WBA “regular” super featherweight champion Rene Alvarado climbs into the ring this coming January 2nd in Dallas as part of Luke Campbell’s long-awaited fight against Ryan Garcia for the WBC interim-lightweight title.
Alvarez will look to make history for Nicaragua and against Venezuelan Roger Gutierrez, whom he has already defeated once by knockout.
It’s the first bout for Alvarado since last November’s destruction of Andrew Cancio to win the title.
Alvarado has won eight in a row – a streak that began in 2017 after he suffered a decision loss to Yuriorkis Gamboa, who was dropped in the tenth and final round of the fight.
“[Camp has been] very good. We spent two and a half months in Las Vegas, but we are already ready and we’ll be on weight by the time January 2nd arrives to be in the best possible condition. I’m very excited, because it’s my first world title defense. So I’m going to put the pressure on myself and take the initiative.,” Alvarado told George Ebro.
“One fight doesn’t look like another [when reflecting on my first meeting with Gutierrez]. It’s been several years. I guess he’s had his improvements. He must have gained more experience. If something hasn’t changed, it’s my desire to remain world champion. We’ve had a hard time making this dream come true. I don’t want this to end here.
“I think I lacked maturity [in the past] and, after a good initial streak, I began to face more demanding rivals. I think it was a tough period of learning. It was hard, but I never gave up, nor did I stop dreaming and from every defeat I took something and look at myself now: world champion.
“Gamboa was the hardest person I had ever faced, a man who had been an amateur and professional champion who overshadowed me a little. I had a lot of respect in that fight. I needed to be more aggressive. Maybe if I’d risked the outcome, I would have been someone else. After that fight I started to believe more in myself.”