By: Sean Crose
Let’s start with people saying Canelo Alvarez is on the decline. He may only be 33 years old, but the red-haired star has faced many opponents, from Floyd Mayweather to Dmitry Bivol. These things come at a price. Throw in the fact that Canelo hasn’t stopped an opponent since he defeated Caleb Plant before the final bell nearly three years ago, and it’s easy to see why people feel the future Hall of Famer could have past his prime. However, this is Canelo we’re talking about here – an all-time legal great. Has he really fallen to the point where he can no longer defeat opponents of the caliber that Munguia represents?
I do not think so. Canelo may have gotten over the figurative hill, but unless he refuses outright, it’s hard to imagine Munguia surpassing him for any consistent period of time. People forget how Canelo ran from 2019 to 2022 when he lost trying to cross a bridge too far to lightweight contender Dmitry Bivol. Because in that time frame, Canelo has surpassed Daniel Jacobs, Sergey Kovalev, Billy Joe Saunders and Caleb Plant among others. Regardless of what the naysayers say, it’s still a myth.
The bottom line is this: Turning down the kind of run Canelo has had isn’t the same as turning down just because his father’s time is costing him. A Canelo in decline is most obviously unlike most fighters in decline. As people often say, this game has many levels. Let’s also not ignore the fact that Canelo is an excellent professional. No matter how many rounds of golf we may see the guy play, he is still well placed in boxing life. Such things are important, especially as the years pass in a fighter plane. Canelo, when all is said and done, still seems to have no trouble getting up early in the morning to get to work on the road.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that Munguia CANNOT win. Either way, he’s taller than Canelo. Furthermore, his reach and footwork can cause problems. Perhaps most importantly, however, the undefeated challenger can hit and has the heart of Rocky Balboa. And then, yes, there’s the matter of Canelo’s age. After all, Munguia is still in his 20s. Ultimately, however, I see Canelo’s experience and pressure leading him to victory in this undisputed super middleweight title clash. Canelo was stopped in round 10.
