Shawn Porter Rates Canelo Alvarez A ‘B’ Level Fighter!
In what is now common knowledge, undisputed super middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (59-2-2, 39 KO’s) will face Jermell Charlo later this year. Barreling into that duel, the Mexican icon is still widely viewed to be the favorite as Charlo has to hop up two divisions to make the match a reality. Yet, whether it’s Charlo or divisional rival and two-time 168-pound champion “The Mexican Monster” David Benavidez (27-0, 23 KO’s), retired pugilist Shawn Porter believes that Canelo could be perfect for the taking.
“I have Canelo at maybe a B++, I’m not judging him based on his opposition or anything like that, I see a lack of stamina over the course of a twelve round fight. I see a lack of game planning, especially against Dmitry Bivol. But then you come back in your trilogy match with GGG and you fight the same way you fought the first two fights and then you pull back at the end of that fight as well.
“The fight with John Ryder he looked a little bit more like himself but you can still see he wasn’t as sharp and as clean and as on top of it as he has been in the past. I just think that between time, between the mileage on him now, he’s more of a B++ fighter. Certainly not the A+ fighter that he was two to three years ago and I think now is the time where someone like Benavidez, who isn’t the star I think that he should be in the fight game, could become that star if he takes on Canelo”
Shawn Porter – Former Two-Time Welterweight Champion
WHO GOT THE JUICE?
Benavidez, currently the interim WBC super middleweight champion, has remained hot on the heels of Canelo for at least three years. The undefeated, high volume pressure fighter undoubtedly believes that his skill-set makes him the ideal foil for the redhead. To further underscore his desire for that particular prizefight, The Mexican Monster is currently Alvarez’s WBC mandatory challenger. Nevertheless, landing that fight has been harder than separating sand and salt in the dark.
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Canelo is currently on a two-fight win streak since suffering the second loss of his career to WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol. Yet, as Porter alluded to, Alvarez left a bit to be desired in his twelve round rumble with John Ryder. If the undisputed super middleweight champion is showing signs of stress fractures, then the rugged and hungry Jermell Charlo may be the fortuitous beneficiary.
On the other hand, if the redhead steam rolls or just wins in style Charlo then perhaps the showdown with Benavidez would be the next natural conclusion. First though, we have to see how Alvarez versus Charlo plays itself out and then resume daydreaming about the most intriguing matches to make.
