Canelo At His Zenith | BoxingInsider.com

By: Sean Crose

The truth is that the man may have walked the path of countless other Floyd Mayweather opponents, that path is a relatively obscure one. After all, the pound’s all-time great nickname “Money” made it easier for the 23-year-old Mexican redhead known as “Canelo” when they met in the big fight in 2013. However, Canelo will be more than just an opponent. Nor will he let a single loss – for a guaranteed Hall of Famer in the future – no less – derail his plans for the future. After his defeat to Mayweather, Canelo continued to face notable opponents – Alfredo Angulo, Erislandy Lara, James Kirkland, Miguel Cotto – until he himself was the leading attraction in megabouts.

And, the truth is the guy only gets better with time. Not that Canelo was ever overrated. He is not. It’s just that the 57-1-2 boxer has now developed his skills to a terrible degree over the years. For example his battle with Amir Khan or Sergey Kovalev. A keen observer would have noticed that Canelo was having some difficulty during those matches. Either way, he’s up against highly skilled competition. However, Canelo did what a lot of boxers don’t – he kept his cool and followed his own process. Needless to say, both matches resulted in a knockout victory for Canelo, now 31 years old.

And now he is about to face Dmitry Bivol – a serious, skilled and dangerous lightweight boxer. Their match, which takes place this weekend in Las Vegas, is being overshadowed by the fact that, if he wins, Canelo is likely to go on to a third game against longtime rival Gennady Golovkin. This is a mistake, for Bivol, a genre that is indecisive, hard hitting, fast punching, not everyone knows about an easy day at the office. If Canelo wants to win, he will have to be at his best this weekend.

But here’s the thing – Canelo is always at his best. He and Mayweather are completely different people, but the two men have one thing in common, which is a work ethic that is second to none. That may sound like a cliché to write, but it’s true, it’s what makes Canelo – like Mayweather before him – into such a brilliant athlete as he is. Observe pictures of the man’s body, then ask yourself if he would have come to his torso that way ten years ago. This is a boxer who has worked his way up to becoming a legendary opponent (and that’s no exaggeration). Canelo also seems to be at his peak. If he shows no signs of aging, I have to give him a nod to join this Saturday night in Vegas, no matter how Bivol his game may be.

Enjoy Canelo while you can. Warriors don’t stay young forever.