Here are the 10 greatest knockouts in Canelo Alvarez’s decorated career.
Canelo Alvarez has become one of the more polished boxers in the game, making him as complete a fighter as anyone.
However, as we know, the Mexican star can also crack. Alvarez (54-1-2) has stopped 36 opponents in his decorated career, one of the larger knockout totals among active fighters.
And, obviously, there are more to come. It appears he will defend his super middleweight belt against overmatched Avni Yildirm late next month, although we’re waiting for an announcement.
In the meantime let’s take a look back on 10 of the four-division titleholder’s most memorable stoppages, starting with his most-recent knockout and working our way back in time.
Here are the 10 greatest knockouts in Canelo Alvarez’s decorated career.
Canelo Alvarez has become one of the more polished boxers in the game, making him as complete a fighter as anyone.
However, as we know, the Mexican star can also crack. Alvarez (54-1-2) has stopped 36 opponents in his decorated career, one of the larger knockout totals among active fighters.
And, obviously, there are more to come. It appears he will defend his super middleweight belt against overmatched Avni Yildirm late next month, although we’re waiting for an announcement.
In the meantime let’s take a look back on 10 of the four-division titleholder’s most memorable stoppages, starting with his most-recent knockout and working our way back in time.
Abel Sanchez, Gennadiy Golovkin’s former trainer, fears that things won’t go well if he fights Canelo Alvarez a third time.
Trainer Abel Sancez fears for Gennadiy Golovkin if he fights Canelo Alvarez a third time.
Golovkin’s former mentor, who was in his corner in the first two fights, said on The Pug and Copp Show podcast that the 38-year-old Kazakhstani could take a beating at the hands of the younger Mexican.
Golovkin, now trained by Johnathon Banks, and Alvarez reportedly agreed before the coronavirus pandemic took hold to fight in September.
“This one maybe will hurt. Not because I’m not with him, but [it could] hurt because he gets hurt,” Sanchez said during the podcast. “Not only [is the third meeting] the most significant, it’s the most dangerous because you’re talking about a guy who is at his peak now and believes he can do the same thing to Gennadiy that he did to [Sergey] Kovalev.
“[Alvarez] baited, baited, baited and waited for that right moment and it was destructive. I would hate to see Gennadiy go into that fight — or I would rather not see the fight — than to see Gennadiy succumb to something like that, not being prepared physically and mentally.”
Golovkin and Alvarez fought to a controversial split draw in September 2017. Alvarez won the rematch by a majority decision a year later, after which Golovkin left Sanchez.
Since then, Golovkin stopped Steve Rolls in four rounds but struggled in a taxing fight to earn a close decision over Sergey Derevyanchenko to win a vacant middleweight title in October. Some observers suggested after the latter performance that Triple-G is in decline.
Meanwhile, since the rematch, Alvarez stopped Rocky Fielding in three rounds, outpointed Danny Jacobs and stopped Kovalev in the 11th round to win a light heavyweight title in November.
Alvarez was tentatively scheduled to fight super middleweight titleholder Billy Joe Saunders in May but that fight was put on hold because of the pandemic and might not happen.
DAZN commentators Chris Mannix and Sergio Mora discuss which weight class is ideal for Canelo Alvarez, who has bounced around recently.
Three fights ago, against Rocky Fielding, Canelo Alvarez fought as a super middleweight. The following fight, against Danny Jacobs, he was a middleweight. And, most recently, he fought Sergey Kovalev as a light heavyweight.
So what’s the ideal division for the Mexican superstar?
Some of those close to him have said that 168 pounds – super middleweight – makes most sense. However, his trainer, Eddy Reynoso, recently said he expects Alvarez’s third fight against Gennadiy Golovkin to be contested at 160.
DAZN commentators Chris Mannix and Sergio Mora tackle this subject in the latest episode of Jabs with Mannix and Mora.
Golden Boy Promotions President Eric Gomez believes 168 pounds is the best weight for Canelo Alvarez at this stage of his career.
Canelo Alvarez’s immediate future remains up in the air.
Golden Boy Promotions President Eric Gomez told ESPN.com that Alvarez will fight next on May 2, which was expected. He generally fights on Cinco de Mayo weekend.
Who will he fight? No one is off the table, although Brits Callum Smith and Billy Joe Saunders seem to be in the mix.
The only thing that seems likely is that Alvarez will fight at or around 168 pounds, although anything is possible in that regard too. He’s coming off a KO victory over Sergey Kovalev to win a 175-pound belt in November but gave it up.
“I personally feel that’s the best weight class, where he’s going to be the best at, at this point in his career,” Gomez said. “That’s the weight class he’s going to feel the best, the strongest. But it doesn’t necessarily mean he won’t go back to light heavyweight, he still has that possibility.
“Giving up the title, yes, it was about the weight, but it wasn’t all about the weight.”
A fight with Smith or Saunders makes sense because it would allow Alvarez to win a 168-pound title and enhance his exposure in the U.K., wherever the fight takes place. Alvarez beat Rocky Fielding to win what the WBA calls its “regular” super middleweight title but Boxing Junkie doesn’t recognize that belt.
Of course, Alvarez could also fight Gennadiy Golovkin a third time.
“We’re not ruling out anybody – everybody, even at 160 pounds,” Gomez said. “If he wants to go back to 160 pounds or if there’s any of the champions that want to move up, face him, we’re not ruling anything out.”
Eddie Hearn believes Canelo Alvarez will fight either Billy Joe Saunders or Callum Smith. If not, Hearn says, they should fight each other.
Billy Joe Saunders and Callum Smith are lobbying to be Canelo Alvarez’s opponent in the Mexican’s next fight. But if Alvarez decides on somebody else, promoter Eddie Hearn says, the U.K. super middleweights should fight each other.
Alvarez’s plans for his next bout, projected to be on May 2, are still unclear. He relinquished the light heavyweight belt he took from Sergey Kovalev on Nov. 2. There’s still talk about a move back down the scale to middleweight for a third fight against Gennadiy Golovkin.
“If he (Alvarez) doesn’t fight one of those guys next, then they should fight each other, and they should unify,’’ Hearn told iFL TV.
Hearn, who promotes both Saunders and Smith, said he still believes Canelo (53-1-2, 36 KOs) will decide to fight one of the two. Saunders (29-0, 14 KOs) and Smith (27-0, 19 KOs) each hold one of the 168-pound belts.
Alvarez won what the WBA calls its “regular” super middleweight title when he stopped overmatched Rocky Fielding (28-2, 16 KOs) in December but Boxing Junkie doesn’t recognize that belt. Smith is the actual WBA titleholder.
