Recently WBC junior middleweight champion Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez was spotted in the mountains of Big Bear, California preparing for his June 18th title defense against Yorkshire’s Ryan Rhodes in Guadalajara, Mexico. Alvarez is coming off of a unanimous decision over England’s Matthew Hatton in early March that netted him his WBC crown and at 20 years of age is regarded as one of the sport’s most promising champions.
While Rhodes isn’t the most recognizable of foes, especially considering that such names as Alfredo Angulo, Paul Williams, Vanes Martirosyan and others are all in the WBC’s top ten, the 34-year old isn’t without talent and has found a way to overcome some heartbreaking losses early in his career in getting this last shot at glory. His shocking upset knockout loss to Jason Matthews in July of 1997 was as crushing as they come and for him to stick around and work his way back up the ladder is a testament to his resiliency.
<--- Slideshow: Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez looking solid as Ryan Rhodes clash nears
In preparation for the Rhodes fight, Alvarez has been sparring with Riverside, California’s Jose Reynoso, a slick southpaw with a 14-3-1 (2) record. Alvarez is said to be hovering around 165 pounds with roughly three and a half weeks left to go. He caused some concern by weighing in at 151 1/2 pounds for the Hatton bout, a pound and a half above the contracted catch weight limit of 150 pounds, a move that caused reigning lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez to lash out and question his credentials as a champion.
Alvarez and Marquez are caught up in somewhat of a soap opera of bitterness towards one another but the Mexico City fighter has business of his own to take care of in the form of a November 12th date with Manny Pacquiao at the MGM Grand. As for Alvarez, if successful against Rhodes he could be making a return to Las Vegas this coming September.
