Heavyweight fringe contender Malik Scott (37-2, 13KO’s) recently cast his thoughts to the upcoming fight between Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez (44-1, 31KO’s) and James Kirkland (32-1, 28KO’s) for the benefit of the perennially camera-wielding Elie Sechback for EsNewsReporting.com.
The bout is scheduled to take place at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas on May 2nd; an inflammatory display of disregard towards his sole conqueror Floyd Mayweather, who usually reserves that particular weekend to showcase himself. This will put the two in direct competition on the day, a battle Canelo is certain to be bested in, but as to his next in-ring skirmish, Scott is backing the young Mexican for victory.
“You gotta go with Canelo. I haven’t seen Canelo put in a vulnerable position yet. I’m not sure if Kirkland can do it but I know he got the ability to do it, but that’s what fights like this is intriguing for coz it’s time to see if he can actually do it.”
Kirkland has developed a fierce reputation with an unceasing attacking style that is best directed when his corner is attended by his on-again-off-again trainer Ann Wolf. The inconsistency in their relationship is mirrored by Kirkland’s insistence on taking long breaks in between fights, whether he is in jail or elsewhere but the gym.
His sturdiness has also been questioned due to several visits to the canvas throughout his career, including three round trips in the opening round against Nobuhiro Ishida in 2011; his only defeat to date. He also got dropped by Alfredo Angulo in the first round later that year but scored one of his own in the same session before battering his way to a sixth round stoppage. It was a show of his best and worst attributes.
He is a formidable if flawed, opponent in any situation, perhaps more so for a fighter like Canelo, who is slowly creeping up towards the middleweight class where Kirkland is very familiar with the surroundings.
Canelo’s progression as a fighter has recently taken a sharp incline from stepping in with such classy operators as Austin Trout, Floyd Mayweather and Erislandy Lara. Men who have forced him to add new facets to his game regardless of the result. He is a seasoned fighter at the age of twenty-four. Scott believes he just brings too much to the table.
“I got Canelo going into that fight; high skill-set, big heart, lots of determination, young, big, strong. Extremely marketable you know, he’s the new sensation.”
