By Jaime Ortega: Saul Canelo Alvarez lately became criticized for ducking several boxers in the middleweight division. Legendary boxers like Hugo Cesar Chavez have called out Canelo publically, and degraded his boxing achievements on live shows. Canelo not only has received heat by his foes, but his own fan base feel disappointed and betrayed with his last fights.
Even though Canelo is mainly to blame for not fighting GGG, Oscar De La Hoyas Golden Boy promotions is partly responsible for dissing out what could very well be the fight of the year. In my opinion, the fight of the year is Andre Ward versus Sergei Kovalev — should be a tough war — hard to call a winner. But have no doubts Canelo versus GGG would be a titanic matchup with a quick result!
Canelo jumped the boxing scene as the Mexican messiah. He was supposed to replace Ricardo el Finito Lopez and the great Erik Morales. The expectations were high for the young boxer. He beat Austin Trout, battled an old Shane Mosley, and ultimately lost against the boxing genius Floyd Mayweather Jr. At that time of his career before the Floyd bout, he was nothing else than a brawler that mowed down his opponents with power and speed; after the Floyd fight his manager changed his boxing style and corrected a few errors – however, he still commits several old mistakes.
Canelo became conservative in his bouts, just like Pacquiao became conservative after the Juan Manuel Marquez knockout. Canelo adapted and transformed his style, ultimately to join the technical side of boxing. Canelo fought Angulo and defeated Erislandy Lara in a heavily contested fight; beat Miguel Cotto on a strange performance and recently defeated Amir Khan. Canelo not only changed his boxing style, but learned from Floyd the art of sweepstakes and what purses meant; the more he won, the more he became a price fighter. Realistically, De La Hoya influence on the young Mexican is the main reason Canelo is a price-fighter today. Del La Hoya was a price fighter himself before Floyd defeated him.
Canelo’s recent diva status is hurting his legacy. De La Hoya, the real perpetrator behind Canelo’s selection of opponents is to blame for the present criticism. Amir Khan, had no chance whatsoever to beat Canelo, which is why he was chosen to cheer-up the uncultured boxing fan to help elevate his legacy. Most casuals fans neither know the difference in weight classes, nor how boxing works. De La Hoya, targeted such fan base because it sold tickets, but the problem is that the average Mexican knows more about boxing than the average American, and he has recently got heat from Canelo fans as well as TV analyst in Mexico.
The GGG fight with Canelo was supposed to happen in 2016. Now is probably a fight that the boxing world might experience in late 2017. Canelo could have saved his reputation by opting for David Lemiux, who has a high knockout coefficient in the middleweight division — instead, he picked Liam Smith which shows he is a coward. I really believe Lemiux can knockout Canelo and expose his ring versatility. Lemiux is ready to fight Canelo, but Golden Boy probably thinks the fight with the Canadian is too risky.
Canelo likes to beat up small guys because he knows he can hydrate at 175 — his natural weight class. Canelo is no welterweight, he is a super middleweight leaning to light heavyweight. Since the Floyd fight, his body has got bigger and has obtained greater body absorption. Anything else is bologna. Canelo has infiltrated the welterweight division and he is there to stay. The main reason he beat Cotto, was not because he out-boxed the Puerto Rican, but because every time he landed a shot it was way harder and stronger – never mind poor Amir Khan, whose glass jaw verily could take Danny Garcia’s punch, how would he survive the punch of a boxer that hydrates to 175?
I’ve been a strong adherent to eliminate catch-weights. Catch-weights are allowing elephants to fight bears, and bears to fight wolves, and so forth. Boxing needs to get rid of such imaginary divisions because these harm boxing as a whole. Catch weights to some extent are no different than using PED’s. It’s legal cheating! The boxing organization should test individual boxer’s muscle absorption and place them in their respective weight class. Unlike the heavy weight division, all other divisions should embrace serious weight testing methods. Simply put, it’s not fair for boxers to jump 3 weight classes the day of the fight.
Canelo wants no part of GGG. GGG is no tomato can. He not only can ring shift, but he knows how to cut the ring very effectively. His accuracy and head movement are underrated. Have no doubts that Daniel Jacobs, despite convincingly defeating Peter Quillin, who has been out the picture for a while, will get knocked out cold by GGG. Chris Eurobanks has shown heart lately calling GGG out, but if he exchanges with the Kazakh, he will be out in the fifth round. Billy Sounders will be watching terrified the results might vacate the division and go down in weight class.
The casual Canelo fans believe that Canelo will outbox GGG, and the fight will turn against the Kazakh who won’t know how to counter the Mexican star. Some call GGG, an overrated boxer. The problem is that everyone in the middleweight division is terrified to fight the Kazakh. It’s true the Erislandy Lara has called GGG out, but if it ever happened, it will be a quick knockout in favor of GGG. Lara lasted with Canelo because the Cuban southpaw is a great counter boxer who can take a punch — great chin. He showed his skill set against Paul Williams back in 2010. Yet, Lara would not be able to absorb GGG’s punches, I mean GGG knocked out Dominic Wade just by punching him in the arm – what else could I say?
GGG is the real beast in the middleweight division and Canelo wants to bring him down to 155 — his imaginary division to make sure he don’t hydrate to his full potential. That’s what the whole 155 ordeal is all about to shrink GGG enough so he can’t fully recover the day of the fight. Canelo got stripped from the 160 belt because he is a coward– plain and simple. Any boxer that vacates his belt to not fight his mandatory should also be considered a coward, unless of course retirement is involved. Even if Canelo waits for GGG to slow down, it won’t make a huge difference because GGG will remain in shape and in form for at least five more years. GGG is not like Pacquiao, or Shawn Porter that somehow rely on their athletic condition to outwork their opponents, the Kazakh is a slow but progressive killer.
The welterweight division could be under a lot of problems if Canelo stays longer. All the future prodigies of the welterweight division will lose against Canelo because of the evident weight difference. Canelo now is a big dude, he is gained enough muscle weight to spar Sergei Kovalev and Andre Ward. GGG’s best contender was Andre Ward, but given the purse bids and the egos of both camps the fight sailed away. GGG versus Canelo will be the best fight in the middleweight division, but have no doubts it will be the shortest knockout in recent memory. He will do what Juan Manuel Marquez did to Manny Pacquiao, but not after four fights – in the first fight Canelo will wobble without direction via punch-hammer in the middle rounds. What Canelo did to Amir Khan, GGG will do to Canelo. Mark my words, he stands no chance.