Canelo Alvarez is certainly not above criticism.
For example, the Mexican superstar has sometimes put winning titles ahead of facing his toughest opponents in years in a misguided attempt to enhance his legacy. The latter will serve that purpose better.
His inexplicable refusal to fight David Benavidez could haunt him if it never happens. I don’t think he’s afraid of Benavidez – or anyone else – but he has opened the door to such a view.
And, hell, his decision to defend his 168-pound championship against Jaime Munguia – a fighter still in the process of proving himself – on DAZN pay-per-view Saturday in Las Vegas is seen by some as a less challenging fight for an accomplished champion like Alvarez, even though he doesn’t have many other good options.
Canelo Alvarez won his first major title defeating Matthew Hatton in 2011. Action Images/Jason Redmond Livepic
However, we’re quibbling when you survey Alvarez’s entire career. He has the most decorated resume in the sport, built by victories over one capable opponent after another over a decade in the brightest spotlights to not only win belt but also became a mainstay in the weight list.
One day he will be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. And he has earned it.
As:
Alvarez has won major titles in four tournaments.
He started as a 139-pounder when he turned pro at age 15 in 2005 and has fought as heavyweight as 174½, losing just twice in 64 fights – to Floyd Mayweather and Dmitry Bivol – and won major belts at 154, 160, 168 and 175. And he did so even though he may not have been a natural 168-pounder and was certainly a small one 175 pounds, which means he took down some bigger men along the way.
He is 19-2-1 against past or current world champions.
Think about it. That’s 19 wins in 22 fights against the best in the business over the past decade, including wins over Shane Mosley, Austin Trout, Erislandy Lara, Miguel Cotto, Gennadiy Golovkin, Daniel Jacobs and Sergey Kovalev. No one else can match that level of success at the highest level of the sport.
24 of his last 28 fights have been for major world championships.
The sanctioned body belts are no longer as heavy as they once were, but those who fight for them are often top contenders. That Alvarez has amassed 24 title fights starting in 2011 – winning all but the two mentioned above – reflects both his superior talent and his ability to maintain the top of the sport for so long. long. King of fighters Terence Crawford participated in 18 title matches, a very impressive number. However, his level of opposition was less than that of Alvarez.
He defeated eight undefeated opponents with 10 or more matches.
There are undefeated fighters who have set their records by fighting guys who were pushed. Others have a legitimate “0” in their loss column, people who face serious challenges. Alvarez falls into the latter category if anyone does. He has knocked out Trout, Golovkin, Callum Smith, Billy Joe Saunders and previously undefeated Caleb Plant, among others. All five of those fighters held major world titles at the time Alvarez beat them. And don’t forget: Munguia (43-0, 34 KOs) is also undefeated.
He is 2-1 against current Hall of Famers.
The ultimate test for any fighter is a fight against a Hall of Fame caliber opponent. Alvarez lost his first fight against Mayweather, the greatest of all time. However, he defeated Mosley and Cotto after they lost a step but were still formidable fighters. Additionally, Alvarez defeated other fighters who have a chance of being elected to the Hall one day: Triple-G, Kovalev and Jermell Charlo. Once again, Alvarez has had unusual success in the top tournament.
The theme here is this: Fans are constantly calling for fighters to face the best opponents possible. Alvarez doesn’t have a perfect record in that regard but he comes close, which is a testament to the faith he has in himself and the power that enables him to take on the biggest fights.
And the fact that he has won consistently against that level of opposition can lead us to only one conclusion: He is one of the best of his generation, maybe is all time.
