Canelo Alvarez Profile

By Boxing News - 08/26/2015 - Comments

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(Photo credit: Gene Blevins – Hoganphotos/Roc Nation Sports/Golden Boy Promotions)

DIVISION: MIDDLEWEIGHT AGE: 25 DATE OF BIRTH: JULY 18, 1990 HEIGHT: 5’9” STANCE: ORTHODOX BIRTHPLACE: GUADALAJARA, MEXICO HOMETOWN: GUADALAJARA, MEXICO PROFESSIONAL RECORD: 45-1-1 (32 KO’S)

With his red hair and freckles, baby-faced Canelo Alvarez may not appear to be your typical Mexican warrior. However, one look at the hard-hitting former WBC junior middleweight champion in the ring makes it clear that he is following firmly in the footsteps of Mexican greats such as Barrera, Morales, Sanchez, and Chavez. This makes him not only one of the most popular young fighters in his home country, but one in demand around the entire Latino fight community.

Just 25 years old, Canelo amazingly made his professional debut on October 29, 2005, only three months after his 15th birthday. He made an immediate impression, halting Abraham Gonzalez in four rounds in their bout in Tonala, Jalisco, Mexico.

Three more wins followed in rapid succession for Canelo before he was extended to a four-round draw with Jorge Juarez in June of 2006. There were no more blemishes on his record for a long time, as Canelo won 11 of his next 13 bouts by knockout, winning the Jalisco state welterweight title in the process.

2008 was the biggest year for Canelo yet, as he went 8-0 with 4 knockouts while earning the WBA Fedecentro welterweight title with a 12-round decision win over previously unbeaten Gabriel Martinez in April of the previous year. That bout also doubled as his US television debut, one that saw him garner plenty of fans for his exciting style.

In August, Canelo defended his title with a ten-round unanimous decision win over veteran Carlos Adan Jerez. On October 24th, “El Canelo” made his US debut with a clear-cut 10-round win over talented Larry Mosley at the Morongo Casino Resort & Spa in Cabazon, California.

Canelo finished 2008 in style with a first-round TKO of 16-1 Raul Pinzon on December 5th. He then kicked off his 2009 campaign with a first-round TKO of Antonio Fitch on January 17th that earned him the vacant NABF welterweight title.

After that, Canelo kept up a ferocious fight pace with six more bouts in 2009. His streak of destruction after the Fitch fight continued on February 21st when he halted unbeaten Euri Gonzalez in 11 rounds to win the WBO Latino title. Less than two months later, he defended his NABF belt with a 10th round stoppage of highly regarded Michel Rosales. Victories over Jeferson Concalo (KO9), Marat Khuzeev (KO2) and Carlos Herrera (TKO1) followed in June, August, and September, respectively, upping his professional record to 29-0-1 with 22 KOs. He finished up the year on December 5th with a near shutout 12-round decision win over Lanardo Tyner.

In January of 2010, Canelo signed a promotional contract with Golden Boy Promotions, kicking off a relationship that helped lead him to a world championship.

He defended his NABF title with a third-round knockout of Brian Camechis in March of 2010, halted highlyranked contender Jose Miguel Cotto in nine rounds in May of that year and stopped 26-1 Luciano Cuello in six rounds for the vacant WBC silver junior middleweight title on July 10th.

On September 18, 2010, Canelo returned to the ring at Los Angeles’ STAPLES Center and became only the second man to ever knock out former welterweight champion Carlos Baldomir as he finished him in the sixth round. Canelo finished off his breakout year on December 4th with a 12 round unanimous decision win over Lovemore N’dou.
On March 5th, Canelo had his first bout of 2011. He was in top-notch form as he won the vacant WBC junior middleweight title with a near shutout victory over British contender Matthew Hatton.

Canelo defended his crown for the first time on June 18th against another battlin’ Brit, Sheffield’s Ryan Rhodes. He ended the exciting bout in style, halting the longtime contender in the 12th round of a bout in Mexico that captivated the nation and set viewing records across the country.

The next stop on Canelo’s amazing ride took place on September 17th, when he stopped Alfonso Gomez in six rounds. He then closed out 2011 with a fifth-round stoppage of former world champion Kermit Cintron.

On May 5, 2012, Canelo defended his belt for the fourth time and faced future Hall of Famer “Sugar” Shane Mosley as part of the “Ring Kings: Mayweather vs. Cotto” per-pay-view telecast. Even though the fight lasted 12 rounds, the popular Mexican showed the 40-year-old veteran the road to retirement, winning via unanimous decision. Once again, young Alvarez made his country proud while continuing his rise to stardom.

The victory over Mosley set up a September 15th showdown with breakout star Josesito Lopez, and despite Lopez’ game effort, Alvarez’ power and strength were too much, as he knocked his opponent down three times before ending the bout with a fifth round TKO.

Next, boxing’s most popular phenom continued on the path to superstardom with a 12 round unanimous decision over WBA champion Austin Trout on May 4, 2013 in front of over 39,000 fans at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. The win proved Alvarez’ supremacy at 154 pounds and also made it clear that he was a bonafide ticket seller wherever he decided to fight.

Now the only thing left for Alvarez to prove was his place on the pound-for-pound list, and on September 14, 2013, against the man on top of that list – Floyd Mayweather – he gave a stellar effort before falling short of victory for the first time via 12 round majority decision. The fight ended up being not just the biggest of the year, but the highest grossing bout of all-time and the most watched boxing event ever on Mexican television, proving that for Canelo, the best is still yet to come.

On March 8, 2014, Alvarez returned to the ring with a 10th round technical knockout win over fellow Mexican warrior Alfredo Angulo at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, and the Fight Capital of the World was also the site for Canelo’s second win of that year, as he won a hard-fought split decision over Cuba’s Erislandy Lara.

Returning to battle on May 9, 2015, Alvarez delivered one of the most impressive performances of his career against one of his most dangerous foes, as he knocked out Texas slugger James “Mandingo Warrior” Kirkland in the third round, and on November 21, 2015, he will meet up with Puerto Rican superstar Miguel Cotto at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas in the biggest fight of the year and of Canelo’s career.



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