Mexico’s Alvarez Collides With Larry Mosley

Saul Alvarez is the baby brother of seven boxing brethren and is eager to be the best.

Last year, “Canelo,” as he is known, fought in a boxing card with the rest of his big brothers and said they set a Guinness Book of Records when all seven participated on the same fight card.

“Four of us won and three lost,” said Alvarez (21-0-1, 15 KOs) via telephone from his gym in Guadalajara. “I’m the youngest.”

Now Canelo is the first to cross the border into the U.S. to try his luck in El Norte. Will he be the next Mexican hero for his countrymen to rally around?

Canelo Alvarez, 18, faces a rough and maybe too tough test when he meets Los Angeles boxing veteran Larry Mosley (15-2-2) at Morongo Casino on Friday Oct. 24. The fight will be shown on Telefutura and first bout begins at 4:30 P.M.

Golden Boy Promotions hopes the red haired, freckled Alvarez can bring the same pleasing style that has fans in Guadalajara clamoring to see him. He’s gung ho about his big test.

“My dream is to fight over there,” said Alvarez by telephone. “I’m so much more focused and motivated. My dream is becoming a reality now.”

Despite his youth, Alvarez already has 22 pro fights while Mosley, age 28, only has 19 pro fights. But the L.A. fighter has a lengthy amateur record and numerous battles with world champions and top contenders in the gyms around Southern California.

The crafty Mosley lost his last fight by technical knockout this past June and had back-to-back draws with Gato Figueroa and Golden Johnson in fights for the vacant NABO title, so he’s eager to re-establish his career.

It’s not for nothing that the Los Angeles-based boxer usually gets the call whenever fighters like WBA welterweight titleholder Antonio Margarito, or former world champion Sergio Mora need a slick fighting sparring partner.

Mosley has all of the moves and has a very sturdy chin.

Alvarez has never fought an American style boxer and expects his toughest battle.

“I know he’s good and very difficult, but I have confidence that I can do it,” said Alvarez, who now lives in Juanacatlan, Mexico. “I’m aware that he is tricky, and a great boxer with a lot of experience against a high quality of fighters.”

Inexperienced or not, the Mexican fighter with a pressure style hopes to impress in his first fight in the U.S.

“It’s very important. These kind of opportunities you don’t always get,” said Alvarez, whose boxing heroes are Julio Cesar Chavez, Oscar De La Hoya and Muhammad Ali. “Not just anybody gets a shot this soon, like I got.”

Also on the large fight card will be Antonio Escalante (18-2) facing Mike Oliver (21-1) in a 10 round junior featherweight fight. Others on the card are Mickey and Cortez Bey, Charles Huerta, Hector Sanchez, Mike Faragon, Seth Mitchell, Adrien Broner and heavyweight Danny Gonzalez.

Doors open at 3:30 p.m. For more information call (800) 252-4499.

Doubletree fight card

Speedy lefthander Luis Ramos returns to the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario on Friday, Oct. 24, against Terrance Jett (4-11-2) who has vastly improved recently. They will engage in a six round lightweight bout.

Frank Espinoza, who manages Ramos and also current junior featherweight world champion Israel Vazquez, said that the Santa Ana boxer has made great strides too.

“He’s adjusting well to professional boxing,” said Espinoza about Ramos, a speedy southpaw and former amateur star. “He works his jab well and is getting comfortable.”

Espinoza also has another amateur star from Santa Ana that will make his pro debut on the same card, in Ronnie Rios.

“Rios was an outstanding amateur, he won 10 national titles,” said Espinoza whose eye for talent is widely respected. “He got robbed and should have gone to the Olympics. I thought he beat Gary Russell (the Olympian).”

Rios fights Puerto Rico’s Fermin Perez in a junior featherweight contest set at four rounds.

Other fights include a welterweight clash between Michael Santos (12-4-1) and Santiago Perez (10-2-2) in an eight round contest.

For tickets and information call Thompson Boxing Promotions (714) 935-0900. The first fight begins at 7:30 p.m.

Librado Andrade fights for IBF world title

La Habra’s Librado Andrade meets IBF super middleweight titleholder Lucian Bute at Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada on Friday, Oct. 24. The fight will not be televised. It’s Andrade’s second title attempt. His first ended in a loss to Denmark’s Mikkel Kessler almost two years ago.

Bute beat Sakio Bika, then Alejandro Berrio for the title.

Andrade is training in Montreal, Canada for this fight and has knocked out three opponents in succession.

Two other super middleweight titles will also be contested this weekend.

In Germany, Kessler defends the WBA version against Danilo Haussler on Saturday, Oct. 25. In the state of South Carolina, France’s Jean Paul Mendy battles Jason Naugler for the vacant IBF International super middleweight title on Saturday, as well.

Holly Holm fight result

IFBA junior middleweight titleholder Holly Holm fought Michigan’s Mary Jo Sanders to a 10 round draw in their rematch last Friday in Auburn Hills, Mich. The judges scored the fight 97-93 for Holm, 95-95 twice for the draw.

Their first clash occurred this past June and ended in a unanimous win for Holm in her native New Mexico.

Both fighters are eager to meet again, probably in a neutral site like Nevada or California.

Holm has three draws on her record; one came against Angelica Martinez in 2004 and the other against fellow New Mexican Stephanie Jaramillo (now retired) in 2003.

It was Sanders first draw.

Fights on television

Fri. Telefutura, 8 p.m., Antonio Escalante (18-2) vs. Mike Oliver (21-1).

Fri. Showtime, 11 p.m. Lucian Bute (22-0, 18 KOs) vs. Librado Andrade (27-1, 21 KOs)