Canelo Alvarez’s Path to All-Time Glory
Not long ago, Canelo Alvarez was the most-hyped-up name in boxing. He had just beaten Caleb Plant and unified all the super-middleweight titles - a feat that had never been accomplished before. Adding this achievement to his titles in other divisions, many believed him to be the best pound-for-pound fighter. He seemed unstoppable
However, the landscape has shifted. A bout for the WBA light-heavyweight belt marked Canelo's second career loss, this time to Dmitry Bivol. Subsequent fights against lesser-known opponents like John Ryder and Jamie Munguia, all of which went the distance, have raised questions about his current form.
In addition, other fighters have been taking over boxing. Terence Crawford, Naoya Inoue, and Oleksandr Usyk have all made history by becoming two-division undisputed champions. Hence, many people consider them above Canelo in the current pound-for-pound debate.
This begs the question: What can Canelo do to re-establish himself as the best fighter in the world? The answer lies in the next section, which only takes two fights.
The Best 2 Fights for Canelo Alvarez
For some time now, there has been a clamor for Canelo Alvarez to face a formidable opponent - David Benavidez. 'The Mexican Monster' was the WBC super-middleweight king before he was stripped of his belt. A fierce knockout artist, it'll be an interesting clash between these two powerhouses.
Unfortunately, the undisputed champ has shown no interest in the fight. He has said that it offers him nothing and he would only do it for $200 million. However, recent events might compel him to do so as there is an incentive.
Last weekend, Benavidez beat Oleksandr Gvozdyk to become the WBC interim light-heavyweight champion. He is now mandatory for the winner of the undisputed title fight between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol, which will take place in October.
This could incentivize Canelo to fight 'The Mexican Monster', as he could force a shot at undisputed glory in a second division.
In addition, the scheduling is perfect, as both fighters have sufficient time to fight in September. It has been a tradition for Canelo Alvarez to fight on Mexican Independence Day, and fighting against another Mexican will sell a lot of pay-per-views.
Light-Heavyweight Can Bring Canelo Alvarez Back to Pound-For-Pound Glory
To become the light-heavyweight mandatory, Alvarez will have to fight at light-heavyweight. While this favors Benavidez, a win could silence all his critics, as he would have beaten a fighter in his preferred division.
In addition, if Bivol can overcome Beterbiev, Canelo will have an opportunity to avenge the loss that hurt his career - an opportunity he never got with Floyd Mayweather.
If he can achieve all of this, there will be no doubt that Alvarez is the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. He will have beaten Benavidez and Bivol and become a two-division undisputed champion.
However, we must see if he decides to pursue this path.