Multiple division world champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez is currently in Las Vegas ready to fight undefeated WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol on Saturday night May 8th for Cinco de Mayo weekend.
The popular Mexican fighter, was talking with the media as part of the pre-fight press during fight week and was fielded multiple questions regarding the fight on Saturday and other topics in boxing.
The topic of Canelo possibly fighting Errol Spence Jr. who is the current unified welterweight champion at a catchweight was brought up.
Canelo rejected the idea of the report that suggested he would face the undefeated welterweight champion at a catchweight of 164 lbs and made it known he doesn’t need to do anything like that.
After Floyd Mayweather Jr and Manny Pacquiao retired from boxing, Canelo took over the title of top draw in the sport and that means you become the biggest money maker also known as the cash cow. Everyone wants to land a fight with the biggest star because they get a career high payday and if they win they catapult their name to the mainstream.
The Mexican star has been challenged by fighters from welterweight and even all the way up to heavyweight, current unified WBA/WBO/IBF heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk offered to go down to cruiserweight to face Canelo for the payday.
Even YouTube star turned boxer Jake Paul has been calling out Canelo, even claiming he could beat him if they fight down the line.
When you are the biggest draw in the sport you don’t bow to anyone and they must adhere to your terms. Some stars like Oscar De La Hoya would challenge the best and give fair terms, Canelo is also similar he goes up and down in weight to challenge the best on fair terms.
Floyd Mayweather was the opposite. He was well known for being able to get all fights in his favor once he beat Oscar De La Hoya and became the top star in the sport, almost every fighter had to bow to his terms so he could have everything in his advantage.
If Mayweather chose to fight you, that would mean you would have to take lesser money, agree to the weight he wanted to fight at, the ring size, glove size, choice of gloves, USADA drug testing and many other obligations and fighters were willing to do this for the payday. Mayweather would even liken it to winning the lottery or sweepstakes if you fought him.
The only time Mayweather had to give in and have another fighter on equal terms with him was when he faced off against Filipino superstar Manny Pacquao in 2015 and they still hold the highest selling Pay-Per-View record with 4.6 million buys, others would have to take less money, but that number would still be bigger than they ever made in their entire boxing careers.
Canelo is in the same shoes, but he is different than Mayweather because he actually fights tough fights and bigger opponents without catchweights.
In the business of boxing you have to accept that there is an A side and a B side because that is how it works, and Canelo is the A side and can demand the lions share of the money, but at least he is fair in the terms of the fight. He doesn’t ask for advantages the way Mayweather did, and he fights dangerous men including the one he is going to fight on Saturday night.
Canelo has nothing to gain from fighting Dmitry Bivol, but he wants to fight the best and the fighters people say you can’t beat because its the competitive nature inside him that keeps him going.
Mayweather was the opposite when boxing fans wanted him to fight certain threats he would simply disregard them and say his health is more important or come up with excuses as to why they don’t deserve the fight.
After he fought Manny Pacquiao 5 years too late to a boring decision win, he retired from actual professional boxing with a fight against Andre Berto as his farewell bout, which did poorly at the live gate and box office.
Mayweather only fights spectacle exhibitions against non boxers now, including his fight with Conor McGregor who was a UFC fighter. Manny Pacquiao fought the best into his 40’s and even beat Keith Thurman and was ready to go head to head with the most feared welterweight Errol Spence Jr. before Spence had to pull out of the fight due to an eye injury
Canelo and Pacquiao are cut from the same cloth. They are big draws who are willing to take on the best without fear, and this is why Canelo is the pound for pound king and fan favorite.
Erwin Lastimosa is a long time boxing fan and enjoys boxing discussion with his peers. Some of his favorite fighters are Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran, Marvin Hagler, Muhammad Ali, Flash Elorde, Mike Tyson and Manny Pacquiao.