Floyd Mayweather Jr. (left) faces off with Canelo Alvarez after the weigh-in for the Saturday boxing bout, Friday, Sept. 13, 2013, in Las Vegas. Mayweather’s WBA super world and Alvarez’s WBC junior middleweight titles are on the line. AP
LOS ANGELES — Floyd Mayweather, who is fighting twice in the same calendar year for the first time since 2007, weighed in at 1.5 pounds lighter than Mexican star Saul Alvarez.
The boisterous crowd of about 12,000 that squeezed into the MGM arena cheered loudly Friday when Alvarez tipped the scales right on the catch weight of 152 pounds (68.9 kilograms) one day ahead of their 12-round world championship bout for the 154-pound title held by the Mexican boxer.
The world’s highest paid athlete Mayweather will put his perfect record on the line when he squares off against Alvarez in a showdown between the two undefeated boxers.
“My job is to go out there and keep my composure and be the same Floyd Mayweather,” he said at the weigh in. “I can’t wait to get out there and go to work.”
The 36-year-old Mayweather weighed in at 150.5 pounds — just under the mutually decided catch weight of 152 pounds.
Alvarez (42-0-1) hasn’t weighed 152 or less for a fight since 2011, while Mayweather has fought above 147 just twice — for the Oscar de la Hoya and Miguel Cotto wins.
Alvarez said on Wednesday he was sparring at 155 pounds but feels comfortable moving down in weight to fight Mayweather.
Saturday’s fight has generated huge interest, especially in Mexico where the 23-year-old Alvarez is considered one of their biggest sporting heroes.
The fight with Alvarez is the second in Mayweather’s six-bout, 30-month contract with American cable network Showtime that could pay him more than $200 million.
After Mayweather beat Robert Guerrero in May, he said he wanted to fight again in September.
Mayweather’s guaranteed purse for the Alvarez fight is reported to be a record $41 million, which would surpass the previous record of $32 million he received for fighting Guerrero.
Organizers are also hoping that this fight will eclipse two million pay-per-view sales. Mayweather will also get a cut of the pay-per-view money on top of his purse.
The last time Mayweather stopped an opponent inside the distance was two years ago, when Victor Ortiz lowered both his hands and was looking at the referee. Mayweather seized the moment and hit Ortiz with a combination of fight-ending punches.