Alvarez-Rhodes: If Saul wins, Mayorga bout waiting for him in September
May 25th, 2011
By William Mackay: 20-year-old WBC junior middleweight champion Saul Alvarez (36-0-1, 26 KO’s) makes his first title defense on June 18th against challenger Ryan Rhodes (45-4, 31 KO’s) at the Arena VFG, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. This fight isn’t the big one that Alvarez wants. He’s eying a good fight against former two division world champion Ricardo Mayorga in September, provided that Alvarez beats Rhodes next month.
However, Rhodes, 34, is largely inexperienced against upper level opposition despite his advanced age and this fight is a big step up for Rhodes at the exact wrong point in his career. Rhodes isn’t as quick on his feet as he used to be and is looking more flat-footed than he was in the past. Like a lot of slick fighters, when they’re legs go they start to load up more as they’re forced to fight flat footed.
This is perhaps why Rhodes is scoring more knockouts as of late. He’s sitting down on his punches more and is getting positive results. But this plays into Alvarez’s hands because a stationary Rhodes is like a butterfly with it’s wings cut off. Alvarez is the bigger puncher of the two and is more at home in the trenches slugging it out. Rhodes has been able to take out his European level opposition in the early rounds as of late, but none of them have the power or the inside fighting ability that Alvarez has.
This is why it’s going to be very, very tough for Rhodes to stand in there with Alvarez for long without getting taken out or at the very least badly hurt. Rhodes may be forced to use his aging legs to try and run from Alvarez when things start looking bad due to the Mexican fighters’ big power.
Tags: 22 Responses to “Alvarez-Rhodes: If Saul wins, Mayorga bout waiting for him in September”
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also why is it that everyone is jumping on his back when he actually challenged JMM and pac man ducked him to face an old mosley the only reason top rank is giving him the match is so golden boy doesnt get marquez back and if they do it will be marquez vs alvalez is sep
What I don’t understand is why Mayorga’s name is still in the mix…He’s and old washed up brawler that has been hit like 30 too many times! Look at what Cotto did to him, Saul Alvarez is a very good boxer and has heavy hands, he will stop Mayorga no doubt!
Why promoters still have this Mayorga in line? Hes a faded, bum boxer nowadays. All he has left is his powerful trashtalk. Leave this old man alone! Please!
Canelo should not picking a shot boxer he is young and he should chalenge Martinez this is a good fight i want to see.
pacquio mexican executioner vs saul alvarez
I ment pride79
Prude78 again I agree i didn’t like da last 2oppenents that cotto has fought but u no he’s beta den this rhodes dude or mayorga or angulo he can’t make that fight happen in da blink of n eye in Mexico im jus mad at da fact they bring him up to fast n then fight 2 tier guys cuz I never even heard of Rhodes I’m from da states (jus so u no) they should’ve jus built him up mayb for 2mpre years den fight only top 10 contenders
forgood put money on late stoppage for rhodes!!
@bigmoff_i really hope so…..
@ric927…. Rhodes is a tough guy with a world of experience. Rhodes is a legit Jr middleweight, who’s hungry for a title shot… cotto also holds a title, but it seems like it’s ok for him to fight a one dimensional, past his prime mayorga, & a feather fisted Yuri foreman who recently got his as*s handed to him by PAWEL WOLAK!!!!
ive watched a lot of rhodes fights and only seen one alvarez fight and that was the hatton fight. why hatton was fighting at light maiddle is beyond me he should have stayed at welter. if alvarez is as good as he is supposed to be i think he would have knocked out hatton but he didnt. rhodes is a legit contender and has been waiting for a shot at a world title for a long time so i dont think mr alvarez will have an easy night as some people are making out.
i disagree i think rhodes is the bigger puncher than canelo! canelo couldnt even get hatton finished and he is a welter weight (not a very good 1 at that), i think rhodes will be 2 much for the kid and let me point out that rhodes has never lost at light middle!! i think canelo will be a world champ again in the near future as he is only 20 but i think mr rhodes is going to nock him out!!
IM MEXICAN BUT I HATE THIS REDHAIRED BOY SINCE HE CHALLENGED JMM IN MEXICAN TV…I HOPE HE GETS KTFO!!!
Prude78 I agree but he’s da champ rite now he has to fight top contenders he’s fighting C level fighters if they want to build his career why fight for a tiltle he has to go fight cotto now that magarito quint guna fight or fight angulo in Mexico if not den vacate da dam title den work ur way up cuz I do think he’s a superstar in da makin
Canelo is a overrated HBO Hype Job!!!!
Chavez Jr is a overrated Top Rank Hype Job!!!
I still don’t get all the hype around this guy.
Even an old, shot, bum like mayorga will be too much for him.
Canelo is a C level fighter at best.
@truboxingfan…. he was never dropped by cotto, he was stunned by a couple of straight rights. Which by the way he quickly regained his composure, pretty impressive given the fact he was only 18 when they fought…. who were Miguel cotto, odlh, Mosley, pacman, pbf etc. fighting at that age? I can guarantee u the level of competition canelo is facing right now is definitely better than what those guys were going against at the same age…. this kid has superstar written all over him, above average skills, heart of a Mexican, hook to the liver, good chin etc. there’s a reason why he’s ESPN’s prospect of the year. The only thing I think he needs to work on is his defense, but nothing that can’t be fixed…. this time next year I see Canelo fighting the best in the Jr middleweight division, with his eyes set on bigger fights at middleweight.
I understand Alvarez is still young and there trying to slowly build his career up, but damn. It’s time for him to start fighting some real top opposition. I would love to see him fight a Angulo, or James Kirkland, or even a Joel Julio or Erislandy Lara. I just hope he doesn’t become another Julio Ceasar Chavez Jr, because I think he has alot of potential. I do feel he has some flaws and he should have never got dropped by a c-list fighter like Miguel Cottos brother Jose, but he still has potential. But the way there hyping him already without being tested by any elite competition, seems like he’s headed in the direction of being another money making scam. Either way I hope I’m wrong and he goes on to acheive great things.
Well Alverez is lookimg good,how good,only oppostion will tell.Maybe Rhodes will do better than some think,then maybe not.i like cinamon against the likes of a Cintron.
agreed,i think alvarez will have too much for rhodes he has accuracy aswell as power hopefuly evantually he’ll move to super middle where the big fights are at