Alfredo Angulo: “Everybody knows when two Mexicans get in the ring it’s a guaranteed exciting show. March 8th, don’t expect anything different!”

On March 8th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, two fighters will meet in the ring, both in search of redemption. Saul “Canelo” Alvarez makes his return following his first professional defeat at the hands of the top p4p fighter in the world, Floyd Mayweather Jr, and he is looking to regain his status by taking out tough Mexican fighter, Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo. Angulo himself is coming off a stoppage loss Erislandy Lara, one of the most avoided fighters in the sport today, and despite the loss, Angulo was able to have success against the unbeaten Cuban Olympian. With the help of Virgil Hunter, Angulo is looking to get the biggest win of his career.

This is the biggest fight that is set to happen in 2014, and it’s one that has fans excited, due to the fan friendly styles of both fighters. I recently had a chance to speak to Angulo in a media press call, and got his thoughts on his last fight with Erislandy Lara, and what he learned from the fight. He also gave his views on facing a fighter with a more aggressive style, and what this fight ultimately means to him. Here is what Alfredo Angulo had to say.

Jenna J: Alfredo, in your last fight against Lara, it was a tough, competitive fight, it was back-and-forth, you knocked him down twice. I’m just curious from your perspective what did you take out of that performance, and do you have any regrets at all about the way that fight ended?

Alfredo Angulo: I learned plenty in that fight. But most importantly I feel that I demonstrated that I can adapt to any style and I can fight pretty much any style boxer. I’m working hard every day with Virgil, I’m learning every day, and that’s the most important thing, that I’m learning and I’m ready to put on a good show, all the time.

Jenna: Alfredo, since you faced a southpaw last time out and someone that has a Cuban amateur background that Lara has, are you looking forward to facing someone like Saul Alvarez who is the complete style contrast, a guy that will go out there and give you a war?

Angulo: You know, basically, I’m happy to fight. That’s my job, I’m supposed to be fighting, and I’m happy to fight, and it’s my job to figure out styles. I’m just glad that I have Virgil on my side to help me construct a game plan and figure out the styles. I am happy that I’m facing another Mexican, because as all the fans know, everybody knows when two Mexicans get in the ring it’s a guaranteed show, it’s a guaranteed exciting show. And March 8, don’t expect anything different.

Jenna: There’s no title on the line in this fight against Saul Alvarez, but being the fact that he had the biggest fight ever with Mayweather in his last fight, do you see this as a title fight, just being on this big grand stage and fighting someone that is well known, like Saul Alvarez?

Angulo: You know, I pretty much consider all my fights like world title fights. Yes, I know that in this fight it’s not going to be for a title, but my motivation, my world title is the fans, winning over the fans, making sure that they’re happy with my performance. That’s my motivation, and I consider that kind of like winning a world title if they’re happy.

Additional Highlights from the media call:

Angulo on his experience level

“I’ve been in the ring with good fighters, talented fighters. I also have an extensive amateur background, so I have plenty of experience. But, you know, Canelo’s also been getting better, he’s been getting better and he’s had some good experience in the last few years, so that’s what’s going to make this fight very interesting. It’s going to be an interesting fight, and we’ll see what happens.”

Angulo on why he believes Alvarez chose him as his next opponent

“I think the reason that Canelo decided to fight against me is because he’s a smart fighter and he knows that he wanted to prove to his fans that he’s ready to fight a good fighter, a fighter that’s very strong, and most importantly, a fighter that makes exciting fights. I know that I’ve proven throughout my career that I always give exciting fights, and I think that’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to make a good show and we’re going to put on an exciting fight.”

Angulo on the dangerous attributes that Canelo possesses

“Canelo has gained a lot of experience the last couple of years, but he’s a fighter that has fast hands and he can also box if he wants to, so those are maybe some of the attributes, some of the things that I have to look out for. As far as myself, categorizing myself, I really can’t say. I don’t pay attention to that. All I do is fight, and I let my fighting do the talking for me. Canelo knows that I’m a good fighter, and that’s basically all I can say.”

On who learned the most from their last defeat

“Canelo is coming off a loss to Floyd Mayweather, the pound for pound No. 1 fighter in the world, and in that fight he hardly touched him. My fight, I’m coming off a loss to one of the best fighters in the world, and that is Erislandy Lara, and in a fight that arguably I was winning. It was a very, very entertaining fight, a very exciting fight, and I was possibly winning the fight. So, both fights were very, very different.”

Virgil Hunter on Alfredo Angulo’s preparation

“Alfredo is very much up for this fight and into this fight. That’s not to say he wasn’t in any other bouts that he did, but we understand the magnitude of this opportunity and we intend to make the most of it.

I’m very pleased with the camp situation. We’re fortunate to have several of the guys in camp doing mini camps and conditioning, and because of that we’re able to provide Alfredo with a lot of different looks in sparring, which I feel complements the style that he has and he has the opportunity to pick up on various things that the styles offer.

Everything’s going great, no injuries, no setbacks, we’re right on schedule, we’ll be on target on everything, and you’re going to have a very determined fighter now, Alfredo Angulo, on March 8, and it’s going to be a fight that I don’t think the world, anybody in the boxing world should want to miss. I think everybody should tune in.”