Saul Alvarez vs Amir Khan Predictions: Trainer Confident ‘Canelo’ Will Win in First Title Defense

Can Amir Khan score an upset against Saul "Canelo" Alvarez? [Source: Flickr /  Bryan Horowitz]
Can Amir Khan score an upset against Saul “Canelo” Alvarez? [Source: Flickr / Bryan Horowitz]
Trainer Jose “Chepo” Reynoso remains confident that his prized fighter Saul “Canelo” Alvarez will successfully defend his World Boxing Council middleweight title against Amir Khan. The Saul Alvarez vs Amir Khan showdown will take place on May 7 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Reynoso is aware that Khan is oozing with confidence heading into the biggest fight of his career, but the trainer pointed out that Canelo’s previous opponents also promised victories only to fall short on fight night.

“If you look, during every conference the scenario is the same,” Reynoso told ESPN Deportes via BoxingScene. “All of the opponents have a lot of confidence. Alfonso Gómez composed a rap. James Kirkland and Erislandy Lara, but at the end of the night they all realized that they were wrong.”

Alvarez knocked out Gomez and Kirkland in September 2011 and May 2015, respectively, while Lara took a split decision defeat to the Mexican boxing superstar in July 2014.

Khan, who will parade a 31-3 record with 19 knockout victories, recently said that Floyd Mayweather, who scored a majority decision win against Alvarez in their huge bout in September 2013, showed him the blueprint to beat Canelo.

“Mayweather is a great technician and a great fighter in the sense that he knows how to set a game plan and stick to the game plan,” Khan told BoxingScene. “So obviously we know the blueprint to beat Canelo. Mayweather showed it. With my skills, the movement and speed that I have, I think that I can beat Canelo.”

Reacting to Khan’s plan to imitate Mayweather’s fight plan and style, Reynoso laughed at it and said that Khan can do anything he wants to do but there will only be one Floyd Mayweather Jr. in boxing history.

“There is only one Mayweather,” Reynoso stressed. “There were many times when I wanted to sing like Pavarotti, but I could never reach that voice. A lot of people want to be like Mayweather just like I want to be Pavarotti.”

Reynoso added that Alvarez is working hard in training camp and will turn their attention to sparring sessions starting next week. The veteran trainer said that Alvarez, who owns a 46-1-1 record with 32 knockouts, will spar around 110 rounds in the next seven weeks.

Who do you think will in the upcoming Saul Alvarez vs Amir Khan showdown?