(Photo credit: Alma Montiel) By David Ishola: Having just watched Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (41-0-1, 30 KO’s) destroy Josesito Lopez (30-5, 18 KO’s) last night in Las Vegas, Nevada, I feel compelled to ask if Saul Alvarez really is the real deal. Usually beating someone coming up in weight for the first time doesn’t mean too much in my opinion and I’m not really a believer in Lopez being a great fighter but it has got to the point now with Alvarez where he is literally running through everyone put in front of him.
Of course there will be the nay sayers who will say he is being protected and given no hopers in order to build him up and get as much hype around him but at just turned 22 years old he is already World champion and considered the best in his weight class by most people. The one thing he doesn’t yet have on his c.v is a win over a HUGE name and although i was once a big fan of Shane Mosley he was nowhere near the boxer he once was and went up in weight class for Alvarez/Mosley.
The standout fight for most people at Light Middleweight is Mayweather/Alvarez but i don’t see it happening because Floyd Mayweather has made it pretty clear he doesn’t want to fight at Light Middleweight again and that he is very much a natural Welterweight which leaves Cotto/Alvarez as THE fight in that weight class. As shown in Mayweather/Cotto there is plenty left in Miguel Cotto when he is fighting at his natural weight of Light Middleweight and I would say outside of Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao that Miguel Cotto is the biggest draw in boxing with a HUGE hispanic and Latino fan base so Cotto/Alvarez could be HUGE on the right date and the right build.
Outside of Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao the biggest fights out at Light Middleweight for Saul Alvarez would be James Kirkland once he returns, Erislandy Lara and Austin Trout although Austin Trout may be a non starter depending on how he fares against Miguel Cotto in their upcoming fight.
Much like Andre Ward and Sergio Martinez in their respective divisions Saul Alvarez doesn’t have a great deal to work with to really find out how good he really is but as a big Light Middleweight maybe Saul Alvarez could go looking for Sergio Martinez who is a small Middleweight and who could get down to Light Middleweight easily if the money was there.
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