Canelo Alvarez's 5 Greatest Wins
Canelo Alvarez is the current pound-for-pound king of boxing. No other fighter in the sport can compete with the Mexican superstar's accolades and fame. The 31-year-old has accomplished so much in the sport and does not appear to be slowing down.
After capturing world titles in four weight classes, Alvarez could now have his sights on a fifth. From turning professional at a mere 15 years old, to battling the greatest fighters of his generation, the Mexican sensation has solidified a legacy that cannot soon be forgotten.
Possessing fast hands, brutal body-punching ability, excellent ring IQ, and an iron will, Alvarez remains a nightmare opponent for any elite fighter prowling around one of his preferred weightclasses.
With so many spectacular wins to choose from and so many amazing victories racked up on his stellar resume, this list will try and hone in on 5 of Canelo Alvarez's greatest victories.
Historic year for @Canelo and hands down the @ringmagazine fighter of the year. twitter.com/GCristivn/stat…
#5. Canelo Alvarez vs. Erislandy Lara
In 2014, Canelo Alvarez was looking to move forward after suffering his first professional defeat at the hands of Floyd 'Money' Mayweather.
Coming off an emphatic victory against brawler and countryman Alfredo Angulo, Canelo Alvarez was promptly challenged by Cuban technician Erislandy Lara.
Lara was one of the most avoided fighters in boxing. A southpaw who wielded a 75 inch reach and liked to dance around the ring, fighters weren't exactly lining up to challenge the Cuban boxer.
It came as a shock when the young Mexican star accepted Lara's challenge. Oscar De La Hoya, Canelo's promoter at the time, showed immense apprehension towards the bout. Alvarez, behind Mayweather and Pacquiao, was the biggest star in boxing. What was the upside to fighting an unknown technician with freakish skills?
Canelo was not deterred. He entered the ring against Lara on July 12th, 2014, with great confidence.
The fight didn't start well for the young Mexican sensation. Lara was fast and accurate, using quick footwork to avoid prolonged exchanges and sharp straight punches to tag and frustrate Alvarez.
From the onset, it appeared, like in the Mayweather bout, that Canelo had once again encountered a faster and superior boxer. However, as the fight progressed, the young Mexican star shifted gears. Instead of head hunting, he began targeting Lara's body in order to slow the Cuban down.
The change in gameplan paid off as Canelo started to find success downstairs and an uppercut in the seventh round saw a cut open up around Lara's right eye. Mixing it up with body attacks, power punches, and constant forward pressure, Canelo Alvarez was able to make his own statement in the fight.
The bout went the distance and ended with a split-decision victory for the young Mexican fighter. Lara and his team roared their disapproval and the fight's outcome is still debated to this day.
In the end, simply by taking the fight against the highly avoided Cuban southpaw, Canelo proved he feared no man.