LAS VEGAS — Canelo Alvarez eliminated his designer sun shades to disclose the type of lethal severe expression that is all too acquainted to his 39 knockout opponents.
Solely this time, the goal of his white-hot rage wasn’t one other fighter — at the least not an energetic one — however Oscar De La Hoya, the Corridor of Fame boxer who promoted Alvarez from 2010 till their ugly breakup in 2020.
For the primary time since November 2019, Alvarez and De La Hoya shared a stage throughout combat week as Alvarez prepares to defend his undisputed tremendous middleweight championship in opposition to fellow Mexican Jaime Munguia on Saturday at T-Cell Area (8 p.m. ET, Prime Video PPV).
Munguia (43-0, 34 KOs) is co-promoted by De La Hoya, who as soon as occupied Canelo’s place because the face of boxing for a lot of the Nineteen Nineties and 2000s. And whereas “The Golden Boy” taunted Alvarez with digging remarks in regards to the star fighter’s character, taking goal at Alvarez’s failed drug check forward of his 2018 rematch with Gennadiy Golovkin, Munguia might solely chortle.
“Sure, there have been instances that work was not my precedence based mostly on my psychological well being, which I had uncared for for therefore lengthy,” De La Hoya advised Alvarez. “However that does not change the truth that Golden Boy constructed Canelo over this era.”
Alvarez (60-2-2, 39 KOs) responded with an expletive-laced tirade on the “fool” he despises, saying, “attempt to not overlook that I used to be already Canelo after I got here to the USA and that he solely profited from my identify. He by no means misplaced a single cent, however as an alternative made cash. Have you ever already paid Golovkin what you wished to steal from him?”
De La Hoya advised ESPN on Wednesday that GGG was paid “the whole lot he is owed” following Golovkin’s 2022 lawsuit in opposition to Golden Boy Promotions, which sought upward of $3 million. On Thursday, De La Hoya despatched Alvarez a authorized letter demanding that Canelo stop and desist from additional “defamatory allegations” and retract his feedback.
Alvarez confirmed Wednesday he nonetheless has loads of combat left in him — a burning want in any case these years to hit again at foes inside and outdoors the ring. In an period the place boxers often prepare close to the comforts of dwelling, Alvarez as soon as once more went away for coaching camp to his cabin within the mountains of California close to Lake Tahoe in Truckee.
Alvarez now seems to be coming into a distinct stage of his profession, the place he flexes his muscle as the only real face of boxing. Throughout his storied profession, he typically sought out the game’s most-avoided fighters — Dmitry Bivol, Austin Trout and Erislandy Lara amongst them — in quest of legacy.
Days forward of his sixty fifth professional combat and two months shy of his thirty fourth birthday, Alvarez’s place in boxing historical past is undoubtedly secured. He’ll be a first-ballot Corridor of Famer every time he retires, with an opportunity to surpass Julio Cesar Chavez as Mexico’s all-time best boxer.
Canelo reacts to presser fireworks: De La Hoya ‘simply needs consideration’
Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Oscar De La Hoya alternate their sides of the story after they got here face-to-face with one another in a information convention.
Canelo has been a staple of boxing’s pound-for-pound checklist (at the moment ESPN’s No. 4) for twenty years, delivering matchups followers clamored for, most notably a traditional trilogy with GGG. Recently, he is resisted rising public demand for a conflict with rising star David Benavidez, who occupies the No. 2 place in ESPN’s tremendous middleweight rankings.
However moderately than Benavidez, Alvarez will defend his 168-pound crown vs. Munguia on Cinco de Mayo weekend. The champion is a -550 favourite, per ESPN BET, to show again ESPN’s No. 4 168-pounder.
“[Benavidez] brings nothing to the desk for me,” Alvarez mentioned in March at a information convention in Beverly Hills, California. “He simply brings 25 additional kilos on the evening of the combat. That is it. … If a promoter who I work with provides $150 to $200 million, then I will combat tomorrow. That is the one cause I will combat with him.”
De La Hoya earned a whole bunch of thousands and thousands throughout his run, identical to Alvarez after him, and confronted the identical strain to proceed taking over the hardest challenges.
“When a fighter mentions a quantity that prime, $150, $200 million, in different phrases, I do not need to combat him,” De La Hoya advised ESPN final month. ” … Canelo is available in after [Floyd] Mayweather [as boxing’s top star] and he is setting the instance that it is in regards to the payday. … The entire world needs that he would combat Benavidez and lead by instance.
“That combat should occur. We’re on a great roll proper now with having good fights, and we should proceed to make these huge fights occur. And for the primary time in a very long time, the informal fan is asking for this combat. It is type of like Mayweather-[Manny] Pacquiao. It is that sort of state of affairs. So it will be a disgrace if Canelo does not [fight Benavidez].”
EARLY IN HIS profession, Alvarez constructed a repute for chasing dangerous fights. At age 20, he squeezed previous Trout, a tough southpaw who was nearly unknown. Months later, in September 2013, Alvarez challenged his predecessor as boxing’s high star, “Cash” Mayweather.
Alvarez was nonetheless growing and never in his prime but, however he was already a star. Nonetheless, he made weight concessions (a catchweight of 152 kilos) to land the career-best alternative with Mayweather and was soundly dominated. Alvarez later credited that junior middleweight title combat defeat as a studying expertise that may carry him to the highest of the game, and maintain him there.
It was one other 9 years till Alvarez would lose once more. He discovered himself in a a lot totally different place however nonetheless pursued the more difficult matchups. Relatively than defend his 4 168-pound titles vs. Jermall Charlo, a middleweight, Alvarez elected to problem Bivol for his 175-pound championship in Could 2022.
Like Trout, the Russian boxer possessed expertise that far exceeded his profile. Bivol went on to rout Alvarez in a combat that knocked Alvarez from his pound-for-pound perch. That is why, it seems, Alvarez has no drawback saying no this time round to Benavidez.
He absorbed criticism for the setback regardless of it being simply his second combat at 175 kilos. The loss nonetheless eats at Alvarez; Canelo advised ESPN he stays fascinated about a Bivol rematch at gentle heavyweight.
“Everyone say ‘no, it is a straightforward combat,’ however I knew [Bivol] was a extremely good fighter and one other weight class,” Alvarez mentioned. “So I take my danger. And I all the time combat with each single fighter … and I all the time show myself there and I all the time show [to] everyone. However not anymore. I am bored with that as a result of it is by no means goes to be sufficient for them. I am going to do that for me, for my folks and that is it.”
Certainly, followers will all the time foyer to see one other new fighter land the Alvarez matchup. That is the character of boxing whenever you’re the highest star. It is with good cause that an Alvarez-Benavidez combat is so extremely anticipated.
“I feel it’s a totally different period for me,” Alvarez advised ESPN final month. ” … In the event you see my historical past, it is all the time anyone else [fans want me to face] when I’ve a combat. … Proper now with Benavidez. It is all the time there. So I do not actually deal with that anymore as a result of it is by no means going to be sufficient for some folks.”
“I all the time combat the perfect on the market and I am pleased with my profession and I am able [where] I can do no matter I would like as a result of I combat for it,” he added. ” … I sacrifice myself and … I deserve this place due to the whole lot I did earlier than.”
Alvarez nonetheless seems close to the height of his powers following a pair of dominant victories final yr over John Ryder and Jermell Charlo. Alvarez broke Ryder’s nostril in a Mexico homecoming final Could, and 4 months later outboxed Charlo, who refused to interact. Canelo floored each opponents.
Benavidez, too, loved a banner 2023 in what amounted to a breakout marketing campaign. In March, he outpointed Caleb Plant, whom Alvarez stopped in November 2021, and TKO’d Demetrius Andrade in November. Benavidez doled out brutal beatings in each bouts, elevating the quantity on the requires a summit assembly with Alvarez.
“I am not going to be ready on Canelo,” Benavidez advised ESPN in March. “After I combat Canelo, my profession does not finish. It is irritating, however it provides me a foul identify on the finish of the day, too. … The explanation why this combat is just not taking place is as a result of Canelo does not need it to occur, plain and easy.”
There’s little doubt Benavidez — a volume-punching machine with energy in each palms — would current a harmful problem. He is a lot larger than Canelo, for one. Alvarez received his first title at 154 kilos and is 5-foot-8. Benavidez is 10 years youthful, 36 fights brisker and is a profession 168-pounder at 6-foot-2 with a 4-inch attain benefit over Alvarez.
When he could not entice Canelo into the ring, Benavidez moved as much as 175 kilos for a June 15 bout with former champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk.
WHEN ALVAREZ SIGNED a three-fight cope with PBC final June, hope grew that the transfer would result in an eventual conflict with Benavidez, a longtime PBC boxer. Alvarez went on to face Jermell Charlo within the first combat of the deal, with plans to fulfill his twin brother within the second bout of the settlement on Saturday. However after Jermell’s listless efficiency, the combat in opposition to Jermall turned a tough promote.
“What Jermell did within the final combat is just not going to be good for the eyes on the folks,” Alvarez mentioned. “It’ll be the identical man. Oh, his brother did a extremely unhealthy combat. And I feel this combat with Munguia is best than the Charlo combat. I feel he deserved the combat. He win good fights, he enhance loads and he is very respectful to me. So I feel he deserve it extra.”
As Canelo advances to the latter a part of his profession, respect seems extra necessary to him than ever earlier than. He is all the time proven respect to his opponents, and is not seeking to reward fighters, he mentioned, who do not reciprocate. He laughs on the thought he ought to punish disrespectful fighters by gifting them the career-high payday that accompanies a shot on the sport’s high star.
“Let me beat you, provide you with big-money payday,” Alvarez mentioned mockingly. “No, not anymore. … Respect is necessary. And I do know it is a combat, however after I combat, I combat with numerous fighters who discuss numerous s—, discuss numerous issues, they usually do not do s— within the ring.”
Plant earned a career-high $10 million, and Munguia will exceed that quantity. Benavidez has by no means earned greater than round $3 million. Alvarez is not involved with critics at this stage, particularly his former promoter-turned-rival. De La Hoya provides a singular perspective as a fighter who starred atop the game — from his 1992 Olympic gold medal win to his closing combat in opposition to Pacquiao in December 2008.
“The way in which I noticed it was whoever I’ve to combat, and he is the perfect, I combat,” De La Hoya mentioned. “I did not fear about no payday [for the opponent]. I all the time put my legacy first. What’s it going to take for me to get to the highest? What’s it going to take for me to be thought-about the perfect? Effectively, I’ve to combat the perfect.”
MUNGUIA MIGHT BE a comfort prize in Benavidez’s absence on the appropriate facet of the marquee, but it is nonetheless an anticipated matchup, particularly for Mexican followers. Munguia represents Alvarez’s first countryman foe since Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in Could 2017.
Canelo has lengthy mentioned he does not want to combat fellow Mexicans however made an exception for Munguia. “That is historical past for Mexico as a result of it is the primary time two Mexicans, they going to combat for 4 belts.”
“Munguia is a extremely good fighter,” Alvarez added. “It is a younger fighter who throws numerous punches, who is robust, who’s hungry. So it is a danger for me.”
A danger, maybe, however a small one in comparison with the perils of combating Benavidez.
“Fighters often know, completely,” De La Hoya mentioned. “… There is a tiny concern in each fighter. There needs to be. Even Mike Tyson will say there is a tiny concern, and that concern is all the time shedding. [Benavidez is] a youthful man, he is the larger man, he is quick, he is sturdy, he throws numerous punches. See anyone throwing punches and punches can be an issue for Canelo at this level of his profession. … He’ll get knocked out. He’ll get beat.
“Clearly he is a businessman,” he added. “That is precisely what he’s on the fourth quarter of his profession … and there is nothing incorrect with that, however at the least have some balls to combat the perfect man in entrance of you.”
Alvarez will head into Saturday’s combat seeking to keep his undisputed tremendous middleweight championship, his No. 4 spot on ESPN’s pound-for-pound checklist and, most of all, his ironclad declare because the face of boxing.
A win over Munguia seemingly will not come as simply as his two earlier victories. In any case, Munguia is recent, sturdy, unbeaten and decided to dethrone a person he is lengthy dreamed of combating.
The previous junior middleweight titleholder is coming off a career-best victory, a ninth-round TKO of Ryder in January. Munguia’s earlier outing was named ESPN’s 2023 Combat of the Yr, a bout in opposition to Sergiy Derevyanchenko the place a final-round knockdown earned Munguia the choice.
It is also a full-circle second for Munguia. As a 21-year-old, he agreed to interchange Alvarez following his PED suspension and combat GGG, just for the Nevada fee to say no approval, citing Munguia’s inexperience. Six years to the day later, Munguia has his life-altering alternative, and he is rather more ready for the shot.
“Working with the legend Freddie Roach has actually motivated me,” Munguia mentioned final month following a exercise at Roach’s Wild Card Boxing Membership in Hollywood, California. “He has my confidence very excessive and … he is introduced numerous peace and tranquility to my nook.”
Canelo is at peace, too. At peace together with his legacy, his standing within the sport and, most of all, his freedom to combat whomever he pleases.
“I simply need to do no matter I would like and put clearly actually good fights on the market,” Alvarez mentioned. ” … I feel whenever you deserve it, whenever you did the whole lot, whenever you combat with everyone, whenever you do the right issues, I feel you are able to do no matter you need.”