(Photo credit: Tom Casino/Showtime) By Rameez Haider: The whole world awaits the upcoming bout between Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather and Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez on September 14th. This fight sees one of the greatest fighters of the modern, if not any era vs the upcoming star looking to take over the mantle. But what chance does Canelo have of cracking the most infamous code in boxing?
There are many different views on this bout but in my opinion, I don’t really see Canelo having much chance at all. People have discussed the weight advantage that he will hold and yes this is going to be a factor in the fight, but the question this comes down to is the styles of both fighters.
Canelo has a very average skill set. He is flat footed, his lateral movement is average, and though he has good power and combinations, it doesn’t really help if he struggles to throw them consistently over 12 rounds. Canelo has a major issue with stamina which has been clear in nearly all of his fights, and this is mainly down to the amount of weight Canelo drops for the weigh in and the amount he rehydrates.
Canelo has only had one fight against a real live opponent in Austin Trout and though he won what some people call a ‘debatable’ decision, I agree with Mayweather in the fact that the knock down was the difference in the fight and Canelo did win the fight. However any true fan would agree Canelo struggled through that fight and was caught by Trout with ease, and for most of the fight, Canelo struggled to tie Trout down.
Austin Trout is a very good fighter, but he is by no stretch a Mayweather. With the defence Mayweather has, the movement, and the crisp speed and punch combination, I just can’t see how Canelo will in anyway cause Mayweather a problem. Yes Canelo has power, but he has to land and I just can’t see that happening, and in Mayweather you have one of the best chins in the sport as well.
If you look at the class of fighter Canelo has fought, the likes of Rhodes, Hatton etc he has not been consistently tested and this lack of experience will tell. People have argued that Mayweather fought Shane Mosley when he was past his best, but Canelo fought him a fair while after and still struggled, where as Mayweather took him to school.
All the cards are stacked against Canelo and yes he has a punchers chance, but I can’t even see Canelo being able to exert his size on Mayweather, as his movement is just too good and Canelo is too flat footed.
Floyd Mayweather is a class above the rest. People can argue who he has or has not faced, he will not get his dues even if and when he beats Canelo. But what people can’t argue is that his skills in the squared circle are something special. People have discussed the likes of Adrien Broner and others, but any true boxing fan can see that none of these fighters can compare to Mayweather. In time, people will look back in time and talk about the talent we had in Mayweather.
In Canelo, I think we have someone who is going to go on to be a fantastic fighter, but not him or any other boxer is in the same ilk as ‘Money’ Mayweather.
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