Mayweather Cracks Canelo
ALVAREZ READY TO SHINE OR BURN OUT?
New York, NY– In his first PPV as an A-side draw, former 154 lb. champ, Saul “Canelo’ Alvarez (42-1-1 30 KOs) is set to return and meet Alfredo ‘El Perro’ Angulo (22-3 18 KOs) in the ring on Saturday. With both Mexican pugilists coming off defeats, winning should have meaningful implications. The match could potentially solidify Canelo as a true rising star in boxing and inversely could add a significant win to Angulo’s resume, resulting in larger paydays and exposure.
CANELO LOSS VS. MAYWEATHER FORGOTTEN & FORGIVEN
There is little shame for the youthful Alvarez to have lost his first professional bout to the sports ‘numero uno’ athlete, Floyd Mayweather. Canelo did what he could to catch the slick and elusive Mayweather but came up short, as every other opponent before him did when they glanced at Floyd across the ring. Canelo accepted the defeat like a champ and now must prove if he can overcome the hurdle and continue on his trajectory to become one of the biggest names in the sport.
“EL PERO” (THE DOG) WILL BE LOOKING TO BITE!
Angulo in many ways is the perfect test for Canelo as he is rugged and will not go away quietly. He is known to slug and absorb punishment with some of the best in his division, and Canelo should have his hands full if Angelo is up for the challenge.
IS THERE ENOUGH “DOG” THERE TO DOG CANELO?
Angulo gave a valiant effort against his last opponent, Erislandy Lara. But the highly avoided Cuban expatriate eventually won the fight. Angulo’s eye swelled and at some point he turned his back towards Lara, prompting the referee to stop the fight. Many suspected that Angulo simply quit under duress, while he and his trainer Barry Hunter claim that he was simply ‘thumbed’ and should have been allowed to continue.
B-SIDE OF FIGHT ANGULO LACKS DEFINING WIN
Alfredo Angelo is a tough competitor but does not have many if any victories over top tier talent. He is known to give good fights but his losses to James Kirkland, Erislandy Lara and Kemit Cintron have seemed to come just short of a victory in his favor. It’s possible that the Biggest wins on his resume are between Joel Julio and Gabriel Rosado. While both are solid opponents, some may regard these two as journeymen or maybe gatekeepers at best.
SHOULD CANELO LOSE, THE GRAVY TRAIN STOP!
If Canelo loses or has significant trouble defeating Angulo, it will be hard to imagine him doing better against the likes of Lara, James Kirkland, Carlos Molina or any other natural Jr. Middleweights left in the division. So this match could essentially become a breakout bout or place him on track to clean out the division’s remaining threats not named Mayweather. There is a lot of pressure on Alvarez here, for if he fails to look superlative, the doubters will return in full force. I expect Canelo to win but don’t think it will be easy, a sign that will likely deliver some much needed fistic entertainment.
Jarrad Woods