GGG, ‘Canelo’ avoid face-off as fight night approaches

Gennady Golovkin tugged on his pants and puffed his chest as Saul “Canelo” Alvarez walked toward him Wednesday to start the final news conference at the KA Theater inside the MGM Grand.

It was finally happening, a long overdue confrontation between the bitter rivals. But the faceoff never materialized.

A slight bump from the camera man filming Alvarez could have altered Golovkin’s course of action. Golovkin returned to his seat as Alvarez turned right to face the photographers.

The fighters never locked eyes during the news conference, and the closest they got to each other was when one was standing at the podium.

So with that, the Alvarez-Golovkin faceoff watch continues for another few days, with the next opportunity on Friday at the weigh-in. No promises have been made that a staredown will occur then.

But the fighters have made progress by being in the same vicinity for the first time since the boxing world learned of Alvarez’s positive drug tests six months ago.

Alvarez didn’t want a faceoff Wednesday, according to Golovkin’s camp. Alvarez has admitted that Golovkin’s comments have gotten under his skin, and he might be waiting until fight night to release his aggression.

Golovkin (38-0-1, 34 knockouts) will defend his WBA and WBC middleweight titles against Alvarez (49-1-1, 34 KOs) on Saturday on an HBO pay-per-view card at T-Mobile Arena.

Alvarez declined to have a press tour with Golovkin for the rescheduled rematch. The Mexican boxer said there was no need because they had a news conference in February to promote the May 5 bout that was called off in the aftermath of Alvarez’s positive drug tests.

Golovkin isn’t buying Alvarez’s reasoning.

“(Alvarez) would be faced with some uncomfortable questions (about the failed tests),” Golovkin said in July. “People would be asking him questions, and he probably doesn’t have enough courage to look truth in the face with these unpleasant questions.”

Before his rivalry with Alvarez, Golovkin seldom engaged in trash talk. That changed after Alvarez admitted to having clenbuterol in his system but blamed it on contaminated meat.

Golovkin, 36, said he was disrespected by Alvarez, 28, and spent most of the year answering questions about bad beef and a postponed bout. That occasionally led to an unfiltered Golovkin.

“Enough about the doping scandal,” an irritated Golovkin said Tuesday.

He’s also gone a year hearing about judge Adalaide Byrd’s 118-110 scorecard in favor of Alvarez. Golovkin and Alvarez fought to a split draw last September at T-Mobile Arena, but that result has been lost amid the drama.

Golovkin just wants to get back to boxing and attempt to make boxing history Saturday. If he defeats Alvarez, it will give him 21 straight middleweight title defenses and break a tie with Bernard Hopkins for the most all time.

“It doesn’t matter if there was a doping (scandal), people are going to support Canelo,” Golovkin said. “People support me because I’ve been champion for eight years.”

With a faceoff or not, Golovkin promises a major drama show inside the ring Saturday.

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Contact Gilbert Manzano at gmanzano@reviewjournal.com. Follow @GManzano24 on Twitter.