Canelo Alvarez, the undisputed super middleweight champion, has expressed his desire for bigger challenges and seems uninterested in fighting against smaller opponents like welterweight Terence Crawford.
Canelo Alvarez, the 33-year-old undisputed super middleweight champion, seeks more significant challenges, expressing disinterest in opponents from lower weight classes. This shift in focus was emphasized after his resounding victory over Jermell Charlo on Saturday night. After the win, several suggestions arose regarding a potential match with Terence Crawford, currently considered boxing’s top pound-for-pound fighter.
However, Crawford is a welterweight, meaning he would be giving up 21 pounds in a fight with Canelo. Canelo appears to steer away from establishing a reputation of consistently defeating lesser opponents. At Saturday’s post-fight press conference, when asked about a match with Crawford, Canelo answered, “You know, I always say if the fight makes sense, why not? But he’s not in the plan. Like I said, if it makes sense, maybe. I don’t know right now. I’m just going to enjoy this fight. Then you’re going to know what’s next for sure.”
Throughout his career, Canelo has willingly stepped up in weight to take on more significant and more challenging opponents, signifying his desire for larger challenge post his victory over Charlo, a junior middleweight. Canelo dominated the 12-round bout, using powerful combinations to keep Charlo mainly in survival mode, a strategy Canelo attributes to a lot of the fighters he faces. “I think that happens with a lot of fighters,” Canelo confessed. “That’s not on my mind to just survive. But I did my job. I think he never does something to win.”
Canelo hopes that this latest victory will silence critics who considered him past his prime following a subpar performance against John Ryder. Despite a hand injury that affected him during the fight, Canelo, feeling healthy again, assures that he has returned better than ever before. “My hand is 100 percent and I feel good,” Alvarez asserted. “I feel great and I’m still in my prime. I feel fresh, I’m ready. I think this is Canelo. I’m back. Finally, I’m back. I feel confident right now. I feel great. I’m so happy because I didn’t feel like this for a long time. Now I’m back.”