Why doesn’t Saul Alvarez fight Erislandy Lara

By Boxing News - 01/15/2011 - Comments

Image: Why doesn’t Saul Alvarez fight Erislandy LaraBy Dan Ambrose: Unbeaten highly ranked welterweight/junior middleweight Saul Alvarez (35-0-1, 26 KO’s) is looking to fight the terribly flawed and mediocre Matthew Hatton on March 5th in what will likely be an easy fight for Alvarez. What I what to know is why doesn’t Alvarez take on a much better fighter than Hatton like unbeaten former Cuban amateur star Erislandy Lara (15-0, 10 KO’s) instead?

After seeing Lara dispatch Delray Raines in a 1st round TKO on Friday night, I would favor Lara over Alvarez.

Lara looks a lot better than Alvarez, and it’s something that I can see changed with more development by Alvarez. I think Lara has the kinds of talent that would always put him over a limited slugger like Alvarez. Lara looks so much better than Alvarez that it’s not even funny, yet the WBC has Alvarez ranked #1 and Lara #11.

If you sit down and watch a number of fights for both Alvarez and Lara, it’s hard to come to the conclusion that Alvarez should be ranked above Lara. It actually looks like the rankings should be flip flopped. Alvarez just looks clumsy, slow and wide open on defense. He’s obviously good enough to beat a weak fighter like Hatton, but he’s not anywhere near where Lara is. And again, I don’t see this as something will change in the future with age. I think Lara is simply a much better fighter with a better background in the sport.

In Cuba, Lara was a hugely successful amateur star, former world champion and multiple national Cuban champion. Lara has much better pedigree than Alvarez. I’m aware that Alvarez didn’t have much of an amateur career, but he’s not being helped by being spoon fed older fighters and weak ones like Hatton.

Alvarez’s handlers will likely keep him away from Lara at all costs, knowing that if they put him in with the Cuban fighter, he’ll likely expose and embarrass Alvarez.



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