Canelo vs Lopez Video: Richard Schaefer on the Matchup, Relationship with Bob Arum

Marcos Villegas of The Boxing Channel spoke with Richard Schaefer about Canelo vs Lopez, the weight difference between the two fighters, and about his indifference to what Bob Arum and Top Rank are doing these days.

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Marcos Villegas, The Boxing Channel: "Looking at this matchup, are you a little worried? A little nervous that he's going up against a guy that already upset Victor Ortiz?"

Richard Schaefer, Golden Boy Promotions: "Well, you know, yes. Nobody gave him a chance against Victor Ortiz, and we all know what happened. Here he sort of, like, goes into the fight with the same mindset. Underdog. And I think he really likes that position. He's dangerous, no question about it. He can fight, and he has an iron will and an iron chin. We know that Victor Ortiz is one of the guys that hits the hardest in the sport in any division. And did you see how Josesito just took those punches, took those blows? Victor Ortiz threw everything but the kitchen sink at (Josesito) and he was just able to take it. And he's coming with that momentum, with that, 'Yes, I can' kind of attitude, or as he puts it, it's his Rocky moment. That lightning is going to strike twice, this kind of thing. You look at him mentally, definitely ready. You look at him physically, taller than Canelo, at the 30-day weigh-in by the WBC, same size, even a little bit bigger than Canelo weight-wise. This is going to be a fight."

Villegas: "You mention that he weighed the same as Canelo. A lot of people have been bringing up, though, that the night of the fight Canelo will outweight him by at least 20 pounds because Josesito is a natural 140 pounder, and looking at the two, even at the face off, Saul does seem -- he's more muscular, bigger than Josesito?"

Schaefer: "I actually thought that, too, but I just looked at him now. Did you see? He looks actually pretty small. He looks -- he doesn't look really that--"

Villegas: "Canelo has big legs, though. That's where a lot of his weight is."

Schaefer: "Yeah, in a way, similar to what Pacquiao does. But you know, talk about the weight difference, I don't think the weight difference the night of the fight -- and I'll take bets on that -- is as big as the weight difference is going to be between Chavez Jr and Martinez. Which is going to be a great fight, by the way, I'm not trying to knock it. I don't think it really makes a difference. I think the difference here is you have Josesito Lopez, a guy who knows what to do and knows how to win, and he's coming off that unbelievable momentum from the Victor Ortiz fight. And Canelo, you know, he doesn't take any opponent lightly, but he better be ready. He better be ready, because I know Josesito Lopez will be ready."

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Villegas: "Looking at the card overall and seeing the opponent changes, you personally, have you ever been put in a situation as stressful as going from one opponent, to the next, to the next, to finally Josesito Lopez?"

Schaefer: "No, but you have to sometimes play with the cards you've been dealt. The good news is, in that 147, 154, 160 weight class, particularly 54 and 47, there are so many great names. The list is so long. If you are the top dog, the top fighter, the top star, like Canelo Alvarez is in the division, anybody wants to fight you. So I knew that eventually we were going to find an opponent who was worthy of a fight on that significant date, September 15."

Villegas: "And finally, can you and Bob Arum -- can you guys hug it out? Can this be over now? Can we start seeing Chavez-Canelo, Mayweather-Pacquiao, these fights that aren't happening, that haven't been happening, for about two years now?"

Schaefer: "I tried many times with Bob. Reached out. He's just a guy who likes to live in that world of having to have a fight with somebody. That's his -- I don't know, old school. He's done it for a long time with Don King. That's just his -- that's how he lives his life and does his business. I'm so over it. Honestly, I couldn't care less. I couldn't care less what Bob does, or Top Rank does. It's just, like, been there, done that. We're moving on. I'm focusing on positive things -- on our fighters from Golden Boy. We are the present and the future. Our stable is unbelievable. We have the best fighters, the most exciting fighters. I'm thrilled for the sport of boxing, I'm happy for fight fans, and I really, you know -- Bob Arum does not exist in my vocabulary. Couldn't care less."