Canelo Alvarez Ready to Prove He’s Still in his Prime
The mission is two-fold for undisputed super middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (59-2-2, 39 KOs) ahead of his September 30 showdown with reigning undisputed junior middleweight champion Jermell “Iron Man” Charlo (35-1-1, 19 KOs). Firstly, Alvarez wants to win and retain his title. Secondly, the 168-pound champion is hungry to push back against those who believe he’s lost a step.
Alvarez’s last outing was a twelve-round, unanimous decision victory over John Ryder in May 2023. While Alvarez won comfortably on the scorecards, many observers felt the champion would knock Ryder out. Alvarez’s performance that night has fueled speculations from some in the boxing community that he’s a fighter on the decline.
FEELING DISRESPECTED
It’s a narrative that Alvarez vehemently disagrees with. Following the final pre-fight press conference for the upcoming fight with Charlo, he spoke to media members and lashed out at his critics.
“I think they are stupid. I have my injuries, and that slowed me down a little bit because I wasn’t able to train one hundred percent. But just wait for Saturday night.”
During the pre-fight festivities, Alvarez revealed he was dealing with the lingering effects of November 2022 surgery on his left hand, which affected his performance against Ryder. In recent outings, he hasn’t shown the same foot movement and spring in his step that he displayed in his younger years.
At age 33, it would not seem that Alvarez would be a fighter past his prime. But he started his career at age 14 and has had over sixty fights as a pro. That’s a lot of mileage on his body. But for this fight, Alvarez says that the hand is healthy and he’s in great shape.
A VERY MOTIVATED FIGHTER
Alvarez insists that his best days are not behind him, and is motivated by the mounting criticism. He wants to show he still has the fire and thinks there is the possibility he can end matters against Charlo before the final bell.
“All the fighters train for the knockout. If they say they do not, they are liars. Sometimes it doesn’t come, and you need to prepare for twelve rounds. But you prepare yourself for a knockout, and I’m gonna try this Saturday . . . I don’t need the knockout, but I need to win very hard.”
