Allgemeines » ) Burning question for Mondays games Can Chi

NEW YORK -- Floyd Mayweather and Saul "Canelo" Alvarez stared each other down for nearly a minute and the cheers from the fans packed into Times Square grew louder by the second. This is the matchup theyve been waiting to see: Four belts, two undefeated fan favourites -- and a title fight simply billed as "The One." "Canelo, I appreciate you for taking the fight," Mayweather said on a steamy Monday in the heart of Manhattan in front of a few thousand fans standing behind metal barriers or sitting in temporary bleachers with Broadway marquees serving as a colorful backdrop. "Now," Mayweather said, "lets give the fans what they want to see." The fighters kicked off an 11-city tour to officially announce and promote their title fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on Sept. 14. The promotional tour includes stops in cities such as Washington D.C., Chicago, Miami and Mexico City, and is jumpstarting the hype ahead of one of boxings most anticipated bouts in recent memory. Mayweather, 36, is unbeaten in 44 fights with the last a unanimous 12-round decision over Robert Guerrero on May 4 in defence of his 147-pound title. "The Earth is my turf," Mayweather said. "You can put me in any ring and I will always come out victorious." Alvarez, a 22-year-old star from Mexico, is 42-0-1 and unified the 154-pound titles in April with a unanimous victory over Austin Trout on April 20. "In the sport of boxing, its everybodys time, and this is my time," Alvarez said through a translator as fans chanted "Mex-i-co!" "Im going to win." The 12-round fight will be contested at 152 pounds with both mens super welterweight/junior middleweight titles on the line -- Mayweathers WBA super welterweight "super" championship, and Alvarezs WBC, WBA and Ring Magazine super welterweight championships. The bout, expected to be a monstrous draw on pay-per-view for Showtime, also just might satisfy many fans who had been wishing during the last several years for Mayweather to take on Manny Pacquiao. "In every sport, there are certain rare occasions when you have the best fighting the best," said Stephen Espinoza, executive vice-president and general manager of Showtime Sports. "The Super Bowl, Final Four, the college football national championship. Sept. 14 will be one of those occasions -- the two biggest stars in the sport, the two biggest fan bases. "We have Americas No. 1 fighter versus Mexicos No. 1 fighter. We have the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the sport versus the No. 1 new star in the sport." There remains some dispute over who set the 152-pound catch weight, with Mayweathers camp saying Alvarezs people brought it up first. Alvarez, however, insisted it was Mayweather who decided on having both fight at 152 pounds instead of 154. "It wasnt me," Alvarez told reporters before the news conference. "I dont want to fight 2 pounds below my weight class." There was also some contention between the two because Alvarez chose to headline his own fight card against Trout rather than be included on the undercard of Mayweather-Guerrero card. But both fighters agreed that this is a matchup that needed to happen. "Ive visualized this fight for years," Alvarez said, "and I feel Im going to win." The fighters each announced on Twitter last month that they would face each other, exciting boxing fans around the world. Mondays event marked perhaps the sports most ambitious promotional tour since Mayweather and Oscar De La Hoya also stopped in 11 cities before their 2007 bout -- won by Mayweather. Alvarez has been picking De La Hoyas brain about fighting Mayweather, and the former champion believes the young star has a few advantages -- including youth -- he didnt have. "I used reckless pressure and hes going to use smart pressure," De La Hoya said. "Thats what going to be the difference. ... And I have three letters for (Alvarez): jab." Each fighter took a stroll down a makeshift red carpet leading to the dais with pops of confetti marking their entrances. Mayweather received a noticeable amount of boos with the crowd appearing to slightly favour Alvarez. One fan, though, got Mayweather to crack up when he held up a Chucky doll from the "Childs Play" movie franchise, taking a clear shot at Alvarezs hair colour. The two took their seats after their stare-down -- Mayweather next to Leonard Ellerbe, the CEO Mayweather Promotions, and Alvarez next to De la Hoya, the president of Golden Boy Promotions. It was a mostly tame news conference with the banter between sides at a minimum. Before the news conference, Mayweather talked about shooting a commercial with the Spanish-speaking Alvarez and someone asked why he isnt doing his usual trash talking with his opponent. "He wouldnt understand me anyway," Mayweather said, laughing. It is the second in Mayweathers six-bout, 30-month contract with Showtime that could pay him more than $200 million. After Mayweather beat Guerrero, he said he wanted to fight again in September -- marking the first time since 2007 he will be in the ring twice in a calendar year. "I said I was going to be very active so I could stay sharp and be at the top of my game," Mayweather said. Mayweather showed little rust while dominating Guerrero by using superior defensive skills in his first ring appearance since serving a jail term for assaulting the mother of his children. Alvarez is a confident and rapidly rising fighter who should provide a huge test for Mayweather. Alvarez was dominant against the previously unbeaten Trout, showing up some fans and media who speculated that perhaps he wasnt ready to face such an experienced opponent. "To be the best," Alvarez said when asked before the news conference what his motivation is to fight Mayweather now. "(I want) to go down in history as the guy who beat the guy people consider the best." When the news conference was over, both fighters got up and stared each other down one more time. And again, the crowd went wild. "Its always been one of my ultimate goals to get to the pinnacle of the sport and push myself to the limit by facing the best," Mayweather said. "Hes a young champion. What else can I say?" Cheap Rockies Jerseys Authentic . - Mathew Barzal scored 3:47 into overtime as the Seattle Thunderbirds downed the visiting Everett Silvertips 4-3 on Tuesday in Western Hockey League playoff action. Cheap Colorado Rockies Jerseys . According to a report from ESPN, the veteran safety has signed another one-year deal with the team Raiders, the team that drafted him, and who he returned to last year after a long stint with the Green Bay Packers. http://www.cheaprockiesjerseys.com/. -- League scoring leader Anthony Mantha had two goals and two assists to lead the Val-dOr Foreurs over the Blainville-Boisbriand Phoenix 6-3 on Wednesay in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League play on Wednesday. Wholesale Rockies Jerseys . The team said they will announce a corresponding roster move prior to their series opener on Tuesday night in Kansas City. Cheap Rockies Jerseys .C. -- The Bobcats announced theyve signed centre Justin Hamilton to a 10-day contract.Day 11 in 100 words or less We must remember that people are seeing a World Cup for the first time, just dont tell them it isnt always like this. Many of those eyes are in the United States of America, a country that the sport has wanted on its side for some time. On Sunday the football Gods delivered once again, only this time it was time for good old USA to experience as much heartache as joy. Portugal 2-2 USA Football is a funny old game. Last week the USA struggled to keep the ball, were not at their best, and still won. This time they treasured the ball far better, were absolutely outstanding, and didnt win. This World Cup has been an absolute blockbuster and some of its main characters have been counter-attacks, comebacks, headers, and substitute goals. All four starred together in an incredible last scene in Manaus. Portugal were on the ground, seemingly knocked out in Brazil, flat out on their back with the referee standing over them about to wave his arms and end their misery. They knew they were out of the fight. Angry, petulant, disappointed they were a wounded bunch. Then, like a boxer swinging one last right hook at an opponent just for the sake of it, they delivered a stunning final moment to another monumental match in Brazil. The clock read 94:25. Michael Bradley picks up the ball and has no outlets to pass the ball to. Eder, the Portugal striker who came on early in the first half finally did something valuable by making a crucial tackle. 94:28 - Nani counters with pace, looks up and sees Cristiano Ronaldo on the right side. It was the first time the talisman was in that zone where he could put a pass in. (stats powered by Opta) 94:31 - Ronaldo had just enough time to take one touch, look down at the ball, look up and deliver an absolutely incredible cross. 94:33 - Silvestre Varela then runs into the box and delivers a powerful header into the mix. The USA victory and place in the last 16? Gone in eight seconds. It was a fitting dramatic finale to an enthralling game in the Amazon. It will be remembered for the final scoreline, the Ronaldo pass, and the USA comeback, but we shouldnt forget about the tempo. The game was stretched throughout, played at an incredible pace in exhausting conditions. Watching it we learned many things. We learned that Portugal have very little depth. Anyone who has followed this small, yet proud football nation would tell you they already knew that but this exposed it even deeper. Anyone who criticizes Ronaldos performance would be best served to look at what he had to work with. They lost Helder Postiga early, threw on Eder and effectively played with 10 men for the second successive match. The sight of the worlds finest player having to play up front in the second half and get absolutely no service was an all too familiar one. A sad tale of what could have been. Nani scored a goal but was very disappointing the rest of the way, giving the ball away far too much. Joao Moutinho is a special player but his sparring partners, Miguel Veloso and Raul Meireles are not at the form of Euro 2012. Theyve been hammered by injuries, admittedly, but this was one of the worst showings by a Portugal team in two decades. Last week they could blame Pepe and a brilliant German attack. On Sunday their excuses ran out and they will likely fly home on Friday as another European team humbled in Brazil. Jurgen Klinsmanns team were by far the better side and will be happy to be on four points through two games but it is far from job done. Indeed, it could turn out to be what might have been. Sure, Jurgens new mates and old mates can kick a ball around for 90 minutes in Recife on Thursday and both go through but anyone who thinks Germany would agree to that are kidding themselves. Germany are in Brazil to win the World Cup, not risk playiing a close game with an inferior country, where a bad bounce or poor decision could end up costing them the chance to progress or, even, win the group.dddddddddddd If the game is even as it enters the final 25 minutes I could see the two teams defending deep and giving up very little but until then I expect Germany to use the game as an opportunity to get back the tempo and attacking guile that was missing against Ghana. Belgium 1-0 Russia The 2014 World Cup has been billed by some as the greatest ever but then Fabio Capello arrived in a time machine from 2010 to remind us just how easy a game can be killed off. It almost worked. To be fair, the dullest game of the tournament so far was not all Russias doing. An average Belgium defended deep and rarely got playmaker Eden Hazard into the game, looking to settle for a point they know would have helped them win the group. The schedule makers also played a small part in the snoozefest. Every team in this World Cup, Mexico vs Brazil aside, had four or five games off in between group games but all the teams who played on Sunday play again on Thursday, giving them just three days off before a crucial group finale. Thankfully, Belgium decided to find some extra gears in the last ten minutes and for the second successive match their changes made a difference. Substitute Kevin Mirallas got the best out of Hazard and the two combined on the goal, scored by another sub, 19-year-old striker Divock Origi. The extra gear found by Belgium showed, again, they can reach another level when required and also left Russia embarrassed that they couldnt. Russia were organized and clearly had a game plan that almost worked and it is hard to be too critical of that based on that game but the bigger question mark over this teams methods is do they have it in them at all to play a more open, expansive style that will be needed against Algeria to progress? This World Cup has made a mockery of players and coaches who have tried to play like it was 2010. Capello gets one last shot to prove otherwise, against Algeria. How did that work out for him in 2010? South Korea 2-4 Algeria Missed by many, this was a fantastic game. Algeria are a real threat to Russia. They are strong in attack, have a fine, technical leader in Sofiane Feghouli who can glide by midfielders and can score. Admittedly, South Koreas defending in the first half was woeful but Vahid Halilhodzics side deserve tremendous credit for sensing their opportunity to finish the game off early. It has been a good couple of days for African football. Man of the day Nominees.... Vincent Kompany - on a day where most of his teammates were average, the Manchester City skipper was fantastic in the middle of the Belgian defence. Islam Slimani - he got his first start at the World Cup and it wont be his last after he tormented the South Korean backline. Clint Dempsey - talk about a big game player. Not blessed with any one outstanding trait, he just seems to pop up in big moments. Jermaine Jones - After a brilliant display on the left of a midfield diamond against Ghana, he was asked to come more centrally this time and had a superb match. Cristiano Ronaldo - he was far from his best but, just like Lionel Messi on Saturday, he had his moment. Winner Cristiano Ronaldo - a defensive liability in the first half, clearly not fit, playing with a bunch of average players, sulking and then he does that. Wow. Whats next Australia vs Spain & Chile vs Netherlands (12pm/9am) Croatia vs Mexico & Brazil vs Cameroon (4pm/1pm) Burning question for Mondays games Can Chile win the group and finally carve open a path to the late rounds that doesnt include nemesis Brazil? Stat of day 11 Silvestre Varela became the 16th substitute to score at this World Cup. 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