In the biggest boxing match of the year, one with the potential to be the biggest pay-per-view (PPV) event in the history of the "sweet science," undefeated superstar Floyd Mayweather Jr. will look to shoot down yet another Mexican great, taking on 42-0 Saul Alvarez on Sept. 14, 2013 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Aware of the fight's magnitude, Showtime has once again wheeled out its "All-Access" program, set to air every Saturday until the fight. The first episode went down over the weekend, and we've got a replay right here for those of you who missed it.
Or who just want to watch it again.
The episode starts off with a look back at Floyd's domination of Robert Guerrero, then Canelo's win over Austin Trout a few weeks earlier. The fact that Floyd annihilated Guerrero while Canelo scraped by Trout is ignored.
Slow-motion! Training footage! Third-person narration from Floyd! All Access!
Episode proper begins with Canelo getting dressed, admitting he loves shoes too much. Lots of shirtless footage.
They switch over to Floyd buying expensive jewelry and his team members showing off their high-quality watches. Possibly the whitest man in the world makes an appearance.
Onto their press stop at Times Square, complete with red carpet, streamers, and a boatload of rabid boxing fans. The excitement is palpable, as is Floyd's ego as he shows off the G-5 he's traveling around in.
See the pics and recap of that spectacle here.
Next stop, Washington D.C., followed by Grand Rapids. A massive amount of Mexican fans show up in each location, ensuring Canelo feels plenty at home. Mexico City, understandably, is even more lopsided in Alvarez's favor.
Floyd messing with De La Hoya is always fun to watch.
Now it's my hometown of San Antonio, Texas. If I'm not mistaken, I was knee-deep in my 250th hour of Skyrim at the time, so I missed it. In Los Angeles, Floyd rubs in the fact that he annihilated every one of De La Hoya's fighters that Oscar has sent his way.
Back to the nitty-gritty as we take a look at the Mayweather Boxing Club. "Motherf***er, I am boxing!" Floyd declares as he roughs up a heavy bag. As with many fighters facing younger foes, Floyd talks up his experience. He also gets a good zinger in, proclaiming he didn't know he was fighting Blake Griffin.
Time for an emotional moment as Floyd talks the importance of his uncle and father in his life and career. Floyd Sr. attempts a phat rhyme with questionable success.
Canelo's turn as they head down to Guadalajara Jalisco. Canelo takes the time to show a young kid in the gym how to hit a speedbag properly. Canelo describes himself as a "troublemaker" and "brawler" in his youth, having fought kids as early as kindergarten after being teased about his hair and freckles.
Canelo and his brother Rigoberto talk Canelo's early accomplishments in the amateurs and we get a highlight of him wrecking people in the pros.
Mayweather Boxing Gym time again. An inexperienced member of the gym gets the opportunity to spar with Floyd; we don't get to see what happens, but according to J'Leon Love, things didn't go well for the other guy.
The cameras follow Floyd to the Hard Rock Casino in the role of promoter as one of his fighters, Mickey Bey, beats the snot out of veteran John Molina for eleven rounds. Floyd is surprisingly stoic as Molina pulls off a ridiculous last-second knockout in the twelfth. He even congratulates Molina, who wishes Floyd luck in his upcoming bout with Alvarez.
Canelo in a dune buggy! Wheeeeeeee! Now on a horse! Shirtless! In slow-motion!
I swear, it's like they made this series specifically for me. And then they have the Alvarez brothers playing in a pool, confirming my suspicions.
Canelo talks his bond with his brothers, a bond tempered by them beating the snot out of each other.
Alvarez's turn for an emotional moment as he talks about his daughter, the product of his knocking a girl up when he was sixteen. He says he doesn't want her in the spotlight and Showtime obliges, never showing her face. Showing more responsibility than most people who became fathers in their teens, he explains that he has to work hard to give her a good life.
Floyd hits Monte Carlo in a swankadocious Bugatti Veyron. The Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame honors Floyd as the male fighter of the year, with even rival Freddie Roach calling him one of the best fighters ever.
Music gets louder as they talk about how Floyd and Canelo contrast with one another. Mayweather declares he doesn't care what you can do good, as he does "every-f***in'-thing great." Slow-motion training footage and appropriate hyping soundbites end the episode as the guitar in the background kicks into high gear. We get a parting shot of Floyd stepping to a side, revealing a giant poster for the fight.
Nice.
Remember, MMAmania.com will have all the Mayweather vs. Canelo coverage you could ask for, as well as much that you didn't ask for, in the coming weeks.
We'll keep you posted!