Key #1 for Erislandy Lara Be Elusive, Work the Angles
One of my all-time favorite hip-hop songs is “Work the Angles” by Dilated Peoples. It’s a jam that Erislandy Lara should make his theme song on Saturday night.
On the track, Evidence wisely spits, “Don’t go to them, let them come to you, and work the angles, sharp and precise.” That’s exactly what Lara should be thinking against Canelo Alvarez.
Lara must be ready to box, box and box some more. He has to move to his right–Canelo’s left–and keep Canelo off balance with a quick and steady jab.
Canelo possesses a good jab himself, so this won’t be easy, but if Lara can produce the type of start that he did against Alfredo Angulo–where Angulo landed 0 of 39 jabs in Round 1–Lara will certainly frustrate the young Mexican.
According to CompuBox, Lara’s last six opponents have landed just 20 percent of their total punches, which is third behind only Guillermo Rigondeaux (16 percent), Floyd Mayweather (18 percent) and Anselmo Moreno (18 percent).
That sort of elusiveness is rare and will give Canelo fits if Lara sticks to the gameplan. Sure, Lara might not be Floyd Mayweather (which is what Chepo Reynoso keeps saying) but then again he doesn’t have to be. He’s a master boxer in his own right.
Lara should not let himself get wrapped up in a matchup of who can hit harder or who can stay in the pocket the longest. For Lara to be successful, “Honor and Glory” cannot mean blood and guts.
Key #1 for Canelo Alvarez Cut the Ring, Land the Right hand
Canelo Alvarez has a long list of opponents who weren’t very elusive.
Josesito Lopez, Shane Mosley and Alfredo Angulo were just some of the opponents with little footwork who could easily be caught by Alvarez’s quick counterpunching.
There was one opponent, however, who wasn’t made-to-order: Austin Trout
At the time of their WBA and WBC unification bout, Trout brought a slick southpaw stance and counter punching abilities that Alvarez had never seen before.
Alvarez did very well, but he did have trouble with Trout’s style at times.
In Lara, we have an even slicker opponent, and Alvarez will have to be busier and cut the ring off without getting impatient.
He will need to use his jab to keep Lara off balance and to set up his right hand.
If his right hand can land the way it did on Trout, Alvarez will stop the fight early.
