Canelo Alvarez has inked an extension with Mexican network TV Azteca, confirming that he plans to fight for another five years in boxing.
What this means for the undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo’s fans is the big question, considering they want to see him taking on the best at 168 and not selectively choosing opponents as he’s been doing since he moved up to the weight class in 2020.
Fan Frustration Over Canelo’s Matchups
“Canelo’s renewal with Azteca is official! 🖊️ Saúl Álvarez was grateful for the trust of TV Azteca and reiterated that he has at least five years left in boxing,” said TV Azteca on X.
It remains to be seen if Canelo will stick around the sport for another five years, taking him to the ripe age of 38. That’s not young for a fighter with as many career fights as Canelo Alvarez has under his belt, and that’s why it’s difficult to believe that he’ll choose to fight for another five years.
A Five-Year Plan That Could Underwhelm
One way that Canelo can continue fighting for five more years is if he avoids the dangerous opposition at 168, like David Benavidez and David Morrell, focusing instead of defending his undisputed super middleweight championship against these easier targets:
- Jaime Munguia
- Jermall Charlo
- Christian Mbilli
- Diego Pacheco
- Edgar Berlanga
- Caleb Plant
With Canelo fighting just twice a year, he used those fighters from the above list to float through the next three years of his career without suffering a loss, artificially staying on top as the undisputed super middleweight champion.
Yeah, it would be disappointing to see Canelo stay on top by swerving the dangerous guys at 168, Benavidez and Morrell, but isn’t that what Canelo has been doing since he moved up to the weight class four years ago?
A Disjointed Legacy in the Making
Apart from Canelo’s mistake of going up to 175 and being schooled by WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol, these are the fighters he’s faced since moving up to 168 in 2020:
– Jermell Charlo
– John Ryder
– Caleb Plant
– Billy Joe Saunders
– Avni Yildirim
– Callum Smith
– Rocky Fielding