By: Hans Themistode
If the career of Canelo Alvarez were to abruptly end at this very moment, the Mexican star can look back on his time in the ring with pride. However, he does have more that he wants to accomplish.
Having won world titles in four separate weight divisions, Alvarez is widely viewed as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. Come May 7th, at the T-Mobile Arena, in Las Vegas, Nevada, Alvarez hopes he’ll maintain his standing as boxing’s leading man.
On the night, Alvarez will ditch his undisputed super-middleweight throne in an effort to begin life as a full-fledged light heavyweight, as he takes on WBA titlist, Dmitry Bivol. In 2019, Alvarez was successful in his lone appearance at 175 pounds, dethroning Sergey Kovalev via 11th round stoppage and taking home his WBO title in the process.
Unlike his previous transient light heavyweight appearance, where Alvarez immediately vacated his newly won title, the 31-year-old has no intentions of doing so this time around. In fact, if Alvarez drapes light-heavyweight gold over his shoulders on May 7th, his next goal will be a crystal clear one.
“I really wanna be undisputed at 175,” said Alvarez to several reporters.
Before Alvarez went on to become the first undisputed super middleweight champion of all time, he was forced to track down every world titlist. In December of 2020, Alvarez defeated Callum Smith. In doing so, he snagged Smith’s WBA title and won the vacant WBC crown. Several months later, Alvarez cornered former WBO champion, Billy Joe Saunders. Once the pair officially squared off in the ring, Alvarez ended the title reign of his man via eighth-round stoppage.
With one title left for grabs, Alvarez and then, IBF champion, Caleb Plant, engaged in long and drawn-out negotiations. Although it appeared as though their contest was dead in the water on several occasions, the two resolved their contractual differences before letting their fists fly at both the pre-fight presser and on the night of the fight.
With Alvarez eventually stopping the slick former titlist, his sights are now set on repeating the feat one weight class higher. This time around, however, Alvarez’s road to undisputed figures to be a bit less congested. With WBO light heavyweight champion Joe Smith Jr., and unified titlist Artur Beterbiev, officially pegged to face one another on June 18th, the winner of their violent clash will be in possession of three of the four major world titles at 175 pounds.
Although at one point, Alvarez appeared apprehensive about competing as a light heavyweight for a protracted period of time, with the Mexican star truly coming into his own, he’s now willing to fight the much larger men that house the 175-pound division.
“I’m in my prime, I feel more confident, I feel strong.”