By Sal Arteaga: Saul “Canelo” Alvarez is currently the WBC, WBA, and Ring Magazine Light Middleweight Champion. He’s defeated 42 opponents, 30 of them by knockout, and has yet to experience the bitter taste of defeat. However these accomplishments, in the eyes of some, hold no merit. They’re viewed as victories against second rated boxers. This logic is flawed, and baseless.
Canelo Alvarez is set to fight arguably the best boxer in the sport today in Floyd Mayweather Jr. (44-0, 26 KO’s) on September 14th. This alone is an accomplishment in itself. To be given the opportunity to face the pound-for-pound king is considered an honor and a measurement of one’s abilities.
Boxing is founded on the principle that the champion fights the highest ranked opponent. The naysayers who discredit Canelo, are then discrediting Mayweather, because the argument Canelo is an unworthy opponent, feeds the argument Floyd handpicks unworthy opponents for the sake of winning.
A fighter’s worth can be measured on his accomplishments and on the level of competition he has faced. Whose body of work is currently considered the best? Well none other than the pound-for-pound-king Floyd Mayweather, will use him as the measuring stick of success.
Floyd had a successful amateur career winning a medal in the Olympics. He then won his first major title the WBC belt against Genaro Hernandez in his 18th fight. In comparison to Canelo who had a very short amateur career turning pro at the age of 15, but he did win a medal at the Junior Mexican National Championships just before turning pro. In his 19th fight he fought Gabriel Martinez for his first major title . Both started out very impressive winning championships early in their careers.
Let’s fast forward some and look at their most recent opponents. Mayweather fought Shane Mosley, Victor Ortiz, Miguel Cotto, and Robert Guerrero. All worthy opponents with impressive skills in their own rights. Canelo’s last four are Kermit Cintron (former IBF champion, title once held by Mayweather), Shane Mosley (Mayweather opponent), JosesAito Lopez (defeated Mayweather opponent Ortiz), and Austin Trout (defeated Mayweather opponent Cotto). I see many similarities in their competition and in their accomplishments. Canelo is an undefeated champion and should be treated as such; we can’t praise one champion and then seek to vilify the other.
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