Canelo’s gamble

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez is not done making history. A week and a half after he knocked out Caleb Plant to become the first-ever undisputed super middleweight world champion, the World Boxing Council announced at its convention that it would give Canelo a shot at Ilunga Junior Makabu’s World cruiserweight title. Makabu has already responded by declaring that he will knock out the Mexican usurper if and when that fight happens middle of 2022.

Let’s review Alvarez’s impressive trajectory the last couple of years. His last nine fights have all been world title fights or battles for multiple world titles. While many other boxers fight only once or twice a year, or used the pandemic as an excuse not to fight, Canelo was extra busy. He defeated Avni  Yldirim in February to retain his WBA and WBC super middleweight belts. He then overwhelmed Billy Joe Saunders in May to add the WBO version of the crown. Then, earlier this month, he knocked out Caleb Plant to complete the set with the IBF world title. This next move, though, raises a lot of questions.

Why go through all the trouble to become a historic undisputed champion, then throw it all away in the next instance? Why go up two weight classes? What is there to be gained? Is the WBC favoring Alvarez?

Let’s answer the second question first. Canelo already won the WBO light heavyweight belt from Sergey Kovalev two years ago. As for the other questions, he may be banking on the fact that, after what he has accomplished, he can take risks without really harming his legacy. Also, though he is in a great place right now, there is so much more history within arm’s reach.

The list of four-division world champions is still pretty crowded. There are at least  20 boxers credited with having won at least four weight classes across the WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO. The roster includes three Filipinos: Manny Pacquiao, Nonito Donaire Jr., and Donnie Nietes. This is, by any measure, a truly remarkable achievement. But once you get up to the world champions in five weight classes, the air gets pretty thin. You can count these rare individuals on one hand: Manny Pacquiao, Oscar De La Hoya, Sugar Ray Leonard, Tommy Hearns and Floyd Mayweather Jr. Methinks that that is where Canelo Alvarez wants to be.  He just needs to beat Makabu to get there, though he will likely be way under the 200-pound weight limit. And though it is even more far-fetched, remember that the WBC has the new bridgerweight class. If he learned anything from Pacquiao-Margarito, that’s just another catchweight fight away. (Pacquiao and De La Hoya are the only two who have won world titles in at least six weight divisions.)

There are many ways an organization or promotion can favor a boxer: the size of the ring, the firmness of the ring floor, the choice of venue, the selection of gloves, and so on. The rules can be bent in so many ways. Is the WBC somehow favoring Alvarez because he is Mexican? Possibly. Is Makabu the path of least resistance? The current WBC cruiserweight king has won his last nine fights, six by knockout. But Canelo has supposedly been able to hold his own in secret sparring sessions with heavyweights. We’ll know the answer in six months. Needless to say, Alvarez’s legacy is already secure.