By: Hans Themistode
If Canelo Alvarez’s career comes to an abrupt end at this point, the Mexican star can look back on his time in the ring with pride. However, he has so much more that he wants to accomplish.
Having won world titles in four separate weight classes, Alvarez is considered by many to be the best-earning weightlifter in the world. Come May 7, at T-Mobile Arena, in Las Vegas, Nevada, Alvarez hopes he will maintain his status as the boxing leader.
Tonight, Alvarez will give up his undisputed super-middleweight throne in an attempt to start his life as a full-fledged lightweight, as he faces off against WBA titleholder Dmitry Bivol. In 2019, Alvarez succeeded in a lone appearance at 175 pounds, knocking out Sergey Kovalev in the 11th round and taking home the WBO title in the process.
Unlike his previous fleeting light heavyweight appearance, where Alvarez immediately vacated his newly won title, the 31-year-old has no intention of doing so this time around. In fact, if Alvarez were to hand the lightweight gold medal on his shoulders on May 7, his next target would be an obvious one.
Alvarez told several reporters: “I really want to be undisputed at the age of 175.
Before Alvarez became the first undisputed super-middleweight champion of all time, he was forced to follow every world title player. In December 2020, Alvarez defeated Callum Smith. In doing so, he won Smith’s WBA title and won the vacant WBC crown. A few months later, Alvarez cornered former WBO champion, Billy Joe Saunders. After the match officially usurped the throne in the ring, Alvarez ended his senior’s title reign with injury time in the 1/8 round.
With one title left to claim, Alvarez and later, IBF champion Caleb Plant, entered into protracted and protracted negotiations. While it looked like their competition had died out in the water several times, the two worked out their contractual differences before letting their fists fly into both the propeller before the match and on the night of the fight.
With Alvarez finally stopping the former slicker, his goal now is to repeat the feat in a higher weight class. This time around, however, Alvarez’s path to undisputed figures will be a little less congested. With WBO light heavyweight champion Joe Smith Jr. and unified boxer Artur Beterbiev, go head-to-head on June 18, with the winner of their violent clash taking home three of the four major world titles in the £175 weight division.
Though at one point, Alvarez appeared apprehensive about competing as a light heavyweight contender for an extended period of time, with the Mexican star truly becoming his own, he He is now ready to fight much larger men in the 175-pound division.
“I’m in my prime, I feel more confident, I feel strong.”
