"By knocking out who? The drunks in the corner?"- Boxing’s infamous cheat Antonio Margarito attacks Canelo Alvarez and his legacy
Canelo Alvarez has been in the crosshairs of many, especially after his failed attempt at the WBA (Super) Light Heavyweight Title against Dmitry Bivol earlier this year. Antonio Margarito, the retired Mexican boxer, is the latest to have gone against his compatriot.
Margarito is one of the most controversial figures in the sport who has held world titles back in the day. He refuses to give credit to Alvarez, saying the boxing superstar hasn’t fought top-level opponents.
As per Marca, 'The Tijuana Tornado' said:
“Canelo is proving to be an out of series? By knocking out who? The drunks in the corner? In Mexico we are unfair to Canelo because he hasn't fought anyone; let him prove it."
Margarito’s claims may not sit well with Alvarez fans. Moreover, Antonio Margarito isn’t very well-perceived by the boxing community after his glove-loading scandal was exposed.
The Mexican veteran used plaster of paris to harden his gloves moments before his fight against Shane Mosley.
Watch how Antonio Margarito broke the boxing protocols below:
The plaster of paris gets hardened if put in contact with moisture. The amount of sweat over the course of the fight would have provided iron fists for Margarito, and that would have been a giant advantage for him.
Margarito was asked to re-wrap his fists and Mosley battered him in the ring, winning the fight via TKO in 2009.
Following the revelation, Miguel Cotto also accused Margarito of using the same tactic in their fight. Cotto's face was badly bruised from fighting Margarito. He then avenged himself by beating Margarito in their rematch. The controversy cost Antonio Margarito his boxing license and made him one of the most hated boxers of all time.
The former world champion is now scrutinizing Canelo Alvarez's legacy as the undisputed super-middleweight champion is getting prepared to defend his belts against Gennadiy Golovkin on September 17 in Las Vegas.
Is Canelo Alvarez really facing top-level opponents?
It would be unfair to write off the credibilities of Canelo Alvarez’s opponents. Floyd Mayweather, Shane Mosley, Billy Joe Saunders, Gennadiy Golovkin, Callum Smith, Daniel Jacobs, and many others make up the list of Alvarez's fighting career.
He currently holds a professional record of 57-2-2, and is just 32-years-old. Canelo Alvarez has held world titles in four weight classes and is the kingpin at 168 lbs at the moment. He conquered the super-middleweight division by beating three unbeaten champions and a mandatory challenger.
Canelo Alvarez will now defend all four belts against 'GGG' in an iconic trilogy. After the loss against Bivol, the Mexican requires a resounding victory to regain his invincible aura.
Although Golovkin has been one of the toughest opponents of Canelo’s career, it will be interesting to see whether the Kazakh star is still the same at 40-years-old.