at a ready 158.75 lbs this afternoon at AT&T Stadium, while his opponent Gabriel Rosado tipped the scales at 159.25 for Saturday night’s WBO Inter-Continental Middleweight title bout. The fight will serve as the co-feature bout to the Canelo Alvarez – Liam Smith WBO Junior Middleweight title bout from AT&T Stadium and televised live on HBO Pay-Per-View.

After a tense stare-down, Rosado shoved Monroe, to which Monroe simply smiled at the Philadelphia native.

Below are quotes from the two fighters:

Willie Monroe, Jr.
(On the shove) “Let him do what he does. We have twelve rounds or less to see what he can do. We are going to see what happens.”

“It’s never personal for me, it’s always business. I do this for the fans. I am part Cubano, so I have that Latino blood.”

Gabriel Rosado
He was talking some smack, so I will just take care of it. Like a true Latino fighter, I am coming to fight. He is running. He don’t want a war, but that’s what it is going to be on Saturday.”

(On the impact of his trainer, Fernando Vargas) “Me and Fernando Vargas are cut from the same cloth. We come to bring it. We come to bring the pain. That’s what it’s going to be on Saturday.”

New York, NY (9/15/16) – Since turning pro in July 2014, former Ukrainian amateur standout Sergiy Derevyanchenko (9-0, 7KO’s) (32-1 including the World Series of Boxing) has let his fists do the talking for him in the ring, as he has climbed the rankings of the middleweight division at a blistering pace. Already rated #2 in the IBF world ratings, Derevyanchenko has looked absolutely sensational with each passing performance and is honing in on the opportunity to fight for his first world title. Upon hearing recent reports that the winner of the Gabriel Rosado-Willie Monroe Jr. bout this Saturday on the undercard of Canelo Alvarez’s world title match against Liam Smith, the usually quiet and well-mannered Derevyanchenko couldn’t help but voice his disgust with Canelo.

“It’s absolutely ridiculous. There is no other way to describe it,” said Derevyanchenko. “If you count the loss against J’Leon Love, Rosado is 2-5 in his last seven fights and has been stopped twice in that time. He has nine losses on his record in total. Monroe was absolutely dismantled by Golovkin and has a loss to Darnell Boone. With all due respect to Rosado and Monroe, I would beat them both on the same night. They could have a tag team match against me alternating rounds and it wouldn’t matter. If these are the fighters that you want to face, you should be ashamed to call yourself middleweight champion!”

Derevyanchenko had an astounding amateur career, which saw him compile a 390-20 record, as well as represent his native Ukraine at the 2008 Olympics and win a bronze medal at the 2007 Amateur World Championships. Derevyanchenko also competed in the World Series of Boxing, where he posted a 23-1 overall record and was the 2012 WSB Team Champion and 2011 and 2012 WSB Individual Champion. Derevyanchenko earned the number two ranking in the IBF in his last bout, when he obliterated former middleweight champion Sam Soliman, dropping him once in the first and twice more in the second before the referee mercifully called a halt to the contest. No other fighter had ever dominated Soliman in his career in such easy fashion, and it was only the second time he had ever been stopped.

Canelo’s next bout is tentatively scheduled for December 10, and Golden Boy Promotions, Canelo’s promoter, has said that they would like the fight to take place in New York. Derevyanchenko, who lives and trains in Brooklyn, would love the opportunity to take on the Mexican superstar in his adopted home of New York City.

“I would love to welcome Canelo here in New York, in his NYC debut. This is my adopted home and with his fan base and mine, it would make for a tremendous atmosphere,” stated Derevyanchenko.

Of course, the one fight that the boxing world wants to see is Canelo against GGG. Canelo has made it clear that that fight is not happening next. To this point, Canelo, like so many other middleweights, has done everything to avoid the fight with GGG, frustrating boxing insiders and fans alike. Derevyanchenko, though, is one fighter who is looking forward to and anticipating fighting the middleweight kingpin in the future.

“I would love the fight against GGG in the future. I have known GGG since his amateur days. He is a tremendous fighter and a world champion. Right now, he is the best that there is in the middleweight division, and that’s the crown I am aiming for. To be the best in this division, you have to beat him. I am number two in the IBF right now and GGG has that belt. I anticipate that I will be challenging for that belt in the not-so-distant future, and it would be an honor to share the ring with such a terrific fighter. Beating GGG makes me a superstar, and that’s what I am striving for.”

LONDON (16 September) – World champion Liam Smith believes he is being overlooked in his superfight with Canelo Alvarez and has vowed to cause a huge upset.

The Merseyside light-middleweight puts his WBO title on the line this Saturday night, exclusively live on BoxNation, as he battles the Mexican superstar at the 80,000 seater AT&T Stadium in Texas, home of the Dallas Cowboys.

The undefeated Smith, however, feels that he is being unfairly written off and has promised to cause a major surprise by beating the heavy favourite Canelo and is even preparing to rematch him as a result.

“I’m coming to fight Canelo, and you’re going to be in for a massive shock. This fight is me making a name for myself the world over and establishing myself to the world of boxing and not just for British fight fans,” said Smith.

“My mind is just set on Canelo. And when I beat Canelo, my next fight will be Canelo again, because I know they will throw everything back. They overlooked me, and I know after September 17, the excuses are going to come.

“I know they’re going to do what they can to get the rematch again. So my mind will be focused on Canelo, and it will be on Canelo again because I can see what’s going to happen,” he said.

28-year-old Smith will be fighting Stateside for the first time and is going in against fan-favourite Canelo, who has lost just once, that being against pound-for-pound legend Floyd Mayweather in 2013.

The British fighter knows he will enter the ring with the odds stacked against him but has asked for a fair shake should the fight go to the scorecards.

“I know on paper I’m the B-side of this fight. Canelo’s the big name. It’s always Canelo, and it’s Mexican Independence Day, so I know that. But I’m the champion, and just looking back on that, that is one reason why I hope they’ll respect that I’m champion and be fair,” Smith said.

“If I win the fight, then make sure I get the decision. Give me the respect I deserve. I am the champion, even though I am the B-side in the fight.

“I’m not in a situation where I have nothing to lose in this fight. I’ve got a title to lose. So I’ve taken this fight because it’s an opportunity to make a name for myself and establish myself as one of the best fighters pound-for-pound in the world,” he stated.

Both fighters have an attractive style that is set to make for an explosive affair, with Smith believing that Canelo’s way of fighting is perfect for his approach in the ring.

“This is the fight that if I could pick a style of a fighter, it would be similar to Canelo’s style. I always wanted a Canelo fight, a Cotto fight. A style like that is what I prefer to fight. This fight can only be a great fight. There’s no way the styles will make a bad fight,” he said.

“They gel well, and this is a fight, again, you’re going to see me smile in. Because I smile even when it’s not going my way. I’m not going to not smile because I’m not winning. I’ll smile because I enjoy every minute of this fight.

“Canelo and this fight is right up my street stylewise,” Smith said.

Tonight’s weigh-in ahead of the fight this weekend will be live free-to-air on Sky Channel 437 from 8pm.

Canelo v Smith is exclusively live on BoxNation (Sky/Freeview/Virgin/TalkTalk/Online & App) this Saturday night. Buy now at boxnation.com.

– ENDS –
About BoxNation

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From £12* per month with no minimum term customers can enjoy great value live and exclusive fights, classic fight footage, magazine shows and interviews with current and former fighters.

Previous highlights have included Haye vs Chisora, Mayweather vs Maidana, Saunders vs Eubank Jr and Khan vs Canelo.

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Toronto – Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 multi-platform channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, presents an action-packed weekend of live combat sports action, including the live prelims for UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: POIRIER vs. JOHNSON on Saturday, Sept. 17 at 8 p.m. ET, a live broadcast of LEGACY FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP 59 on Friday, Sept. 16 at 10 p.m. ET, plus live coverage ahead of Saturday’s showdown between Canelo Alvarez and Liam Smith.

Fight Network will air the live UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: POIRIER vs. JOHNSON prelims across Canada. In featured bouts from Hidalgo, Texas, Mexico’s Gabriel Benitez (18-6) battles American power puncher Sam Sicilia (15-6) at 145 pounds, Mexico’s Augusto Montano (15-2) meets Chicago’s Belal Muhammad (9-1) in a welterweight contest, Brazilian middleweight compatriots will clash when Antonio Carlos Junior (6-2, 1NC) faces Leonardo Augusto Leleco (11-2, 1NC), and Mexican bantamweight Jose Quinonez (5-2) throws down with the “KO King” Joey Gomez (6-1).

Friday’s presentation of LEGACY FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP 59 will air live on Fight Network in Canada and globally in over 30 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East. In the middleweight main event, Trevin Giles (7-0) puts his perfect record on the line against Ike Villanueva (11-7). Meanwhile, Ray Blodgett (10-3) takes on undefeated Jason Langellier (4-0) in a lightweight bout, featherweight Alex Black (10-4) welcomes Japan’s Takayuki Ijima (6-6) to American soil, once-beaten bantamweight Domingo Pilarte (5-1) collides with Cody Williams (10-6), plus heavyweight sluggers Orlando Coulter (6-1) and Jeremy Hardy (4-2) will cross paths. A pair of bantamweight bouts round out the card as Colin Wright (5-2) meets Adrian Yanez (4-1), while Randy McCullough (3-0) looks to extend his perfect mark against Mike Trinh (4-3).

Ahead of Saturday’s live UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: POIRIER vs. JOHNSON prelims, Fight Network presents the live weigh-ins on Friday, Sept. 16 at 5 p.m. ET, preceded by the live weigh-ins for Canelo Alvarez vs. Liam Smith at 3:30 p.m. ET. Fight News Now will also feature exclusive one-on-one interviews ahead of Saturday’s HBO pay-per-view event.

ARLINGTON, TX (Sept. 15, 2016) – Canelo Alvarez (47-1-1, 33 KOs) and Liam “Beefy” Smith (23-0-1, 13 KOs) held their final press conference, today at the great AT&T Stadium, ahead of their highly anticipated showdown that will be aired live on Saturday, September 17, presented by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 6:00 p.m. PT/9:00 p.m. ET. The fighting stars were joined by Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, Oscar De La Hoya, Future Hall of Famer and Golden Boy Promotions Partner, Bernard Hopkins, Dallas Cowboys Owner, President and General Manager Jerry Jones, Director of HBO Sports Tony Walker, and the full pay-per-view undercard.

Below is what the fighters had to say at today’s press conference.

OSCAR DE LA HOYA, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions

“This Saturday night-over Mexican Independence weekend-former two-division world champion, Canelo Alvarez will look to reclaim the holiday for all Hispanics fight fans. Many boxing legends such as Julio Cesar Chavez himself have fought over Mexican Independence weekend, which has been a time for all boxing fans to gather with their friends and family and enjoy a great night.

“We are overjoyed to be bringing this fight to all of Canelo’s many fans here in Texas to one of the biggest and most iconic sporting stadiums in the nation-AT&T Stadium, home to America’s team, the Dallas Cowboys. They say everything is bigger in Texas, and this certainly couldn’t be truer with this venue for Canelo vs. Smith.
“For this particular fight, the stakes are high and everything is on the line for both Canelo Alvarez and Liam Smith, as these fighters seek to establish themselves as the true WBO Junior Middleweight Champion of the world.

“Tickets are still available for purchase and sales have been through the roof, we are already close to 40,000 have been outpacing Manny Pacquaio’s last two fights held at AT&T Stadium, but luckily there are still some available for the Saturday night showdown. So get them while you can by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000, or visiting www.ticketmaster.com. Additionally, walk up purchases are available at the AT&T Stadium Box Office.”

JERRY JONES, Dallas Cowboys Owner, President and General Manager:

“I dreamed I was going to spend my days around men and women that could or would be world champions. Men and women who were willing to lay on it all on the line, athletically. I wanted to rub elbows with the top. Oscar the fact that I get to stand with you, have your fighters stand in this stadium chief combatants: Canelo Alvarez and Liam Smith, has been a fulfillment on that dream.

“We had Oscar talk to the Dallas Cowboys, and he mentioned that ‘There’s a champion in each of you. You’ll find out when you get ready.’ When I think about the legacy and how you’re moving, you really encourage a whole team; that is not only because of this particular fight, but you really are a leader in this.

“The biggest source of pride for me and one of the our largest dependencies are on the Latino fans. The Cowboys depend on them, and they love boxing, so the cowboys love boxing. Saturday night, will be one of the best-selling boxing events for this stadium and we are all looking forward to an exciting night.”

CANELO ALVAREZ, Former Two-Division World Champion:

“Thank everyone for coming and supporting this great event.

“We know how dangerous and difficult Liam Smith will be. We have not taken him lightly and we know he will come to fight on Saturday.

“But that will make a great night of boxing for Mexicans and boxing fans all over. Hopefully by the end of it, I will have my hand in the air screaming Viva Mexico!”

EDDY REYNOSO, Head Trainer of Canelo Alvarez:

“Thank you to all of you who are involved in this great event. There is nothing left to say, we’ve had a great camp, and thanks again for all the help and support.”

JOSE “CHEPO” REYNOSO, Manager and Trainer of Canelo Alvarez:

“Thank everyone for coming and attending this great show. We are coming off a tremendous 10 week training camp.

“We have great goals and one is to break the attendance record in a boxing match here at this great stadium.

“This is another opportunity to become a world champion, another opportunity to continue to make history.

“We can’t wait to hear all the people yell at the end of this fight Viva Mexico and Viva Canelo Alvarez!”

LIAM “BEEFY” SMITH, WBO Junior Middleweight World Champion:

“Thank everyone, team Canelo and my team for this opportunity. We are very calm about entering this fight.

“Canelo is an elite fighter and this is my chance to go up in the ladder.

“I look forward to Saturday and the show we are going to put on for all the fans.”

FRANK WARREN, President of Box Nation and Promoter of Liam Smith:

“Thank Oscar, Eric, and Robert. Thank you Jerry Jones for the stadium and to the

“Liam is a great fighter, a come forward fighter, he has the style of Mexican brawlers something we call in Liverpool a Scousce fighter. This is a great battle, potentially ‘Fight of the Year.’

“You guys are going to be great fans of him. He is coming in as a lion, an undefeated fighter on an eight-fight knock out streak.”

JOE GALLAGHER, 2015 Ring Magazine Trainer of the Year and trainer of Liam Smith:

“This is going to be a great fight, he’s a superstar.

“We know that Saul wants to be a world champion, but Liam is ready to stay that way.”

“KING” GABE ROSADO, Former World Title Challenger:

“I want to thank god for this opportunity, without him noting would be possible and I want to thank Golden Boy Promotions. I wasn’t spoon fed coming up, but this is a new and approved Gabriel Rosado.

“Vargas and I work well together, he lit up the fighter in me. I know this is a fight, but this is also entertainment. I’m going to bring a knock out on the 17th.”

WILLIE “EL MONGOOSE” MONROE, JR. Former World Title Challenger:

“I come from nothing and I want to thank my team and my brother for everything.

“We worked hard for these opportunities, we gave gone from fighting out of the garage and living off of food stamps and now we are on the big stage. This is one of the biggest stage and I want to thank you all for your support today.”

JOSEPH “JOJO” DIAZ JR, NABF Featherweight Champion:

“I want to thank Golden Boy Promotions, Jerry Jones, HBO, Adriana’s Insurance and my team for this great opportunity.

“This is the biggest stage in my career, thus far, and I promise all my fans to expect the best from me. I will put on a great fight and show all the fans who Jose Diaz, Jr. is! See you all in two days.”

ANDREW “EL CHANGO” CANCIO, Featherweight Contender:

“Stylistically, it’s a great match up. I am well prepared and I’m thankful for this fight. I am excited to brawl and to showcase myself in front of all the fans at this great stadium.”

DIEGO DE LA HOYA, WBC Youth Super Bantamweight Champion:

“I am very excited for this opportunity and I am very thankful to Golden Boy Promotions.

“This fight is going to open many doors for me and I can’t wait to give everyone a good show.”

ORLANDO ‘ORLANDITO’ DEL VALLE, Super Welterweight Contender:

“I guarantee you fireworks on Saturday, September 17. I want to thank all my sponsors and my team for this great opportunity.

“The Puerto Rico vs. Mexico, rivalry always grantees action, and Fireworks on fight night.

“I know the odds are crazy against me, but encourage you all to bet on me, because I am going to win on Saturday night.”

ARTHUR R. PELULO, President of Banner Promotions:

“Most great fighters enter the ring knowing they’re going to be great fighters and that is who Willie Monroe, Jr. is. He is a very entertaining fighter, a young man who I know as family.

“I know he will be giving all boxing fans a great show this Saturday.

“Eight months ago I was in Manchester, my guy was fighting Liam Smith, challenging him for the vacant title. I figured I was going to win, I was told we are going to win, but my guy was knocked out in the fifth round. And let me tell you, Liam is the real deal. I have been promoting for 30 years, and I have no skin in this, but Liam Smith just keeps coming, he is the real deal. I am not promoting the fight, Oscar is, but Liam Smith took the victory that night and I know he is an intense fighter. Fans will be in for a great fight.”

FERNANDO VARGAS, Former World Champion and Trainer to Gabriel Rosado

“We are excited, ready, Gabriel is a great listener. Starting at 18 and being where he is and his boxuing IQ has improved.

“We’ve worked hard and are ready.”

TONY WALKER, Director of HBO Sports:

“On behalf of Peter Nelson and the staff at HBO, it’s an honor to be a part of so many premiere organizations and to be able to open up this grand palace.

“Thank you Liam and Canelo for taking this challenge and reach in to fans on this great weekend of boxing.”

GREG ALVAREZ, Combative Sports Manager of the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation

“There’s a lot of work that goes into these fights, to make them all happen. Watch these guys back here, they are great fighters and this is going to be a great event. Let’s buy more tickets and create bigger and better fights.”

Canelo vs. Smith, a 12-round fight for the WBO Junior Middleweight World Championship, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Frank Warren and Canelo Promotions. Gabriel Rosado vs. Willie Monroe, Jr. is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Banner Promotions and Diego De La Hoya vs. Luis Orlando Del Valle is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Roc Nation Sports. The event is sponsored by “Tecate, BORN BOLD,” O’Reilly Auto Parts, “Hennessy. Never Stop. Never Settle,” “Adriana’s Insurance, El seguro que necesitas Al precio que quieres pagar,” “AT&T, mobilizing your world,” and Casa Mexico Tequila and will take place on Saturday, September 17 at AT&T Stadium. Doors open at 2:00 p.m. CT, first fight and the RingTvLive.com live stream begins at 3:20 p.m. ET/2:20 p.m. CT/12:20 p.m. PT; the preliminary live stream begins at 6:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. CT/3:30 p.m. PT; with the main show produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/8:00 p.m. CT/6:00 p.m. PT.

B-roll and images of the fighters are available for use and download HERE or by copying and pasting: bit.ly/CaneloSmith. Video and photo credit must be given to Golden Boy Promotions.

Tickets are priced at $750, $500, $300, $200, $100, $85, $50 and $40, not including applicable service charges with a total ticket limit of 8 per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also will be available for purchase online at www.ticketmaster.com. Additionally, walk up purchases are available at the AT&T Stadium Box Office (Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. CT to 5:00 p.m. CT).

WBO World Junior Middleweight Champion Liam Smith came face-to-face with challenger Canelo Alvarez at today’s final head-to-head press conference at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Undefeated Smith (23-0-1 13 KO’s) defends his World Title against Mexican pound-for-pound star Canelo (47-1-1 33 KO’s) this Saturday (17th) live on BoxNation.

Merseyside hero Smith looked calm and relaxed as he vowed to prove his doubters wrong and carve his name in to the history books.

“All I can say is wait and see what happens on Saturday,” said Smith. “Make sure you admit you were wrong and wrote me off without properly judging me or watching my fights. When I turn up on Saturday and put the performance in that I know I have in me then you will realise that Liam Smith is a very very good fighter.

“When you strip him down and forget he is one of the biggest names in boxing, he is a very good fighter but he isn’t out of this world. He’s not the best defensive fighter in the world, he’s vulnerable when he opens up. It will take a good fighter to exploit any weaknesses he has but I am confident I am that fighter.

Mexican superstar Canelo admitted that he was in for one of the hardest fights of his life but promised his fans that they would celebrate together after he took Smith’s belt from him.

“I’ve prepared for a very tough fight against a tough opponent,” said Canelo. “Some people in the U.S. might not know who Smith is yet but I definitely do. He’s a world champion for a reason and the important thing is that I know what he has and what he brings. That is what I have prepared for and that is what I have worked really hard for.

“I love his aggressive come-forward style, I think our styles will gel and we will provide fight fans around the world with an exciting contest. We have had an amazing camp and come Saturday night we can all celebrate together; we are taking home the title!”

BoxNation, the Channel of Champions, will televise this fight on Sky (SD Ch.437 and HD Ch.490), Freeview (Ch.255), Virgin (Ch.546), TalkTalk (Ch.415), online at watch.boxnation.com and via apps (iOS, Android, Amazon).

Go to www.boxnation.com to see how you can watch this fight and more live!

In addition to the Boxing’s hottest target, the Canelo vs. Smith undercard strutted their skills as a preview to their performance this Saturday. Vergil Ortiz Jr. (1-0, 1 KO) will be taking on El Paso, Texas’ Ernesto Hernandez (1-3, 1 KO) in a four round super lightweight bout before the pay-per-view undercard commences; Brooklyn’s Sadam Ali (22-1, 13 KOs) strutted his stuff, as he has been pitted against Saul Corral (21-7, 12 KOs) of Agua Prieta Mexico in a ten round welterweight fight and Hector Tanajara Jr. (6-0, 4 KOs) will be battling against Roy Garcia (3-19-1, 2 KOs) in a six round lightweight bout; all three fights will be part of the preliminary undercard streaming on RingTv.com, the HBO Boxing YouTube Page and on select pay-per-view providers. Joshua Franco (6-0, 3 KOs) is featured in a six round bantamweight fight against Mexico City’s Brian Bazan (9-2, 6 KOs). Another Brooklyn Native, Zachary Ochoa (15-0, 7 KOs) is scheduled to battle Daniel Montoya (11-4, 8 KOs). Alexis Salazar (7-3, 3 KOs) rumble with Larry Smith (10-28-1, 6 KOs) of Dallas Texas in a six round super welter weight bout. Also a part of the media work out, was London’s Anthony Yarde (7-0, 6 KOs) who will be participating in a six round light heavy weight bout against Michael Mitchel (3-7-2, 1 KOs), kicking off the fight night.

Below is what the fighters had to say at today’s media workout:

CANELO ALVAREZ, Former two-time World Champion:

“I always give the best of me for the fans. Texas is special is my second my home, the people are great the fans are great. This is a historic night for me and for boxing and I am very motivated to perform for all the fans at AT&T stadium.

“We have seen footage of Liam Smith, he is a strong fighter and his style of boxing is similar to mine. Both our styles will make a great fight for all the fans on Saturday. He is hard puncher, connects, comes forward and has good combinations. We know he is dangerous and we are not underestimating him.

“I am preparing for a fighter that comes forward, I am ready for anything. We will show the best fight we can for all the fans on Saturday night.”

JOSE “CHEPO” REYNOSO, Manager and Trainer to Canelo Alvarez:

“Styles make fights and Liam Smith’s style is one that suits Canelo. Canelo likes fighters that come forward he is that type of fighter as well. And these kinds of fights are the ones that are very exciting for the fans.

“I can’t predict what Liam will do in the ring and we can’t necessarily plan for it. We have to be ready for everything. We can have a game plan and if your opponent isn’t letting you execute and you have to adjust.

“A fighter has two hands and both hands can punch. Liam has power and we need to be prepared for that power, whether that comes from the right hand or the left hand.”

EDDY REYNOSO, Head Trainer to Canelo Alvarez:

“We have been working very hard for 12 weeks, and have been focusing on hand speed and foot work. We have really been working on cutting of the ring and defense.

“Canelo is a very talented fighter, a very complete fighter. He is strong, connects very well and has a great defense. Those skills will be on display on Saturday and show why he is the stronger fighter.

“Liam Smith is a very hungry fighter and throws great combinations. He is strong aggressive fighter and that style suits Canelo.

“I have worked with Canelo for a long time, have had the opportunity to see him grow as a person and as a fighter. He is a humble person who is very serious about the sport and the people love him. He is dedicated to his fans and trains very hard to make sure he gives them great shows.”

SADAM ALI., Former two time Welterweight Champion:

“I think it’s great to be back on a big stage. Last time it didn’t work out as planned, but I just have to work my way back up. I got caught with a good shot and I take nothing away from my opponent, he was the better man that night. It was back to the drawing board for me and now I’m back and ready to fight again.”

HECTOR TANAJARA, Welterweight Contender:

“As an amateur, I qualified for the Olympics, but became injured. However, I received about eight national titles and have traveled all of the world.

“Being signed with Golden Boy Promotions by former World Champion fighter Oscar De La Hoya, is something I’ve always dreamed of, and since I saw De La Hoya fight Vargas-he’s been an inspiration for me to follow in his footsteps and have a great professional career like he did.

“I know my opponent is aggressive, so this should be a very action-packed fight for me. I hope to fight two or three times more this year.”

JOSHUA FRANCO, Bantamweight Contender:

“It’s a great feeling to be fighting in Texas for the first time, because all of my fans will be coming out to see me. Being from Texas, when I fight out in California, not all of my friends and family can make it, so this gives them an opportunity to watch me.

“It feels amazing to be a part of such a huge event like this, I’ve always dreamed of this and someday being a part of it.

“I’ve been training hard, like always, and hopefully this fight will be an easy one. I want to thank all my fans for their continued support.”

VERGIL ORTIZ JR, Lightweight Contender:

“It’s my second fight so to fight on such a big stage is great. My opponent’s record is 1-3,all ending within the first round so I know I have to be careful but I’m confident I will get the win.”

ZACHARY OCHOA, Superlightweight Contender:

“During this training camp, I’ve been focusing more on my body shots and landing my punches to look for the right punches-not throwing just to throw-but pacing myself.

“It makes me feel great to be a part of such a big event because it pushes and motivates me to perform event better.

“I know my opponent is tough-all Mexican fighters are tough, but I’ve come in and have been preparing myself well and doing everything I need to be doing in the gym. My weight is good, and I just want to get in the ring, have fun and be impressive for all of the fans coming out.”

ANTHONY YARDE, Light Heavyweight Contender:

“I’m excited to be here. With my past, being on this stage I have an opportunity to inspire people and that means a lot to me.”

Canelo vs. Smith, a 12-round fight for the WBO Junior Middleweight World Championship, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Frank Warren and Canelo Promotions. Gabriel Rosado vs. Willie Monroe, Jr. is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Banner Promotions and Diego De La Hoya vs. Luis Orlando Del Valle is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Roc Nation Sports. The event is sponsored by “Tecate, BORN BOLD,” O’Reilly Auto Parts, “Hennessy. Never Stop. Never Settle,” “Adriana’s Insurance, El seguro que necesitas Al precio que quieres pagar,” “AT&T, mobilizing your world,” and Casa Mexico Tequila and will take place on Saturday, September 17 at AT&T Stadium. Doors open at 2:00 p.m. CT, first fight and the RingTvLive.com live stream begins at 3:20 p.m. ET/2:20 p.m. CT/12:20 p.m. PT; the preliminary live stream begins at 6:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. CT/3:30 p.m. PT; with the main show produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/8:00 p.m. CT/6:00 p.m. PT.

B-roll and images of the fighters are available for use and download HERE or by copying and pasting: bit.ly/CaneloSmith. Video and photo credit must be given to Golden Boy Promotions.

Tickets are priced at $750, $500, $300, $200, $100, $85, $50 and $40, not including applicable service charges with a total ticket limit of 8 per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also will be available for purchase online at www.ticketmaster.com. Additionally, walk up purchases are available at the AT&T Stadium Box Office (Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. CT to 5:00 p.m. CT).

Dynamite-punching light-heavyweight talent Anthony Yarde (7-0, 6 KO’s) will fight over six rounds against an opponent to be confirmed on the undercard of Liam Smith’s blockbuster World title defence against Mexican pound-for-pound star Canelo at the iconic AT&T Stadium this Saturday.

The red-hot Ilford demolition man has made an explosive start to life in the paid ranks, blasting out six of his first seven opponents via devastating knockouts, and will now look to announce himself to American fights fans in front of a packed out AT&T Stadium.

Hackney-born knockout menace Yarde is fast emerging as one of the most promising light-heavyweight talents in the UK and is now looking to impress American fans with his brutal power and incredible speed on his debut on U.S. soil.

“I’m absolutely thrilled to joining such a huge card,” said Yarde. “This is the kind if stage where I can showcase exactly what I’m made of. I want to reach the very top of the fight game and fighting on a massive show like this will give me a taster of things to come; this is the level I want to reach.”

“It’s going to be an amazing show, fight fans across the world are looking forward to watching Canelo take on Smith and I’m excited to be part of it. Fighting at the home of the Dallas Cowboys in front of a sell-out crowd will be special.

“To get to where I want to be I just need to keep on doing what I’m doing. As always I’m putting the work in in the gym and gaining more experience with each and every fight. Saturday can’t come soon enough and I’m going to give an unforgettable performance.”

BoxNation, the Channel of Champions, will televise this fight on Sky (SD Ch.437 and HD Ch.490), Freeview (Ch.255), Virgin (Ch.546), TalkTalk (Ch.415), online at watch.boxnation.com and via apps (iOS, Android, Amazon).

Go to www.boxnation.com to see how you can watch this fight and more live!

ARLINGTON, TX (Sept. 13, 2016) – Kicking off fight week on a high note, Liam “Beefy” Smith (23-0-1, 13 KOs) hosted a media work out at the Texan Resort and Convention Center ahead of his highly anticipated debut in the United States when he takes on former two-division world champion, Canelo Alvarez (47-1-1, 33 KOs) in the home of the Dallas Cowboy’s, AT&T Stadium this Saturday, September 17. The fight is presented live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

Fightersfeatured on the pay-per-view undercard of Canelo vs. Smith were also part of the media workout in front of local fight fans. Philly’s “King” Gabriel Rosado (23-9, 13 KOs, 1 NC) and former world title challenger Willie “El Mongoose” Monroe, Jr. (20-2, 6 KOs) of Rochester, N.Y. who will be facing off in a in a 12-round middleweight bout for the WBO Inter-Continental Middleweight Title were in attendance today to show off their boxing skills for the media. Also in attendance today, 2012 U.S. Olympian and current NABF Featherweight Champion Joseph “Jojo” Diaz, Jr. (21-0, 12 KOs), and Andrew “El Chango” Cancio (17-3-2, 13 KOs) who will face each other in a 10-round fight. Also, WBC Youth Super Bantamweight Champion, Diego De La Hoya (15-0, 9 KOs) of Mexicali, Mexico, and Bayamon, Puerto Rico’s Luis “Orlandito” Orlando Del Valle (22-2, 16 KOs) were part of the day’s festivities as they prepare to face off in a 10-round fight opening up the pay-per-view broadcast.

Below is what the fighters had to say at today’s media workout:

LIAM SMITH, WBO World Junior Middleweight World Champion:

“I know Canelo is a very accurate puncher and has a great deal of variety in the ring. This training session we did an open sparring session, and I got to work with Kell Brook to prepare. Canelo isn’t a full light middleweight like I am, and that’s to my advantage. It feels very good to be on this big stage, and it’s one that I have asked to be on.

“I am going to show everyone that I can fight at a high magnitude and hopefully I’ll gain some more fans once I beat Canelo. Looking back at his last fight, I think Canelo’s attitude was thinking that he was going to grab the knock out sooner or later, and he wasn’t willing to box. I won’t let that be the case this fight because I’ve got the ability to out box him, and put him in his place. Just because the writers and the boxing critics label me as the underdog isn’t my motivation – my family and their support is the only one I need. With this opportunity, I’m hoping for bigger and better fights to come my way.”

“Despite my gym being owned by Amir Khan, I haven’t talked to him about the fight because what he can do well, I can do well, and what Amir failed to do in the ring, I will not fail to do. I have my own skill set that I can excel in. I’m comfortable going toe to toe with Canelo, and let that be a warning to him come Saturday.”

JOE GALLAGHER, 2015 Ring Magazine Trainer of the Year and Trainer for Liam Smith:

“Training camp has been great, we have been sparring with world champion partners, specifically Kell Brook and others. It was an easy decision to say yes to Canelo – the name was already in the books before the Khan fight, and this was the fight that we wanted.

“We are full heartily confident in what we have come to show the crowd. Smith is a serious threat. Liam Smith can box from the outside, he’s a great counter puncher, can fight from the inside, has great shots from the inside, and has a great temperament. These are some of my favorite characteristics of Liam Smith. I think he might shock a lot of people in just how great he is come Saturday night.”

“KING” GABRIEL ROSADO, Former Middleweight World Title Challenger:

“I am excited to be in Dallas – what fighter can say that they have fought in the Cowboy’sStadium – and I am excited to be on the Canelo versus Smith card. Training camp has been good and I am feeling powerful knowing that I am going to put on a great show for everybody.

“I feel like Monroe disrespected me, and he will see what I think about that in the ring. I am going for the knock out once I step on the mat. This fight has the potential to leave a huge mark on my career, and once that final bell rings, there will be even more opportunities and fights waiting for me. This one is for all the Puerto Rican and Mexican fight fans who have shown me a great amount of love and respect.

WILLIE MONROE JR., Former Middleweight World Title Challenger:

“It’s going to be a fun night this September 17. I am ready to get in and brawl. It’s a privilege to be under one of the biggest HBO cards of the year. Going up against Rosado will be interesting, and I am ready to see what he brings into the ring.”

“The fans can expect an exciting night of boxing, will go out and show them the best Willie Monroe, Jr.”

JOSEPH “JOJO” DIAZ, JR., NABF Featherweight Champion:

“I am at 110 percent right now, and my confidence levels are through the roof. I feel like no one can beat me. I feel like I’m at my best, and come Saturday night, I’m going to show the fans that I’ve got what it takes to be at the very top. If fight fans want to see a fighter who has the speed, who has the power, the guy who has the ability to fight at the right angle, they need to tune in on Saturday night.

“I am fighting someone who wants to pull an upset, and I won’t let him have it. This is the fight of a lifetime for me, and hopefully come Saturday, I’ll take it all. I’m ready for this opportunity, and I am ready for this chance – I’ve been ready since I was a little kid when I used to dream about this – and I can’t wait to showcase what I’ve got. Being under a big card run under a Promotions company like Golden Boy hasn’t unfocused me – it’s just another fight. I know what it’s like to have millions watching when I fought in the Olympics and I’ve fought on an HBO Canelo card before and I know what mentality you need to have to be in the ring in those situations. Once I go into the ring, the only person I will be focused on will be Andrew Cancio.”

ANDREW “EL CHANGO” CANCIO, Featherweight Contender:

“I am ready for this fight in every sense of the word. We’ve been putting in hard work. Jojo is a very sharp in the ring, and a very slick fighter, but we have been training to prevent any surprises in the ring. If we have to go the distance, we will. I am trained to make it all ten rounds.

“It’s an incredible opportunity to be fighting on the Canelo vs. Smith undercard at AT&T Stadium. The way the fight got put together was a complete blessing. Come Saturday night, we’re going to go in there looking for a war.”

DIEGO DE LA HOYA, WBC Youth Super Bantamweight Champion:

“It’s a very important fight this Saturday, and I have to take advantage of it. This fight hasthe potential to open so many doors, and we are going to show how hard we have trained for this. This is my biggest stage, and we are going to leave it all on the mat. We know that Del Valle is a fighter with a lot of experience, but we are expecting a knock out come Saturday night. We have worked extremely hard, and we are hoping to represent the Mexican community and show off our pride in the ring.”

LUIS “ORLANDITO” ORLANDO DEL VALLE, WBC Youth Super Bantamweight Champion:

“I love the Mexican community – they are the most humble and welcoming people. I remember when I visited Mexico for the first time, and I felt at home. While the Mexico Versus Puerto Rico matches are always heated, I have a deep respect for the Mexican Public.

“I am going to leave the ring with a victory under my belt on September 17 without a doubt. Not being the favorite doesn’t affect me at all. I have had many experiences in which things have not gone the way we anticipated, however those setbacks have brought me to this stage I stand on now, and the opportunity to further my career. This is my destiny, and I’ll prove that this Saturday.”

Canelo vs. Smith, a 12-round fight for the WBO Junior Middleweight World Championship, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Frank Warren and Canelo Promotions. Gabriel Rosado vs. Willie Monroe, Jr. is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Banner Promotions and Diego De La Hoya vs. Luis Orlando Del Valle is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Roc Nation Sports. The event is sponsored by “Tecate, BORN BOLD,” O’Reilly Auto Parts, “Hennessy. Never Stop. Never Settle,” “Adriana’s Insurance, El seguro que necesitas Al precio que quieres pagar,” “AT&T, mobilizing your world,” and Casa Mexico Tequila and will take place on Saturday, September 17 at AT&T Stadium. Doors open at 2:00 p.m. CT, first fight and the RingTvLive.com live stream begins at 3:20 p.m. ET/2:20 p.m. CT/12:20 p.m. PT; the preliminary live stream begins at 6:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. CT/3:30 p.m. PT; with the main show produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/8:00 p.m. CT/6:00 p.m. PT.

B-roll and images of the fighters are available for use and download HERE or by copying and pasting: bit.ly/CaneloSmith. Video and photo credit must be given to Golden Boy Promotions.

Tickets are priced at $750, $500, $300, $200, $100, $85, $50 and $40, not including applicable service charges with a total ticket limit of 8 per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also will be available for purchase online at www.ticketmaster.com. Additionally, walk up purchases are available at the AT&T Stadium Box Office (Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. CT to 5:00 p.m. CT).

NEW YORK, September 13 – With less than a week to go before the Canelo vs. Smith fight on Saturday, September 17, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, Tecate, the fight’s presenting and exclusive beer sponsor, has descended on the Dallas-Ft. Worth (DFW) Metroplex through a series of digital and physical activations to bring fans 21+ closer to the international mega fight and celebrate Mexican Independence Day Weekend.

Fighting on Mexican Independence Weekend, a date reserved for some of the most recognizable fighters in boxing history: Julio Cesar “J.C.” Chavez, Sr., Juan Manuel “Dinamita” Marquez, Marco Antonio “Baby Face Assassin” Barrera Erik “El Terrible” Morales and “The Golden Boy” Oscar De La Hoya; now former two-division world champion Canelo Alvarez (47-1-1, 33 KOs) will reclaim the historic weekend for Hispanic fight fans when he faces off against WBO Junior Middleweight World Champion Liam “Beefy” Smith (23-0-1, 13 KOs). The event takes place Saturday, Sept. 17 and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9pm ET/6pm PT.

Today, fight fans 21+ looking to get closer to the fight before and during the bout, can gain access to exclusive pre-fight training content and come fight night, feel one of Canelo’s power punches through their smartphone with the popular boxing app, Tecate Bold Punch. The immersive app, which debuted on iOS in May, is now available for Android. Tecate Bold Punch is the perfect second screen companion for the faceoff featuring five unique types of content as demonstrated here:

Punches – Don’t just see the punches, feel them. Every time Canelo lands a bold punch, your phone will vibrate to reflect the bold intensity of the match.
Behind-the-scenes-video – Live streams and exclusive pre-fight locker room content.
See Fight – All of the ways to see the fight – from where to buy tickets to how to watch the fight, how to purchase the HBO Pay-Per-View event beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT
Tecate – Check out the latest national television campaign featuring Canelo and the brand’s iconic black eagle.
Fighters – A quick tale of the tape that highlights the fighters’ important stats ahead of the fight.

“You can’t just go big in Texas! Therefore, we’re going big nationally to bring fight fans closer to the ring while fueling Canelo’s crossover to the US market through extensive broadcast, retail and digital promotions,” said Felix Palau, Vice President, Tecate. “From the moment fans step off the plane at DFW or if they’re viewing with friends and using our Bold Punch app as a companion experience across the country, Tecate will instantly emerge you into the fight.”

“Boxing and Tecate go hand in hand, which is why we are thrilled to be giving the fans an exclusive inside look to the Canelo vs. Smith fight with the Bold Punch app,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “Over Mexican Independence Day weekend, Tecate will be the fight fan’s ultimate guide to all of the action-packed festivities and behind-the-scenes content during the fight.”

From Monday, September 12, in DFW and nationally, Hispanic broadcasters including Univision, UniMas, Telemundo, Fox Deportes, NBC Universo, ESPN Deportes and many others will air the Tecate branded commercial “Flashy” featuring Canelo and driving consumers to buy the HBO Pay-Per-View®.

On Friday, September 16 at 2pm CST, the Tecate Fan Fest will open to the public inside the AT&T Stadium’s East Plaza and feature branded consumer experiences including celebrity autographs and photo opportunities with current and past boxing legends, an Oscar De La Hoya meet & greet and the ability to measure your best punch against Canelo’s through the Bold Punch Challenge where a consumer’s punch power is measured through digital impact and laser sensors.

Friday night will conclude with the Tecate Born Bold Champions Chat hosted by award-winning boxing journalist Dan Rafael, and broadcast live on the Bold Punch App, RingTv.com and Golden Boy Promotion’s Facebook Page from 6-7pm CST featuring an entertaining debate with Golden Boy Promotions Chairman and CEO Oscar De La Hoya, the timeless Future Hall of Famer and Golden Boy Promotions Partner Bernard Hopkins, the greatest boxing analyst of all time, Larry Merchant and very special guest, Jerry Jones.

Tecate’s 21+ national consumer opportunities continue with thematic point-of-sale activations across more than 4,000 off-premise and 200 on-premise accounts driving beer trials; a text-to-win competition for 3,300 instant win prizes including limited edition Canelo + Under Armour + Tecate branded fight gear; the popular, national, no purchase necessary mail-in-rebate program; and the brand will be prominently featured on Canelo’s trunks, at the center ring, around the mat and throughout the fight.

For additional details on Tecate’s “Born Bold” campaign, the sponsorship of Golden Boy Promotions’ fights, or to speak with a Tecate Light representative about the brand, please contact BRAYA at HUSA@BRAYAUS.com.
Tickets for Canelo vs. Smith are priced at $750, $500, $300, $200, $100, $85, $50 and $40, not including applicable service charges with a total ticket limit of 8 per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also will be available for purchase online at www.ticketmaster.com. Additionally, walk up purchases are available at the AT&T Stadium Box Office (Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. CT to 5:00 p.m. CT).

About HEINEKEN USA
HEINEKEN USA Inc., the nation’s leading upscale beer importer, is a subsidiary of HEINEKEN NV, the world’s most international brewer. Core brands imported into the U.S. are Heineken®, the world’s most international premium beer brand, the Dos Equis franchise, the Tecate franchise and Strongbow Hard Apple Ciders. HEINEKEN USA also imports Amstel Light, Newcastle Brown Ale, Red Stripe, Sol, Indio, Carta Blanca and Bohemia brands. For the latest information on our company and brands, follow us on Twitter @HeinekenUSACorp, or visit HEINEKENUSA.com.

Canelo vs. Smith, a 12-round fight for the WBO Junior Middleweight World Championship, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Frank Warren and Canelo Promotions. Gabriel Rosado vs. Willie Monroe, Jr. is a 12-round fight for the vacant WBO Inter-Continental Middleweight Title presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Banner Promotions, Joseph Diaz, Jr. vs. Andrew Cancio is a 10-round fight for the NABF Featherweight Title presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Diego De La Hoya vs. Luis Orlando Del Valle is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Roc Nation Sports. The event is sponsored by “Tecate, BORN BOLD,” O’Reilly Auto Parts, Hennessey, Adriana’s Insurance, AT&T, and Casa Mexico Tequila and will take place on Saturday, September 17 at AT&T Stadium. Doors open at 2:00 p.m. CT, first fight and the RingTv.com live stream begins at 3:20 p.m. ET/2:20 p.m. CT/12:20 p.m. PT; the preliminary live stream begins at 6:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. CT/3:30 p.m. PT on HBO Boxing YouTube page and select pay-per-view channel providers; with the four fight pay-per-view card produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View and also available via live stream on www.goldenboyppv.com beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/8:00 p.m. CT/6:00 p.m. PT.

LOS ANGELES (Sept. 12, 2016) – With September being National Hispanic Heritage Month, former two-division world champion Canelo Alvarez (47-1-1, 33 KOs) will take back Mexican Independence Day weekend for Latino fight fans in his upcoming battle against WBO Junior Middleweight World Champion Liam “Beefy” Smith (23-0-1, 13 KOs). Reclaiming the distinctive weekend is a greater symbol of the arrival of Canelo Alvarez to the very top of the sport, as the last Mexican fighter who owned the action-packed weekend was Golden Boy Promotions’ Chairman and CEO Oscar De La Hoya.

The prized Mexican Independence weekend was a tradition started by the legend himself, Julio Cesar Chavez. Chavez’s relentless Mexican style of attack is what made holiday weekends worthy of gathering family and friends together to watch the matches – a legacy that all Mexican boxers strove to live up to. That legacy was officially passed on to Oscar De La Hoya in a career defining match on September 18, 1998, where De La Hoya met with Cesar Chavez in the ring for the WBC World welterweight title. From that point on, the “Golden Boy” was in charge of headlining on the two biggest dates for the Latino fan base – Mexican Independence Day and Cinco de Mayo weekends.

Though some of boxing’s biggest and most talented fighters come from all over Latin America, the September 17 weekend is not just for Mexican fight fans – but all Latinos who share a passion for boxing.

Here is what Chairman and CEO Oscar De La Hoya and Latino Fighters of the Canelo-Smith card had to say about fighting on the historic weekend:

Canelo Alvarez, Former Two-Divison World Champion

“Getting to fight at the AT&T Stadium in Texas is a huge privilege for me and my career. Fighting on this weekend is powerful because it tells the story of Mexicans all over, making a win even more important. This fight is going to be historic; from the venue, the title, to the fans who are going to show up – I take all of this into consideration as I train hard for this match.”

Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions

“Mexican Independence Day has always been a huge weekend in boxing. Boxing’s biggest giants have all fought on the historic weekend, and to have a talented Mexican boxer like Canelo Alvarez take it back for the Latino community is amazing, and a huge win for us Latinos, especially as we enter Hispanic Heritage Month.

“Some of my biggest fights were held on the historic Mexican Independence Day weekend – from Julio Cesar Chavez, Bernard Hopkins to Shane Mosley and Felix Trinidad just to name a few. I remember the fights I had in the ring on this historic weekend; the emotions, pride, and excitement from the crowd becomes contagious and gives you the fuel needed to give a top level performance.

“Fight fans should expect a night of explosive talent on September 17, as these fighters will be stepping on to the mat with thousands of fanatics cheering them on, representing their Latino roots. It will be a night that Latinos will be proud to see someone like Canelo representing them in the sport, an event no Latino should miss. This is our turn to dominate boxing once again.”

“King” Gabriel Rosado, Former Middleweight World Title Challenger:

“I’m proud being Latino from Puerto Rican heritage. I grew up speaking Spanish. My culture is a way of life, it’s who I am.
“Fighting on Mexican Independence Day is an honor for me. I have a big Mexican fan base! So I’m looking forward to putting on a show in Texas. I think that’s a very big date for Boxing. To headline a card itself it’s a huge deal, but doing it on Hispanic heritage month it’s a bonus. I admire and look up to the most is Roberto Duran. He came from nothing like many other fighters do, and had a legendary career. I try to take his aggressive smart pressure. He was a master at breaking down his opponents.

“September 17 fans can expect a hungry warrior willing to do whatever it takes to be victorious! I want to give the fans a Knock Out win…Team KGR is working hard!”

Willie Monroe Jr, Former WBA-NABA and WBO NABO Middleweight Champion:

“It’s big to me because I have Cuban blood. To have Independence in a country like America, It makes you proud to have Latino Independence. I remember, Chavez, Canelo and even Mayweather having big fights on this weekend. I love Guillermo Rigondeaux, Felix Trinidad and ironically Fernando Vargas – since I am now fighting his pupil, Gabriel Rosado.

“I plan on headlining Cinco de Mayo weekend next year. What would be a better fight then me and Canelo? I hope Canelo calls me into the ring after he fights.”

Joseph “Jojo” Diaz, Jr., NABF Featherweight Champion:

“Knowing that September is Hispanic Heritage Month makes me feel more confident to go out there and be the best I can be for my people! It’s an honor fighting on Mexican Independence Day weekend. A lot of great fights have been on this special day, and I’m ready to put everything on the line to give the fight fans another fight to remember.

“Hopefully one day I can be a main event fighter on Mexican Independence Day weekend. This would mean a lot to my career because it’ll show everyone that I can be the next big Mexican American star. I admire Oscar De La Hoya Canelo and Chavez Sr. as these great fighters have done a lot for the sport and are great at it. I hope to be as good as them one day.

“Fight fans can see a very determined Joseph Diaz that is going to give it his all for all the fans tuning in. Especially, because it’s Mexican Independence Day. I will be ready for whatever my opponent brings to the ring.”

Andrew “El Chango” Cancio, Super Featherweight Contender:

“I am proud to be Mexican-American every day. I appreciate that in the United States we dedicate a month to celebrate Hispanic heritage and Mexican independence.

“I am glad to be part of such a big event. As a Mexican-American fighter, it was one of my goals to one day fight on this stage and now I am here and will make the most of it. One of my favorite fights on this weekend is Oscar De La Hoya v. Fernando Vargas. I would like to one day headline such big events in boxing. At this point in my career it would be a great accomplishment to headline any big event in my career. Some of the fighters that I admire are Juan Manuel Marquez, Marco Antonio Barrera, and Erik Morales. What I like about them is their versatility. They could brawl, box, and counter punch. As I develop as a fighter, I try to implement some of their techniques that fit my style.

“The fans can expect a war. It will be a fight to be remembered during the Mexican festivities. I will leave it all in the ring. I guarantee it. I am here to win to move to bigger things.”

Diego De La Hoya, WBC Youth World Super Bantamweight Champion:

“September is the month of our independence, fighting away from my country in this special date makes me want to make my Mexican people proud. I know Mexicans will be very excited to watch all the Mexican fighters that day.

“Like I have said before, it’s going to be a very intense fight, but I feel ready. One of my favorite fights I watched that was on Mexican Independence Day weekend was Julio Cesar Chavez vs. Hector Macho Camacho because of the rivalry between Mexicans and Puerto Ricans.

“It would be something very great in my career being the main event on a Mexican Independence Day weekend, and even more representing my hometown city Mexicali. Like all Mexican fighter our idol Julio Cesar Chavez, gave a lot of accomplishments to our Mexican boxing fans and there will never be someone like him, because his style is unique.

Luis Orlando “Orlandito” Del Valle, Super Bantamweight Contender:

“It feels incredible to fight on this weekend. The Hispanic community is like a big family. There’s nothing like being a part of that community and the celebration of our heritage. That sense of pride gives me HUGE motivation. Feels great to be a part of the event and celebration.

“My favorite Mexican Independence Day Weekend fight has to be Felix Trinidad vs. Oscar de la Hoya in 1999. It was a huge celebration that weekend for my beloved Puerto Rico. I’ve already headlined an event the night before the Puerto Rican Day Parade in New York and that was a huge accomplishment and honor. I am looking forward to doing it again on a bigger stage.

“Fighting in Texas during Hispanic Heritage Month and Mexican Independence Day weekend will be a great platform!

Felix Trinidad. Just an amazing fighter and a role model. He is my favorite fighter, I love everything about him.”

Eddie “E-Boy” GomezIBF North American Welterweight Champion:

“It makes me feel proud to be Hispanic and proud that I’m able to step in the ring and represent Hispanic heritage my country and all Hispanics around the world. I feel very happy and motivated to be fighting on such a big weekend in the history of boxing.

“My favorite fight held on this big weekend from the past would have to be De la Hoya vs Vargas. I would love to fight during Hispanic heritage month/weekend especially since I’m from Honduras. I would like to represent my country while being the first Honduran world champion, being giving the opportunity to showcase my talent and represent for my country during Hispanic heritage month would mean the world to me.

“I admire Roberto Duran and Oscar de la Hoya. I like how they represent their heritage. They put their country high and represent where they’re from each time they step foot in the ring.”

Hector “El Finito” Tanajara, Jr.Lightweight Contender:

“I’m proud to be Mexican American and proud to represent my heritage every time I step in the ring. Fighting on arguably the biggest weekend in boxing is an honor for me and gives me motivation to one day headline my own cards in San Antonio on this weekend.

“My favorite fight from this weekend has to be De La Hoya-Vargas. Nothing compares to that type of rivalry and that type of atmosphere on such a big stage. I would love to headline an event on this weekend. Not only headline such a big card, but make sure I headline it in San Antonio. Without a doubt my two favorite Mexican fighters are “Finito” Lopez and Erik Morales. Finito’s flawless style and Morales’ charisma and heart are what stand out the most to me.

“The fans can expect a great show this weekend from me. This is my first pro fight in Texas and I want to make it a memorable one.”

Joshua “El Professor” Franco, Bantamweight Contender:

“I’m proud to be Mexican American and proud to know that that our heritage is represented well during the two biggest weekends in boxing. One fight that stands out from this weekend’s history is Vargas De La Hoya. That’s still one of my favorite fights ever even though my family and I were big Fernando Vargas fans.

“I’m very happy Golden Boy gave me the chance to fight on Mexican Independence Day weekend. I’m working even harder to showcase my skills in such a big event. It’s every Mexican or Mexican American fighters dream to headline a card during this weekend in boxing. It’s a great tradition that I one day hope to leave my mark on as well.

“My favorite Mexican fighters are Marco Antonio Barrera because of his calm demeanor but relentless style in the ring. Julio Cesar Chavez because of the way he put pressure. It was an all action type style but he had great reflexes and a great defense. Fernando Vargas. He accomplished a lot at such a young age and never backed down from any other top fighter.”

Zachary “Zungry” Ochoa, Super Lightweight Contender:

“Hispanic Heritage Month makes me feel more thankful for my family and ancestors that led the way for us to be here in the US and express our culture! I feel moved and excited to be in an atmosphere so electric.

“Canelo-Mayweather was my favorite fight held on the Mexican Independence Day weekend because that same day my nephew was born. So I went from the hospital to running home to watch the fight.

“I would love to one day headline an event this big or bigger on an important month like this. Accomplishing this would mean a lot to my career, opening many doors to new opportunities and more fans.”

Alexis Salazar Super Welterweight Contender:

“I am proud to be Mexican, representing Guadalajara, Jalisco Mexico. I remember growing up and watching Oscar De La Hoya and Canelo Alvarez as some of the heaviest hitters and the biggest combatants.

“To be able to fight on the special weekend – especially as a Mexican fighter, it would be a dream come true. I admire Canelo Alvarez for his discipline, for all his accomplishments despite his young age, and over everything the value he has representing Mexicans, especially those from Jalisco.”

Tickets are priced at $750, $500, $300, $200, $100, $85, $50 and $40, not including applicable service charges with a total ticket limit of 8 per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also will be available for purchase online at www.ticketmaster.com. Additionally, walk up purchases are available at the AT&T Stadium Box Office (Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. CT to 5:00 p.m. CT).

Canelo vs. Smith, a 12-round fight for the WBO Junior Middleweight World Championship, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Frank Warren and Canelo Promotions. Gabriel Rosado vs. Willie Monroe, Jr. is a 12-round fight for the vacant WBO Inter-Continental Middleweight Title presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Banner Promotions, Joseph Diaz, Jr. vs. Andrew Cancio is a 10-round fight for the NABF Featherweight Title presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Diego De La Hoya vs. Luis Orlando Del Valle is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Roc Nation Sports. The event is sponsored by “Tecate, BORN BOLD,” O’Reilly Auto Parts, Hennessey, Adriana’s Insurance, AT&T, and Casa Mexico Tequila and will take place on Saturday, September 17 at AT&T Stadium. Doors open at 2:00 p.m. CT, first fight and the RingTv.com live stream begins at 3:20 p.m. ET/2:20 p.m. CT/12:20 p.m. PT; the preliminary live stream begins at 6:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. CT/3:30 p.m. PT on HBO Boxing YouTube page and select pay-per-view channel providers; with the four fight pay-per-view card produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View and also available via live stream on www.goldenboyppv.com beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/8:00 p.m. CT/6:00 p.m. PT.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.frankwarren.com, www.attstadium.com or www.hbo.com/boxing, follow us on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @Canelo, @LiamBeefySmith, @KingGabRosado, @WillieMonroeJr, @JosephDiazJr, @AndrewCancio, @DiegoDeLaHoya, @OscarDeLaHoya, @FrankWarren_tv, @ATTStadium and @HBOboxing, become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.Facebook.com/frankwarrenpromotions, www.Facebook.com/ATTStadium or www.Facebook.com/HBOboxing, join us on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing, @Canelo, @LiamBeefySmith, @KingGabRosado, @Willie_elmongoose_monroejr, @JosephDiazJr, @Aa_Cancio, @DiegoDeLaHoya94 @ATTStadium, @OscarDeLaHoya and @HBOboxing, and follow the conversation using #CaneloSmith.

B-roll and images of the fighters are available for use and download HERE or by copying and pasting: bit.ly/CaneloSmith. Video and photo credit must be given to Golden Boy Promotions.

LOS ANGELES (Sept. 7, 2016) – Fighters featured on the undercard of Canelo vs. Smith today hosted a Los Angeles media workout at City of Angels Boxing ahead of their upcoming fights on September 17, 2017 at the home of the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, live on HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

As the co-main event to the mega-fight between Canelo Alvarez and Liam Smith, “King” Gabriel Rosado (23-9, 13 KOs, 1 NC) of Philadelphia, will face former world title challenger Willie “El Mongoose” Monroe, Jr. (20-2, 6 KOs) of Rochester, N.Y. in a 12-round middleweight bout. Also on the televised undercard, 2012 U.S. Olympian Joseph “Jojo” Diaz, Jr. (21-0, 12 KOs) of So. El Monte, Calif. will defend his NABF Featherweight title for the second time in a 10-round fight against one of the hardest punchers and most experienced fighters in the division, Andrew “El Chango” Cancio (17-3-2, 13 KOs) of Blythe, Calif. Opening up the Pay-Per-View telecast, rising star Diego De La Hoya (15-0, 9 KOs) of Mexicali, Mexico, will face off against Luis “Orlandito” Orlando Del Valle (22-2, 16 KOs) of Bayamon, Puerto Rico in a 10-round fight. Also featured on the non-televised undercard, Vergil Ortiz (1-0) of Dallas, Texas will take on Ernesto Hernandez (1-3, 1 KO) of El Paso, Texas in a Lone Star state four-round super lightweight battle.

Below is what the fighters had to say at today’s media workout:

“KING” GABRIEL ROSADO, Former Middleweight World Title Challenger:

“It’s great training with Fernando. We are comfortable with each other now. The chemistry was always there but it takes awhile to get familiar with the trainer. Having already trained for two fights together helped us prepare for this big opportunity. Everything is flowing.

“I think Monroe is a decent fighter but I’m going to show that he is not on my level as far as experience. I think I’m a young veteran. I’ve beat top names and lost to top names but I’m bringing more to the table.

“The fans have always supported me. They are always showing love. My shirts sell everywhere around the world. I think that shows when you put your all into it and give the fans their money’s worth, they are going to support you regardless. I think it’s overrated to protect that ‘0’, stacking the record. If you’re fighting good competition and putting on good fights, they’ll show you love.

“Originally I was supposed to fight Billy Joe Saunders in a world title fight on this card. I was very excited. Fernando and I started camp right away. Things, for whatever reason, went south with that fight and Golden Boy gave me options on who to fight I next. Once we changed the opponent, we got focused on someone else.”

JOSEPH “JOJO” DIAZ, JR., NABF Featherweight Champion:

“Thank you to Oscar De La Hoya and Golden Boy Promotions for giving me this great opportunity. I know that this is my time to shine and showcase my skills and prove to everyone that I can be the next superstar in boxing.

“Andrew Cancio is a dangerous fighter. He is very strong. His last two fights he’s proven he has that power to knock opponents out. I know I have to be cautious but I’m going to brawl with him and show him my power. I’m going to push him back; he’s not going to push me back. My team and I are coming in with a good game plan. I’m a whole different person. I feel stronger inside the ring. I feel like I have the speed and ability. I’m ready 110 percent for this fight.

“It’s going to be a dream come true fighting at AT&T Stadium in front of hard-core boxing fans. I’m going to go inside the ring and do what I do. I’ll take care of business on September 17. This will be the biggest fight of my life and I’m going to go in and show everyone how hard I’ve been training for this fight.

“If everything goes well and I don’t have any injuries, I look forward to fighting one more time this year.”

ANDREW “EL CHANGO” CANCIO, Featherweight Contender:

“Training camp has gone well. We’ve been putting in hard work. Jojo Diaz is a very sharp and slick fighter but I’m ready for him.

“I was shocked when I got the news I would be fighting on the Canelo vs. Smith undercard at AT&T Stadium. This opportunity is a blessing. We’re getting ready for September 17.

“We’re going to go in there looking for a war. If it takes 10 rounds, then it takes 10 rounds.”

DIEGO DE LA HOYA, WBC Youth Super Bantamweight Champion:

“I’ve been super focused this training camp. I won’t let this moment slip away because I recognize the value and open doors this can get me. I have a tough opponent. Puerto Rico versus Mexico is always a shown down, but this is what we have been training for, and we should be ready for anything in the ring.”

VERGIL ORTIZ, Super Lightweight Prospect:

“This is my second professional fight and the opportunity of a lifetime. I’m excited to be able to put my name out there for folks to recognize me. My opponent has a potential knock out power, so I have to be careful in the ring. I’m ready to go, and this is only the beginning.”

Canelo vs. Smith, a 12-round fight for the WBO Junior Middleweight World Championship, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Frank Warren and Canelo Promotions. Gabriel Rosado vs. Willie Monroe, Jr. is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Banner Promotions and Diego De La Hoya vs. Luis Orlando Del Valle is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Roc Nation Sports. The event is sponsored by “Tecate, BORN BOLD,” O’Reilly Auto Parts, “Hennessy. Never Stop. Never Settle,” “Adriana’s Insurance, El seguro que necesitas Al precio que quieres pagar,” “AT&T, mobilizing your world,” and Casa Mexico Tequila and will take place on Saturday, September 17 at AT&T Stadium. Doors open at 2:00 p.m. CT, first fight and the RingTvLive.com live stream begins at 3:20 p.m. ET/2:20 p.m. CT/12:20 p.m. PT; the preliminary live stream begins at 6:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. CT/3:30 p.m. PT; with the main show produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/8:00 p.m. CT/6:00 p.m. PT.

B-roll and images of the fighters are available for use and download HERE or by copying and pasting: bit.ly/CaneloSmith. Video and photo credit must be given to Golden Boy Promotions.

Tickets are priced at $750, $500, $300, $200, $100, $85, $50 and $40, not including applicable service charges with a total ticket limit of 8 per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also will be available for purchase online at www.ticketmaster.com. Additionally, walk up purchases are available at the AT&T Stadium Box Office (Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. CT to 5:00 p.m. CT).

What does Liam Smith provide in term of helping Canelo to get ready for a potential fight with GGG? As a promoter, what do you tell boxing fans that wanted to see Canelo-GGG instead of Canelo-Smith?

“Well, first of all, Canelo takes every fight seriously and never looks past anyone. Liam Smith is an undefeated fighter, the WBO Junior Middleweight Champion of the world, has knocked out his last eight opponents and comes from an outstanding boxing family.

“As of today, Canelo is a 154-lb fighter. He only fought for a Middleweight championship because fans wanted a fight with Miguel Cotto, and Canelo delivered by winning that fight convincingly.

“I have been clear that Canelo will fight Golovkin at 160 pounds and we have a verbal agreement to do it in the fall of 2017. But in the meantime, Canelo is going to build up to being a true middleweight.

“The plan is to face Smith – a big, bruising 154-pounder – in September, and if Canelo emerges victorious, to start making his way up to 160 pounds and fight Golovkin on equal turf (in terms of weight).

“We envision Canelo doing a third fight in 2016 either at or close to the middleweight limit and then a fight on Cinco De Mayo at 160 before facing Golovkin in the fall.

“I know Canelo/Golovkin is the biggest fight to make; the fighters know it’s the biggest fight to make; and the fans know it’s the biggest fight to make. Everyone agreed that a fight for the middleweight championship should take place at the middleweight limit and once Canelo builds up to that weight, the fight will be on.

“In the meantime, we are hopeful and confident that Canelo will continue to perform at a level that has led to back-to-back knockouts of the year over James Kirkland and Amir Khan and when his body is ready, GGG should look out.”

The HBO Sports special ROAD TO CANELO/SMITH debuts Saturday, September 10 at 12:45 a.m. (ET/PT) immediately following HBO World Championship Boxing.

Alvarez challenges Britain’s Liam Smith for his junior middleweight crown when Canelo vs. Smith takes place Saturday, September 17 from AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, live on pay-per-view beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT.

LOS ANGELES (September 6, 2016) – On Mexican Independence Weekend, Golden Boy Promotions will offer the world championship battle between heavy punchers, former two-division world champion Canelo Alvarez (47-1-1, 33 KOs) and WBO Junior Middleweight World Champion, Liam “Beffy” Smith (23-0-1, 13 KOs), on online pay-per-view via new site, www.goldenboyppv.com. Live from the home of the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium, in Arlington, Texas, www.goldenboyppv.com will allow fans the opportunity to watch this mega-fight on the device of their choice on September 17. This online offering is designed to reach those consumers who don’t have access to the HBO Pay-Per-View telecast that’s available through cable TV, satellite and telco pay-per-view providers.

“Our premium platform is designed with the boxing fan in mind and will provide fans a deep immersive pre-fight video experience featuring exclusive behind the scenes programming from training camp throughout fight week,” said Oscar De La Hoya Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “Our goal is to give fans access beyond the ring in a way that enriches their on-line viewing experience throughout fight night. ” Goldenboyppv.com is one of many new platforms Golden Boy Promotions has launched over the past 12 months.

The pay-per-view live stream event on www.goldenboyppv.com, can be pre-ordered and will be available for all U.S.-based users for $64.99 and will feature a legendary broadcast team with the “Colonel,” Bob Sheridan calling the bow-by-blow and Larry Merchant delivering the color. This one-two punch combination takes the broadcast to new heights and provides fans with spectacular insights throughout fight night.

The pay-per-view live stream will include the 10-round co-main event between “King” Gabriel Rosado (23-9, 13 Kos, 1 NC) and Willie Monroe Jr. (20-1, 6 KOs) fighting for the vacant WBO Intercontinental Middleweight Title; the 10-round NABF Featherweight Title between Joseph “Jojo” Diaz Jr. (21-0, 12 KOs) and Andrew “El Chango” Cancio (17-3-2, 13 KOs); and the 10-round event featuring Diego De La Hoya (15-0, 9 KOs) defending his WBC Youth Super Bantamweight Title against the experienced Luis Orlando Del Valle (22-2, 16 KOs).

“Golden Boy’s Media and Entertainment division is laser focused on delivering world-class digital programming experiences for fans around the world – our global distribution capabilities drive exclusive content across a vast landscape of digital and social platforms entertaining a boxing world on the go.” Said David Tetreault, EVP, Media and Entertainment, Golden Boy Promotions.

Tickets are priced at $750, $500, $300, $200, $100, $85, $50 and $40, not including applicable service charges with a total ticket limit of 8 per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets are also available for purchase online at www.ticketmaster.com. Additionally, walk up purchases are available at the AT&T Stadium Box Office (Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. CT to 5:00 p.m. CT).

Canelo vs. Smith, a 12-round fight for the WBO Junior Middleweight World Championship, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Frank Warren and Canelo Promotions. Gabriel Rosado vs. Willie Monroe, Jr. is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Banner Promotions and Diego De La Hoya vs. Luis Orlando Del Valle is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Roc Nation Sports. The event is sponsored by “Tecate, BORN BOLD,” O’Reilly Auto Parts, Hennessey, Adriana’s Insurance, AT&T, and Casa Mexico Tequila and will take place on Saturday, September 17 at AT&T Stadium. Doors open at 2:00 p.m. CT, first fight and the RingTvLive.com live stream begins at 3:20 p.m. ET/2:20 p.m. CT/12:20 p.m. PT; the preliminary live stream begins at 6:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. CT/3:30 p.m. PT; with the four fight pay-per-view card produced and distributed live to cable TV, satellite and telco pay-per-view providers by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/8:00 p.m. CT/6:00 p.m. PT.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.frankwarren.com, www.attstadium.com or www.hbo.com/boxing, follow us on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @Canelo, @LiamBeefySmith, @KingGabRosado, @WillieMonroeJr, @JosephDiazJr, @AndrewCancio, @DiegoDeLaHoya, @OscarDeLaHoya, @FrankWarren_tv, @ATTStadium and @HBOboxing, become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.Facebook.com/frankwarrenpromotions, www.Facebook.com/ATTStadium or www.Facebook.com/HBOboxing, join us on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing, @Canelo, @LiamBeefySmith, @KingGabRosado, @Willie_elmongoose_monroejr, @JosephDiazJr, @Aa_Cancio, @DiegoDeLaHoya94 @ATTStadium, @OscarDeLaHoya and @HBOboxing, and follow the conversation using #CaneloSmith.

The HBO Sports special ROAD TO CANELO/SMITH debuts SATURDAY, SEPT. 10 at 12:45 a.m. (ET/PT) immediately following HBO World Championship Boxing.

B-roll and images of the fighters are available for use and download HERE or by copying and pasting: bit.ly/CaneloSmith. Video and photo credit must be given to Golden Boy Promotions.

ERIC GOMEZ, Senior Vice President of Golden Boy Promotions:

We’re very excited to be on this call. We’re just two weeks away from the show. This is the official international media conference call with WBO Junior Middleweight World Champion, Undefeated champion, Liam “Beefy” Smith. On September 17 over Mexican Independence weekend, Canelo returns to Texas for a big challenge, a dangerous challenge in WBO World Champion, Liam “Beefy” Smith.

Obviously it’s going to be at AT&T Stadium, home of America’s team, the Dallas Cowboys. Canelo’s going to be returning for the first time to Texas where he had a great fight against James Kirkland. So we’re very excited about that.

Liam, as you know is undefeated. He’s known as a heavy puncher. He’s coming off a streak of eight knockouts in a row. He’s probably the toughest task that Canelo’s ever had. So it’s going to be a great night of boxing and it’s going to be a great fight.

Just like we say, everything’s bigger in Texas. The stadium is doing very well with ticket sales. We’re already over 25,000 in ticket sales. There are still tickets available. You can buy tickets at Ticketmaster. You can go on the website at www.Ticketmaster.com or you can call by phone 1-800-745-3000. Tickets are as low as $40 and $750 for ringside.

So now I want to turn it over to our co-promoter for the fight and good friend, Frank Warren, to introduce the team. Frank?

FRANK WARREN, Chairman of Box Nation and Promoter to Liam Smith:

Thank you, Eric, very kind of you. It’s obviously a great privilege to be working on such a special show in Dallas on the 17th of September. Liam Smith I’ve promoted since he turned professional eight years ago. I’ve always thought that he was an exceptional fighter and an exceptional British fighter. He’s won all his fights to date. He’s on an eight-fight knockout roll, and I’ve never seen him up so much for a fight.

He begged me for this fight, and we made it happen between all of us, and I can assure you when he gets there on the 17th, there are going to be some serious fireworks. It’s going to be a real celebration for the Brits. It might be Mexican Independence Day, but it’s going to be the Brits are coming and the Brits are going to come away still holding that belt.

He’s so confident and all the time I’ve known him, I’ve never felt or doubted him or his ability. He’s one of those fighters, the bigger the occasion, the more you’ll get out of him.

He’s 28 years of age. He comes from Liverpool. He’s the first Liverpool champ or British world champ to come out of Liverpool in 22 years. He comes from a fighting family. His brothers are all professional boxers, all very successful, and I think he’s the best of the brothers. I’ve always said that and I’m sure that he is.

And I’m quite sure that we’re going to see something special in Dallas on the 17th. Liam’s on the line, and I know you’d like to speak to him. So Liam, over to you.

LIAM SMITH, WBO Junior Middleweight World Champion:

Yes, Frank. We’ve already done a lot of the hard work already. We’ve got a couple of hard weeks and it’s all about getting the timing right towards the 17th. Me and Joe, we’ll come prepared. And like Frank said, it’s a fight I’ve always asked for. I’ve been on Frank’s case for this fight and a number of fights of this magnitude for over 12 months now. They say no one can fight at Canelo’s level because they don’t know that I can perform at that level yet. This fight is going to tell you guys that I’m at that level myself. I know I’m at that level. So you’ll know who Liam Smith is come September 17th.

ERIC GOMEZ: Liam, thank you. And Frank, thank you for the kind words.

So a couple of notes before we open up for questions. Obviously, this is going to be brought to you by HBO pay-per-view, so if you can’t be there in person, make sure you get the pay-per-view. And last but not least I’d like to thank our sponsors involved in this fight, Tecate, Born Bold, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Hennesey: Never Stop, Never Settle, Adrianna’s Insurance, AT&T: Mobilizing Your World, and Casa Mexico Tequila. With that, thank you to the sponsors. We couldn’t put together a great show like this without you. So with that, we can open it up to questions.

Q. Hello Frank and Liam.

JOE GALLAGHER: This is Joe Gallagher. I’m here in the room as well, Joe Gallagher.

FRANK WARREN: Joe, I’m sorry. Joe Gallagher is on the line, Ring Trainer of the Year 2015, and he’s done a fantastic job with Liam working with him over the years. I can’t say enough of his ability. I do apologize.

Q. Joe, it’s good to have you on the call also. My first question, Liam, a lot of your British countrymen have talked a lot during their careers about how they wanted to come to the United States and fight. I remember hearing those comments from Ricky Hatton and Joe Calzaghe and people like that that really look forward at some point in their career making a name. They had made their name in Britain, but they wanted to have bigger fights in the United States. You have a big fight here with Canelo Alvarez and it’s going to be your first fight in the United States. But I wonder has one of your goals been what those guys talked about, that you really wanted to come to the states and make a big name for yourself, or was this just sort of the way it worked out for you? What are your feelings about having an opportunity to fight in the United States?

LIAM SMITH: This fight has got nothing to do really with any of those fights that you mentioned. It also doesn’t reflect on any of the fights that have challenged. This isn’t Canelo with Amir Khan. This has to do with me, and it’s a personal thing for me. I’ve always been told I think I’ve got a style that the American fight fans will like. There is no mixing out of my style, there’s no awkwardness. There’s no holds. There’s no negativity around me. What you see is what you get in terms of the fight.

Like I said last time on the phone mark my words, I’m coming to fight Canelo, and you’re going to be in a massive shock. This fight is me making a name for myself the world over and establishing myself to the world of boxing and not just for British fight fans.

Q. Was it a goal to fight in America like some of your past star countrymen? Was that on your bucket list?

LIAM SMITH: I don’t want to emulate nothing. I want to go there and beat Canelo on me own and have people talking about Liam Smith. There will be people talking about Liam Smith and not Ricky Hatton and Joe Calzaghe.

Q. No, no, Liam, I think you’re misunderstanding me. I understand what you’re saying. I’m saying in your mind when you became a professional fighter and making your way up the ranks, was fighting a major fight in the States something that was a big deal for you? Is that something that you aspired to do?

LIAM SMITH: Yeah, it is. If you ask anyone down the line, I go to the States twice, three times a year, training and sparring there. Training the amount of training over in the States. The Wild Card Gym, The Rock Gym, there and to sparring there for the Canelo fight. I’ve been in numerous gyms in the States, and probably if I didn’t have the bond with Joe and I didn’t have the relationship with Frank as a promotional company, I’d have probably moved to America a long time ago. But it’s bond and too much to basically jump ship and move there.

But I look to move there when I finish boxing. I love the States and making a name out there for myself is something I want to do.

Q. A lot of the conversation that’s been directed towards Canelo going into this fight is why he’s not fighting Gennady Golovkin who is coming to the country to fight Kell Brook, and the fight that many of the people in the United States that people hoped to see was Canelo versus Golovkin. So my question for you, how tired of that are you hearing about how people are disappointed that Canelo is not fighting Triple G, but he’s fighting a guy in Liam Smith who most people here have never heard of? Does it make a difference to you? Does it motivate you? What is your point to all the people that say they don’t know who Liam Smith is, and we’d rather see him fighting Triple G?

LIAM SMITH: I don’t knock the people saying they don’t know Liam Smith. All I say to them is be sure you come back on the same social media, to the same magazine you criticized and make sure you come back on September 18th and hold your hands up and say Liam won.

I don’t mind that. I know they don’t know me. I can’t blame them. I haven’t fought in the States just yet. I could have done some fights as you mentioned before. The way they’ve done it, (Indiscernible) could have fought Castillo and went there and fought (Indiscernible) before the other big fight against Castillo.

Now I was just going to ask you the same thing. Went there for one of the channels. It’s going to be a very, very good fight. But it’s just the fact I’m going there and I’m fighting the biggest name over there and they expect him to fight Triple G, so I’m getting the backlash of that.

The same, you’ve got to know me as a boxer, and personally, we can talk if you want about Triple G and Canelo, but after September 17 there won’t be no talk of Triple G anymore.

Q. Liam, both of your brothers Paul and Stephen have fought only one time in the United States and big step-up fights and neither one was competitive at all. I wanted to know if you feel pressure to end that streak? Have they given you any words of advice from their failures?

LIAM SMITH: No, I don’t feel any pressure of fighting in the States and lost the fourth quarter special fight around the awards, and Stephen fought a very good Jose Pedraza on the 9th. Stephen would have won that fight. Everyone thinks Stephen performed bad, but he just came up against a very good Pedraza.

And now, saying that they’re going to give me confidence. I’ve been in the States and fought before. When I’m in that changing room, I’ll feel as if I’ve been in that situation before. Obviously I’m going to have to deal on the biggest stage. This is the biggest stage — not the biggest stage in boxing by no means, but the Dallas Cowboys Stadium. But it doesn’t faze me and it’s one I’m looking forward to the finishing.

FRANK WARREN: That question you asked is a fair question you asked. However, Liam’s going there as a world champion. His brothers didn’t go there as a world champion. He’s the world champion. He’s the one that’s won the world title.

Q. I know. But I don’t think that means a whole lot in this day and age of four titles per weight class. Canelo’s the name here State side. Does that really make a big difference?

FRANK WARREN: It might not mean nothing to you, but I think it means something to Liam. He’s very proud of being a world champion, and he’s going there to defend his title. Obviously he has value as a world title, that’s why he’s fighting Canelo. But the bottom line, as he said earlier, as far as going to the States, if you ask anybody in all the gyms that he’s worked with out there or all the guys he’s sparred there, they’ll tell you how good he is. He’s a good fighter.

I’ve been involved with lots of fighters over the years. Lots of fighters out in the States. A lot of fighters I’ve been involved with considered no-hopers against great American fighters or were to be great American fighters at the time, and a lot of my guys have won those fights. And I feel confident in Liam that he can emulate what they’ve done, and we’ll be talking afterwards about when is Liam going to be fighting Golovkin because that’s what they’re going to be talking about after this fight.

Q. Can you give me an example of a fight this reminds of you then? A past fight of a guy who was considered not to have a shot?

FRANK WARREN: I think with Joe Calzhage with Showtime and everybody was building up Jeff Lacy to be the next big thing and he destroyed him. I mean absolutely destroyed him. I can think of Joe going out and fighting Bernard Hopkins. He was an underdog in that fight and he won that fight. Well won it with the scoring he well won that fight. When Frank Bruno was against Oliver McCall and knocked out Lennox Lewis, Frank Bruno was considered the interloper and he won that fight. There are quite a few.

Naseem Hamed winning fights over the years against American opponents who we brought over who were champions, won them all. He’s of that ilk. He can win them. We call Liam the scouse Mexican, scouse you might not know is a Liverpool nickname and that’s how he fights.

Q. Liam, can you speak to that point about how you are as a champion and your brothers and how that may change things? Can you maybe speak about how you think your mindset is going to be different than your brothers were because you’re the champion and they were the challengers? How does that help you?

LIAM SMITH: I can only hear the very end of your question. Sorry.

Q. How will your mindset be different going into this fight as an underdog, knowing that you’re the champion, whereas your brothers were the challengers?

LIAM SMITH: My mindset with that is I always know the arguments over the ring boards and stuff like that. I’m not stupid. I know on paper I’m the B-side of this fight. Canelo’s the big name. It’s always Canelo, and it’s Mexican Independence Day, so I know that. But I am the champion, and just looking back on that, that is one reason why I hope they’ll respect that I’m champion and be fair. If I win the fight, then make sure I get the decision. Give me the respect I deserve. I am the champion, even though I am the B-side in the fight. Canelo’s the big name, but I am the champion going in.

So this fight, I know I am the champion, but there doesn’t have to be a belt on the line for me. I took this fight. I’m not in a situation where I have nothing to lose in this fight. I’ve got a title to lose. So I’ve taken this fight because it’s an opportunity to make a name for myself and establish myself as one of the best fighters pound-for-pound in the world.

Q. Do you feel this is the kind of fight you’ve been training for your whole life? The kind of fight that turns you into a name and a star worldwide?

LIAM SMITH: Yes, I do. This is the fight that — if I could pick a style of a fighter, it would be similar of Canelo’s style. I always wanted a Canelo fight, a Cotto fight. A style like that is what I prefer to fight. This fight can only be a great fight. There’s no way the styles will make a bad fight. They gel well, and this is a fight, again, you’re going to see me smile in. Because even I smile when it’s not going my way. I’m not going to not smile because I’m not winning. I’ll smile because I enjoy every minute of this fight.

This is, I say to Joe as he’s got me in the gym, this fight is right up my street as they say in the news. Canelo and this fight is right up my street stylewise.

It’s going to be give and take. Canelo’s going to have his moments. I’m not saying he’s not. But I’m going to have my moments. It will come down to they can finish off their moments and finish the fight the best. So it’s one that I’m looking forward to every time I think about the fight it gets me excited. It just gets me excited. So it’s one that I can’t wait for. It’s going to be a great fight.

Q. Liam, the question is do you like your chances better than Brook against Triple G? Do you like your chances better against Canelo?

LIAM SMITH: Yes, 100% I like my chances because I’m 100% confident I’m going to win this fight, and Canelo’s the favorite to win the fight. And I’ll be rooting for Kell Brook, but I think it’s a step too far for him. But I don’t think it’s a step too far for myself. But, yes, I think I’ve got a chance.

FRANK WARREN: Liam’s a natural 154-pound fighter. He’s not going up a weight. This is his weight. This is the weight he fights at.

Q. HBO has been publicizing about your sister and autism. How important is this fight for you and this pay-per-view to get the word out around the world about autism and to make everybody aware of autism?

LIAM SMITH: Yeah, well, it’s important to our family. My sister is autistic. We try and publicize that as much as we can and raise awareness for autism. So it’s great for those American fight fans and the American fans and HBO can also relate to that and can see autism is a big thing. And my sister’s severely autistic, so she’s a massive inspiration to me and my brothers, and obviously to fans as well.

Q. Eric, Oscar has predicted a crowd in the vicinity of 80,000 people. The two other fight cards that have been held at the Cowboy Stadium, AT&T Stadium were involving Manny Pacquiao, one was 40,000, another 50,000. If Oscar’s projection is correct, you’d have to sell 55,000 seats in the next two weeks. How close to that do you think that this fight can realistically approach?

ERIC GOMEZ: I mean, look, there is a reason why Oscar’s been very successful at promoting. That’s obviously our wish that it can be a sell out. But I can say this, it’s going to be a successful night. Already — this is coming from the people with the Dallas Cowboys — already at this point, this far out from the fight we’ve already surpass Manny Pacquiao where he was at for both fights. So the tickets are moving, they’re moving steadily, and we feel it’s going to be a big crowd. It’s going to look great.

It’s a big, beautiful stadium. We’ll see. You never know. With the walk up, a lot of the Mexican fans, they cross the border and they’ll drive to Dallas for a lot of the Cowboy games. From what they’re telling us, they like to buy tickets from the box Office. So we’re expecting a big walk-up.

Tickets are moving well. We’ll see. We’ll see. We’ll cross our fingers and hopefully we get there. But nevertheless, already with over 25,000 people, it’s going to look great.

Q. Frank, England and Great Britain has always had an important role in the history of professional boxing. But per capita probably the most intense fight fans going now are in Germany and England. I think ring magazine, their list of champions and Top 10 rated fighters, there are actually more now from the UK than from the United States. What explains this huge spike, if it is indeed a huge spike, in popularity in boxing in the U.K.?

FRANK WARREN: It’s always been a very popular sport here. It’s one of our main sports. And I think the main thing about it is because we’re good at it. We worked, not just me, other promoters. We’ve invested our time and money over the years developing talent. The bottom line is we do have good, quality talent to come through, and Liam has been a pro now for eight years. It’s been a bit of a journey for him, and I don’t mean that disrespectfully.

In the early days I’ve just felt some of the fights we were making, like making time fights. You see a fighter fighting and you think to yourself, he needs to be stepped up and stepped up, and that’s what we’ve tried to do with him. And I think what has happened, he’s one of those special group of fighters. We’ve got a lot of guys who have held title. But there’s only three or four of them who are really quality, world champions and he’s one of them.

As I say, we’ve been very successful in what we do in boxing, and I think looking at the Olympic Games we’ve had a great, great run there. You look at the heavyweight division over the last four or five Olympic games. We’ve won medals where the U.S. hasn’t won medals at that point. I just think that with our guys we’ve got great followings in their hometowns. We build them in their hometowns. We don’t build four-wall deals. What we do is try to build a following in their home city, and I think that’s what we’re successfully doing. And that translates into interest in the fighters and the fact that the fighters want to box.

There are guys out there in our amateur clubs, there are a huge amount of amateur boxing clubs in the U.K., and they’re very, very well supported and very well funded. And as so, we’ve got a good system that’s working, and you see they’re all translating now into what you see in the amount of British boxers that are in the ratings or are world champions.

But I think for Liam, because obviously that’s what this call is all about today, I think with Liam, you’ve got to see something special. He has got something to lose. You know, people say, what have I got to lose? I’m going to go out there and get a payday and that’s it. But he’s got something to lose. And I know that’s something that’s very special to him, and that’s his pride. He’s going there to defend his title and come back with all the accolades that he’s going to deserve in doing so.

And I’m not coming out there with him to sit there and go home as a loser. I’m coming out there because I’ve got tremendous belief in him and tremendous belief in his preparation and what Joe Gallagher’s doing with him. But he can come away winning this fight. It’s not going to be easy. He’s fighting a very good fighter. But you know what? He’s got the tools to do it.

Q. Liam and Frank, human nature being what it is, since so many people are pointing or looking forward to a mega fight between Triple G and Canelo, would Triple G fighting Kell Brook over in England and this fight here, some people are going to say, well, they’re going to take the safe approach because they want to protect that. Human nature being this, how much of a motivating factor is that like a slap to a guy’s pride that most people think this is just going to be a walk through the park because we’ve got to protect the big fight? How motivating is that for Liam?

FRANK WARREN: Liam, do you want to go first or me? Okay. As I’ve just said, he’s a very proud fighter and he’s a very confident fighter. What they may feel are safe fights. But let me tell you something, the fighters they’re fighting though are not coming to make up the numbers. They’re coming to fight.

I used to promote Kell Brook, I got him up to the number one position. He had 20 fights with me. He’s a capable fighter. I think he’s got a very, very tough fight. He’s coming up two weight divisions to fight one of the best fighters if not the best fighter in the world. And you’ve got Liam going to the guy who is also considered to be one of the best, if not the best, American fighters or Mexican fighters.

However, they are not trying to step up to the plate. You can’t be what people may be assuming and what they’re saying about Canelo and Triple G cannot be said about five other British boxers. They are stepping up. They’re fearless. They’re coming to fight.

My man, Liam, is coming to the other guy’s backyard. He’s coming to the back yard, not to make up the numbers, but to defend his title and come back as a winner and hopefully Liam Smith’s name will be on everybody’s lips. If he wins this fight, and I really do feel he can. It’s not going to be easy, but I do feel he has the capabilities to win it. It will be in my opinion one of the biggest upsets as far as Brits going abroad. It will be the biggest thing of a British boxer in modern times to go out there and do that. That’s how significant this fight will be.

That’s why we’re in there. That’s why we’ve taken this fight because we believe in our man. We believe in Liam Smith.

Q. Frank and Liam, if you guys could explain why you guys withdrew from the drug testing and why that was important for you to do that?

ERIC GOMEZ: I can talk to that, Frank, if you don’t mind. They didn’t withdraw. What we decided was we weren’t going to do voluntary testing with VADA. But Liam is still undergoing testing with the British Boxing Control Board, and Canelo’s still undergoing testing by Texas and the WBO. So nobody withdrew. There is testing.

Q. So there is a misconception out there that he withdrew.

FRANK WARREN: The British Boxing Board controls drug testing, and you may think I’m biased, but it’s probably the most stringent of any governing body in the world, I can assure you. So from our end, we’re happy with all the arrangements.

Q. Liam, this is your first fight outside of the U.K. I just wanted to know what kind of changes have you guys made in the training camp, if any? And you know there’s been video circulating out there of you sparring with Kell Brook. Have you guys made any changes to this particular training camp or has this been kind of the same that you’ve been doing the last few years?

LIAM SMITH: It’s kind of the same. We’ve changed a bit in every camp. We’ve changed obviously sparring partners. We’ve changed hardware with Joe, we’ve changed the combination offensively and defensively. We work on what we think Canelo does well. So we’ve just changed the little adjustments.

We always have conditioned well. We’ll be ready for the fight, there is no question about that. So we’ve just made the little adjustments, like I said, to get ready towards Canelo.

Q. Do you guys feel that coming up after this fight, if you guys come out victorious, are you guys looking at possibly unifying the division? Or do you feel like after you beat Canelo a possible step up to middleweight is something you’d be looking at in your future?

LIAM SMITH: No, I’m not a middleweight, and until my body is ready to go to middleweight, I’ll announce it. But I’m not going to sound like Canelo and sound like all the other people now and say I want to beat Canelo, I want to fight Charlo or I want to fight Triple G, because that’s what people are following Canelo for.

Now, obviously, my mind is just set on Canelo. And when I beat Canelo, my next fight will be Canelo again, because I know they will throw everything back. They overlooked me, and I know after September 17, the excuses are going to come. So I know they’re going to do what they can to get the rematch again. So my mind will be focused on Canelo, and it will be on Canelo again. Because I can see what’s going to happen.

Q. Frank, what’s going on with Billy Joe Saunders? I know there was a possibility that he was going to be on the undercard.

FRANK WARREN: We’re announcing his fight on Monday, next Monday.

Q. Again, there was talk about possibly in December with Billy Jo fighting Canelo if Canelo’s successful? I know you have to get by Liam Smith, but is that still a possibility?

FRANK WARREN: No, it’s not a possibility because Liam Smith is going to win this fight.

ERIC GOMEZ: That’s a great answer, Frank (laughing).

LIAM SMITH: It’s the truth.

FRANK WARREN: That’s what we’re here for. We’re not here to lose.

Q. Frank, in the event that some miracle happens and Liam does not win, would that be still in play between Canelo and Saunders?

FRANK WARREN: If he doesn’t win, if he doesn’t, and I’m very positive on this, but if he doesn’t win, all I know is everybody will be demanding a rematch because this is going to be a great fight. Whatever happens, if he loses, which I don’t think he will, then you’ll want to see the rematch.

Q. Frank, do you want to reveal who Saunders is fighting next?

FRANK WARREN: No, we’ll talk about it on Monday. Let’s deal with my champion here, Liam Smith. That’s what we’re at the moment focused on. All will be revealed with Billy Joe on Monday. If the press want to be on the call, speak with Dan in the Office, and we’ll give you a head’s up just before.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you so much. I think we’re all ready for final comments. Frank, do you have any final comments?

FRANK WARREN: All I would say is I hope that we do sell the stadium out, because the Mexican people are great, great boxing fans and I want them to be there to see what I believe is one of our great British boxers. They’re going to love him. They’re going to love what he does, they’re going to love what they see. Don’t miss this. This is a fight to be there and see. It will be a history-making fight for a British fighter.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you so much, Frank. Joe Gallagher, are you still on the line?

JOE GALLAGHER: Yeah, I’m here, yes. Just Liam Smith’s coming over, very well-prepared, ready to defend his title. On Sunday, the 18th, that’s what they’ll be talking about, the three judges, and let’s talk about a good world champion in Liam Smith. That’s my only fear for this fight. These are two honest fighters putting their careers and their lives on the line, and we need three honest men sitting around the ringside to score the fight correctly. What we don’t want is to have a bad decision.

We’ve seen the corruption with the Olympics of late. The bad judging, the bad scoring and this can’t happen on Mexican Independence week. Liam Smith is going out there. He’s putting his title on the line, his life on the line, and we need three honest men to go on that night and go out there thinking I did the right thing. And by doing the right thing, they’ll score Liam Smith the winner.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you so much. Liam, go ahead and say your final comments.

LIAM SMITH: Yes, just thanks to everyone, obviously for all of the questions. And like Joe and Frank said, we’re coming September 17th. We’re ready. We’ll have no excuses, and I’ll speak to all the same people on September 18th and just say I told you so, and I’m still champion.

I’d also like to say thanks to Eric and Frank and all the Golden Boy staff for making this fight and now the fight’s only two weeks away, so I hope we’ll have a great show.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you so much. Eric, we’re ready for your final comments.

ERIC GOMEZ: Great, thank you, guys. Thank you once again Frank Warren, Frank’s been a great partner with us and by far the best promoter in the U.K.

You know, Joe Gallagher, obviously, a top trainer. Liam is an undefeated fighter. This is a great fight, a dangerous fight. Styles make fights, and this is going to be an explosive fight. We’re very excited for this fight. Don’t miss it. HBO pay-per-view, or you can go in person and see it at beautiful AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys.

Again, tickets are still available. You can get tickets at Ticketmaster, www.Ticketmaster.com. Again, I want to thank the sponsors, everybody involved, thank you very much. And thank you for being on the call, media.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

Tickets are priced at $750, $500, $300, $200, $100, $85, $50 and $40, not including applicable service charges with a total ticket limit of 8 per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets are also available for purchase online at www.ticketmaster.com. Additionally, walk up purchases are available at the AT&T Stadium Box Office (Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. CT to 5:00 p.m. CT).

Canelo vs. Smith, a 12-round fight for the WBO Junior Middleweight World Championship, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Frank Warren and Canelo Promotions. Gabriel Rosado vs. Willie Monroe, Jr. is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Banner Promotions and Diego De La Hoya vs. Luis Orlando Del Valle is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Roc Nation Sports. The event is sponsored by “Tecate, BORN BOLD,” O’Reilly Auto Parts, Hennessey, Adriana’s Insurance, AT&T, and Casa Mexico Tequila and will take place on Saturday, September 17 at AT&T Stadium. Doors open at 2:00 p.m. CT, first fight and the RingTvLive.com live stream begins at 3:20 p.m. ET/2:20 p.m. CT/12:20 p.m. PT; the preliminary live stream begins at 6:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. CT/3:30 p.m. PT; with the main show produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/8:00 p.m. CT/6:00 p.m. PT.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.frankwarren.com, www.attstadium.com or www.hbo.com/boxing, follow us on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @Canelo, @LiamBeefySmith, @KingGabRosado, @WillieMonroeJr, @JosephDiazJr, @AndrewCancio, @DiegoDeLaHoya, @OscarDeLaHoya, @FrankWarren_tv, @ATTStadium and @HBOboxing, become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.Facebook.com/frankwarrenpromotions, www.Facebook.com/ATTStadium or www.Facebook.com/HBOboxing, join us on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing, @Canelo, @LiamBeefySmith, @KingGabRosado, @Willie_elmongoose_monroejr, @JosephDiazJr, @Aa_Cancio, @DiegoDeLaHoya94 @ATTStadium, @OscarDeLaHoya and @HBOboxing, and follow the conversation using #CaneloSmith.

The HBO Sports special ROAD TO CANELO/SMITH debuts SATURDAY, SEPT. 10 at 12:45 a.m. (ET/PT) immediately following HBO World Championship Boxing.

B-roll and images of the fighters are available for use and download HERE or by copying and pasting: bit.ly/CaneloSmith. Video and photo credit must be given to Golden Boy Promotions.

By Norm Frauenheim-

He appears to be a mere prop in Canelo Alvarez’ long-term design on creating a legend that still awaits a defining moment, perhaps against Gennady Golovkin. He’s another Smith.

He’s the brother of Paul and Stephen, who are about as forgettable as any other Smith who has fought in the United States.

Betting odds, which opened at 11-1 and are about 10-1 in the UK, suggest that this Smith Brother, Liam, won’t last longer than a cough drop on Sept. 17 against the heavily-favored Canelo on Sept. 17 in a ring on top of the Dallas Cowboys home field at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Tex.

Liam Smith and his management have other ideas. No surprise there. It would be a bigger upset than a Liam Smith victory over Canelo if they didn’t, of course. But they, like Canelo, also have plans on making history, both for the Smith family and the UK.

Unlike Canelo, however, their plans are more immediate. The unknown Liam Smith and his well-known promoter, Frank Warren, are talking about an upset that would be one for the books.

Warren put it this way during a conference call Thursday when asked if Liam Smith would fight in November after a predicted loss to Canelo:

“No, that’s not possible, because he’s going to win.’’

The one-sided odds say otherwise. So, too, does the Texas location and the September date that coincides with the celebration of Mexican Independence.

Canelo, who has taken back the Mexican holidays in May and September since Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s retirement, is hugely popular in Texas. He has fought in front of big crowds in Houston and San Antonio.

Now, he fights for the first time in Dallas, where he intends to further cement his claim on being the face of boxing while also gaining leverage in negotiations for a GGG showdown in 2017.

Translation: All of the pressure is on Canelo to deliver a dominant performance in a fight that will happen one week after GGG faces Kell Brook in London on Sept. 10. If all goes as predicted, the two performances will be a reference point in analyzing who would win and how in a GGG-Canelo bout.

An intriguing footnote is that Canelo is a bigger favorite over Smith at 154 pounds than middleweight champion Golovkin is against Brook, a welterweight champion who is jumping from 147 to 160. GGG is a 7-to-1 favorite.

Liam Smith, the WBO’s 154-pound belt-holder, feels he has as good a shot as Brook has.

“Yes, I like my chances,’’ said Liam, whose brothers were beaten in their last trips to the U.S.

Paul Smith, a super-middleweight, lost to Andre Ward last year in Oakland, Calif. Stephan Smith, a super-featherweight, lost to Jose Pedraza last April in Mashantucket, Conn.

Warren suggested Thursday that Liam is the best of the Smiths, one whom he says will record an upset as big as any in UK boxing history.

“So often, people go over to the States to fight, thinking that they have nothing to lose,’’ said Warren, who said a Liam Smith victory would place him alongside Joe Calzaghe’s upsets of Jeff Lacy, Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Jr. “But Liam has something to lose: His pride.’’

So, too, does Canelo, whose own brand of fierce pride is just one of many things at stake.