One of the things I always admired about Canelo is he often took on the top challenges. Seems like Bivol pretty much ruined Canelo and broke his mentality though. Sad.
Go anywhere where boxing fans discuss boxing and Canelo is getting pissed on daily for his opponent selection. Few years ago that wasnt the case. When a fighter is starting to get universally criticized (when not outright mocked), and with their viewership declining, well... obviously somethings going wrong. But, by the way you frame his post Bivol career, (won his trilogy against his 'main nemis'.... who was.... 40 years old, literally lol, beat his 'fellow undisputed champion' from two weightclasses below, who had a 'draw' two fights prior and was coming off a two year layoff lol... Your spin on his last few fights is basically right off of Canelos publicists desk lol. No offense. Think most people see it a bit more objectively than that, hence such a large chorus of criticism.
He was never actually “challenged” as much as you think. Oscar (Golden Boy) used Floyd’s blueprint to the extreme while building up Canelo. Canelo’s has the most advantageous career I’ve ever witnessed. Yes, even surpassing FMJ and SRL.
Canelo is that good that as a comeback fight, 4 months after coming off a loss that even fighting Gennady Golovkin, who was coming off a middleweight unification win, is considered a poor win. Yet the same people will wax lyrical about Benavidez beating old ass MW Andrade who is nowhere near the fighter GGG was. It's a complete hypocrisy.
At 154 Canelo fought Floyd, Trout, Lara, Kirkland, Liam Smith, Cintron, Mosley and Angulo At 160 he fought Cotto, Jacobs and GGG x 2 At 168 he fought 3 undefeated belt holders in 10 months to become undisputed - Callum Smith, Saunders and Plant. He's since made defences against GGG, Ryder, 'Mell Charlo and Munguia. And is now fighting another unbeaten contender in Berlanga At 175 he's fought Kovalev and Bivol. You can criticise the quality of some of those opponents, that isn't unfair. But to say he's not been challenged is ridiculous, as if there's a whole host of fighters he ducked throughout the weights, when that simply isn't the case. He's had a stellar career by any reasonable standard.
I know it was a long time ago, but he fought lara when he didnt have to and many thought he wouldnt, Trout was a decent challenge at that stage in his career, the first Golovkin fight didnt happen at its absolute ripest, he was a little past it but still a very high level opponent and genuine challenge... and of course the Bivol fight was, imo, a very ballsy fight for an A side to do. Not that bad imho, for a modern A side fighter.
Dude, you can't fake the funk with a record like 62-2-2 with fighting world champion after world champion, to suggest otherwise is downright hateful. Weight bullying smaller men? He started his career at 140 pounds. Also, ultimately, both fighters have to weigh in at the same weight on day of weigh in. I don't have a problem with it, it's within the rules, both fighters are adults they've signed the contract with their eyes wide open. Regarding marketing, it's good business.
come on man he’s good but not what your making out. He had the PR machine behind him no one could afford the medical team required to boil him down to weight to pick on smaller people. Then he gets bust for clen which helps cut massive amounts of weight then soon after he starts fighting closer to his natural weight (because can’t take it anymore) then the ducking starts after a loss from cherry pick gone wrong. fighting guys like Kahn and Lopez ffs half his size. Cotto fighting for 160 at a catch weight . he started at 140lbs cause he was a 15 year old boy ffs his opponents were barely that as men!
Cotto demanded that catchweight and it was Canelo who was moving up from 154 in that fight. Canelo literally gives up height advantage in pretty much every fight. The Khan fight was ****, nobody heralds that as a good win. He didn't cherry pick the unified LHW champion. He stepped up, he lost to a world class fighter. Zero criticism required for taking that fight.
You saying I'm spinning for Canelo is hilarious considering I don't like him I don't even know where else to go from there...............I must be an excellent advocate if I can spin for someone I almost always critique heavily.
The problem I have with these statements is that he recently said that he is in his prime and has still some years ahead of career so if Canelo spent the remaining years of his alleged peak/prime/whatever fighting dudes with the caliber of Barlenga it would be a disappointing late career. I watched the Munguia fight highlights recently and ngl I liked that one tho.
Canelo certainly has had some very bizarre favors from referees and judges. He was basically shut out in the PBF and Bivol fights yet still was given rounds by crooked and corrupt judges
Canelo was just never what he was sold to be. He's a golden goose. Same deal with Joshua. They're hyped beyond hype, the matchmaking is very clever, and the wins pile up. Then someone who is unknown to 95% of casuals comes through and DOMINATES them, and everyone is shocked. This is a tale as old as boxing. The problem with Canelo's career is that after getting the "win" against GGG, he bought into his own oversold hype. It's the same reason Joshua thought he was suddenly a pure boxer after jabbing 285lb Andy Ruiz Jr and tried to box with Usyk. They're surrounded by yes men and never realized that they're simply marketable very good fighters who aren't at that next level.
Oh, I definitely agree. Champions should retire when they no longer want to face the best. Goes for Loma as well. Holmes and Ali were earlier notables that stopped wanting tough opponents but still wanted the money and limelight. Never meant to say anything different. That's just where Canelo seems to be in his headspace. "I've paid my dues, from now on it's easy paydays."
