When, exactly, does Saul Alvarez get the credit he deserves for a pretty damn solid career and r?sum?, already at the young age of 27?
In case you didn?t know, I?m the guy who dubbed Saul ?Canelo? Alvarez the ?Red-Headed Step-Champion? way back in 2012. At the time, I rode the kid hard as a protected fighter who had been gifted a world title and a handful of soft touch defenses. And he deserved the roasting.
But then things changed and, well, I?d have been less than honest if I didn?t acknowledge the good that came after the bad.
The then-22 year-old hungered for a PPV coming out party and signed on for a bout with the much-avoided Paul Williams?until Williams suffered his career-ending motorcycle accident. He also pursued a near-prime James Kirkland, who walked away from a generous offer on the table.
Moving from the ?almost? to the ?did,? Canelo would twice go against conventional wisdom and the advice of his people to take on the challenges the fans supposedly wanted. Austin Trout and Erislandy Lara were both tough, complex challenges that nobody at the time was all that eager to face. The Floyd Mayweather bout between Trout and Lara was, of course, even more complicated, but a calculated risk given the kind of money involved.
Not too long after that, Canelo fought Miguel Cotto?a challenge that was considered an even-money contest?until, of course, Canelo actually beat Cotto and the serial Alvarez antagonists dragged out their hamper of laments to de-credit the win.
Now, fast forward a bit to the Golovkin bout of last September?a bout that many a dedicated critic doubted Canelo would ever even consider. And even if one had Alvarez losing that fight, it should be beyond debate that the guy more than held his own against the media darling raging beast who was supposed to tear right through a ?pretender? and ?fraud? like Canelo.
Once again, Alvarez would face a challenge that he was supposedly ducking and one who many thought would expose him as a pure hype job. And, once again, he would prove himself up to the challenge.
But then the raging cynics bellowed that, having dodged a bullet on the scorecards against Golovkin the first time around, there?d be no way he?d go back and do it again?right? As more time passed following the September 16 draw, the cries grew louder about, maybe, Canelo not being so eager to sign off on a rematch?until he DID.
So, now it?s set. Canelo vs. Golovkin 2 on May 5. And the question I have to ask to the boxing world in general, but to the hardcore Canelo critics specifically, is this?When, exactly, does Saul Alvarez get the credit he deserves for a pretty damn solid career and r?sum?, already at the young age of 27?
Like most fighters, especially those with the ability to generate massive fan interest and the paydays that go along with that drawing power, Alvarez has faced his share of journeymen, retreads, and no-hopers. That?s without question. And when he faces the Matthew Hattons of the world or entices an Amir Khan to move up in weight as a sacrificial lamb, then he deserves piranha attacks from media and fans.
But, on the flip side, let?s give some credit where credit is due.
Alvarez is better than acknowledged and bolder than given credit for. His r?sum? rates right up there among the best in the sport. It?s time we stopped the nonsense nitpicking and reality-bending lynch mob fandom to accept facts as facts. Canelo has had a very nice, solid career and looks to be more than willing to build upon that base.
