Michael Nunn vs Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez at 160lbs and 168lbs

Duckelo is so NOT taking this fight, not even in a fantasy match forum

 

Nunn by UD at 160
Canelo by controversial decision at 168.

 

Canelo does have a better resume, Nunn is just a bad match up, but he should win at 168. I think GGG would beat Nunn

 

At his best, Nunn has every quality necessary to frustrate and befuddle Canelo.

If Trout could run Canelo as close as he did, why wouldn't the initial assumption be to favor Nunn?

 

Canelo has concrete feet and a small reach of only 70 inches.

Nunn at 6'2 with 77 inch reach is too mobile too fast too tricky for Canelo.

Canelo also likes to fight in spurts he isn't a big workrate guy so I don't think having limited workrate vs Nunn is way to go about it.

 

But Canelo had faster feet at 160 than he does at 168, and he's clearly capable of walking down taller, more mobile fighters by using an educated guard, and landing choice shots to bring their volume down.

Sure, Nunn was a lot better than Plant or Saunders, but the point remains, Canelo is an excellent puncher (in terms of technique and timing, not power), and Nunn's body is a big target.

 

Lara totally neutralized Canelo's offence again a Southpaw with mobility who doesn't have the dimensions of Nunn.

Toney beat Nunn by pressuring him breaking him down to the body and throwing alot of punches.

Canelo can go to the body well the issue is he's not the type of fighter to throw close to 800 punches like Toney did he averages 30-40 punches a round.

I don't see a fighter with such a short reach who fights flat footed with limited output being a good style to go against vs a prime Nunn.

 

Nunn would be a clear winner at 160. Too fast, too skilled. The only reason Canelo might have a chance at 168 is because by the time Nunn fought at 168, he seemed to have lost several steps. Whether it was due to drugs, or, loss of focus, he just didn't seem to be quite the same fighter. That being said, he still won a title at 168, and, would certainly do so in the barren landscape of today. I certainly don't see Nunn losing to anybody Canelo beat at 168. (And, yes, that includes the miserable version of GGG that showed up for their 3rd fight).

 

But that's exactly my point, Lara neutralised Canelo's offense but he isn't 6'2. Nunn's body is a much bigger target, even as the better fighter. Also, Lara fights extremely negatively and often refuses to engage - very amateur-like, of course - but Nunn doesn't. Plus, it's obvious to me that Canelo had improved a lot between Lara in 2014 and Jacobs in 2019.

Even with a lower workrate, when coming forward, Canelo is much better at making his shots count than Toney.

Btw, I haven't actually said I pick Canelo to win. I just don't buy that it'd be some wide (9-3/10-2) decision. Canelo has an awkward style of rarely get hit clean and landing the bigger shots each round. It makes his fights close and hard to score. I don't think Nunn is so much better that this wouldn't be the case.

 

With fair judging I think Nunn would win in the region of 116-112/115-113 I think he has too much height/reach and is too tricky and mobile for the flat footed low output Canelo.

Whether or not Nunn could realistically win a fair decision vs Canelo with some of the absurd scorecards Canelo has had in his fights is a different question all together though.

 

Its not like Canelo had any freak attributes that Nunn had never seen and dealt with either. Iran Barkley? Juan Roldan? Whats junior middleweight moving up Canelo got in any department of physicality that they didn't? Nunn breezes past Canelo and wouldn't at all shock me if he knocked him out like Roldan.

 

Geez looking over Nunn's record and from 88-90 Nunn was on a freakish run

Juan Domingo Roldan
Sumbu Kalambay
Iran Barkley
Marlon Starling
Donald Curry

Sheesh

 

The American was a great boxer with the right characteristics and style to create many problems for Canelo, southpaw stance, good footwork, tall and reach, defense and speed. Nunn would boxing the Mexican from the outside, dictating time and distance with his jab and bringing the fast left hand. I say Nunn clearly on points in both weight classes.

 

This. People are greatly underestimating Canelo here.

I do agree that the length of Nunn, and his workrate would be problems for Canelo. Nunn was an excellent boxer.

But on the other hand Canelo has a very good defence and he is adept at figuring out the other guy's timing to land crushing shots. Saunders was outboxing Canelo for most of their fight until Canelo caved his head in, in a single burst. Kovalev (a much diminished Kovalev, but still) was outjabbing Canelo all fight long ... until ginger caught up and unloaded hellfire on him. In both cases ginger was very patient, worked out the other guy's movement and timing and then snapped the trap shut on them.

Canelo is very good in his bursts of action, and certainly has the power to hurt Nunn.

Nunn's one problem is that he could gas out like he did against Toney and collapse late, and his other problem is that ginger really does have a big punch to go with his durability. Nunn was really more of a boxer than a classic "tough guy". Trying to light Canelo up is going to give Saul the gap to counterpunch, and he does that well.