"Is that hunger starting to wane?" Former Canelo Alvarez opponent gives his verdict on Canelo-GGG 3
Former Canelo Alvarez opponent Matthew Hatton was asked about his opinion on the mega fight between Alvarez and Gennadiy Golovkin.
Hatton said:
“Before the last bout against Bivol, I would have fancied Canelo really strongly. Obviously, he is coming off a defeat now against Bivol. You know when a fighter reaches a certain level of fame, so much money behind him, he is more like a celebrity these days."
He further questioned Alvarez's desire to win, saying:
"Is that hunger starting to wane? Maybe. And does that present Golovkin with a chance? Possibly. Canelo would still be my pick. But again, before the last fight, I’d have really fancied Canelo big-time, but it’s a good matchup. It’s a close-ish fight, but you still have to favor Canelo.”
Watch the full interview here:
Canelo Alvarez was the favorite heading into the bout with Dmitry Bivol, which saw many surprised by the outcome of the fight. Bivol controlled the fight and comprehensively outboxed the Mexican to win via unanimous decision.
Canelo Alvarez hasn't been defeated since his bout against Floyd Mayweather in 2013. Even before then, Alvarez became a world champion in his 20s by defeating Matthew Hatton. In that bout, the Mexican won every single round.
Some have suggested that Canelo Alvarez has lost his hunger
The Mexican is seen as one of the biggest names in boxing next to Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. As such, the undisputed super middleweight champion holds celebrity status and is often seen at public events. Alvarez recently appeared at several celebrity golf events, including the Icons series. In the Icons series, the Mexican competed alongside the likes of Harry Kane and Ricky Ponting at a two-day event in the US.
Videos have also appeared of the boxer in expensive cars and showing off his mansions on social media.
Even if Canelo Alvarez has lost his hunger in the ring, the desire to defeat Gennadiy Golovkin will always be there. The two have a history of bad blood and Alvarez has expressed his desire to not only knockout the Kazakh but to end his career.
Whilst the Mexican has had heated build-ups to other fights such as the Caleb Plant one, no one has been able to get under his skin like Golovkin has. Golovkin accused Alvarez of being a drug cheat and the beef has spiraled out of control ever since.