Is Canelo's "problem" now that he's a tweener size wise?

No. Exceptions will always be made for him. Doesn't want to fight GGG at 160? Let boxing sanction fights at 155. Gets caught on clenbuterol? Just push the GGG rematch back a couple of months and the WBC now allows fighters to test positive for a certain amount. The goalpost will always shift to whatever benefits Canelo most.

 

A bit, yes. It looks like he can dominate SMW for as long as he wants, but I think there will always be the feeling of something unfulfilled if he stays there (and if he stays long enough father time catches up with him there as well).

I see no reason to go back to 160, though, even if he could without any problems. A 40-year old GGG is still the biggest name in the division and apart from him there's no one that's more exciting than what's up at 168 really. And he doesn't need to go down for those guys, they need him more than he needs them so better to let them come up to him in that case.

But the chance to really cement a legacy as the best Mexican ever is to move up to LHW. In the case of Bivol, the size as such shouldn't be the main problem since I don't think he's bigger than Plant and certainly not than Callum Smith, but Beterbiev has strength and power beyond what you'll find at any lower weight class and that might just be too much for Canelo.

 

You do know that the catchweights against Cotto and Khan were for their benefit, right? Since they were the smaller fighters. Those catchweights were a disadvantage for Canelo and an advantage for them.

 

Then explain to me why he denied fighting GGG at first because he wanted the fight at 155, and explain also why he wants Bivol at 168. Is that for their benefit as well?

 

He wanted Cotto. Cotto wanted the fight at 155. Didn't you know that all of Cotto's MW title fights were at a catchweight? That was because Cotto, as the smaller fighter, demanded it.

Fair enough that you critisize him for stepping up against Cotto instead of GGG, but is kind of (mindless) revisionism to claim that the catchweight was his idea. Cotto came into the ring at that weight, he didn't need to drain one pound even at the catchweight. Canelo, on the other hand, would drain 15+ lbs to get down to 155. Do you think he wanted to drain those extra 5 lbs just for the fun of it?

 

"If he wants to fight with me, let him come down to 155 and I'll fight him whatever day he wants," Canelo told Fighthype.com.

"At this moment, my body isn't ready for 160 pounds. Maybe 1 or 2 more years I'll be ready for 160, I don't know, but I'd be delighted to fight someone like Gennady. He's a great fighter and I think it would be a great fight. I'd be delighted to get him in a fight."

Source:
Boxing Scene
www.*******.com/canelo-rejects-fighting-golovkin-155-pounds--97236

 

Against GGG he probably felt 155 was an advantage since he was more used to drain down to that weight. But against Cotto it was a disadvantage since Cotto didn't have to drain at all anyway, while Canelo would have to drain 5 more than to 160.

Cotto demanded a catchweight for all of his MW title fights for this very reason.

 

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The catchweight certainly wasn't the problem against Khan - since it benefitted Khan, not Canelo - but rather that Canelo defended against someone who had no business fighting for a title at 160. That's what made that fight a farce.

 

Yeah, but they were also an advantage for Canelo, as it bought him time and aged GGG some more.

 

The fights, yes, Not the catchweights as such. If the fights against Canelo and Khan had been at 160 instead it would only have benefitted Canelo.

 

Maybe he'll just fight average fighters at 168 since he is gettingnpaid a lot for doing it.

 

He's thick and stocky. And will typically be at a height disadvantage at 168 but has more than enough skill to make up for it. 175 is a different story.

 

His height and reach dimensions are very small already at 168. I was wrong doubting his effectiveness there but I'll once again draw a line and say I wouldnt expect similar sustained dominance at 175, despite already reeling off a great win there a couple years back. We will probably see if I'm wrong again.