Abel Sanchez: I Don’t Think Canelo Will Ever Take The Mantle As Greatest Mexican Fighter From Chavez

By James Slater - 10/03/2021 - Comments

Ask a fight fan, in particular a Mexican fight fan, who the single greatest Mexican fighter of all time is, and the answer you will get, and fast, will be, Julio Cesar Chavez. It’s not even a matter for debate, Chavez has that distinction and it seems he will never, ever lose it. One man who was recently asked if Canelo Alvarez can ever go on to be recognised as the greatest Mexican fighter ever, Abel Sanchez, explained why Chavez “will always have that mantle.”

Speaking with Fight Hub TV, Sanchez gave his answer, when asked if Canelo, if he could become undisputed light-heavyweight king, would top Chavez as the greatest-ever Mexican fighter.

YouTube video

“He may be, with achievements, maybe with titles that he’s won, but as far as the Mexican people taking him as the greatest, I think that Chavez has that mantle,” Sanchez explained. “And I don’t think Chavez will ever lose it. Chavez took it from [Ruben] Olivares, and Chavez is a modern great. I think he’s in the heart of the Mexican people, so I don’t think he [Canelo] will ever take that mantle from him. But as far as achievements, I think he would be the greatest Mexican fighter.”

Interesting stuff. Chavez of course ruled at super-featherweight, lightweight, light-welterweight and he engaged in simply epic, never to be forgotten fights with the likes of Meldrick Taylor, Edwin Rosario, Hector Camacho, Jose Luis Ramirez, Rocky Lockridge and so many more. Canelo has won belts at four weights – 154, 160, 168 and 175 pounds – and he has featured in massive fights with Floyd Mayweather, Miguel Cotto, Gennady Golovkin and Sergey Kovalev.

But Sanchez is right: that mantle, that status as a simply beloved hero of a world champion, an absolute king of kings, will never be taken away from Chavez. Not even if Canelo wins a heavyweight title! Chavez is one of the special ones – up there with Muhammad Ali, with Sugar Ray Robinson, with Roberto Duran, with Manny Pacquiao.

Go ask a passionate Mexican fight fan (good luck finding a Mexican fight fan who is not loaded with passion!), and they will tell you with pride and utter conviction and belief that Chavez is the greatest, and that he will remain as such. No matter what.

73 thoughts on “Abel Sanchez: I Don’t Think Canelo Will Ever Take The Mantle As Greatest Mexican Fighter From Chavez”

  1. canello cant be greater than chavez but he can. hes got to go for broke and face the likes of. charlo at 160 and Demetrius at 160 or 168 and win. also take on Benavidez and win then continue to fight the very best at 160 168 and 175 and win then he may replace chavez as the best mexican fighter to date. no more cherry picking chavez was a true warrior and he cant hold a candle to Oscar D either. oscar never turned down a fade no cherry picking and oscar would have beat canello at 147 152 or 160 for real.

  2. Canela is a bum over rated. He’s just like Mayweather they hand choose there opponents. When them two bums box it’s a bad day for the boxing world there both trash

    • Conello has been accused using drugs or other stuff in his career, its down his sportsmanship value… even Aaron Pryor with his amazing record never get acceptance from boxing fans as greatest fighter…

  3. Uuu<kk8kkkjkjkjjkjkjkjjkjkjikkikkkkjkkkkk(mjkkjkokjkkkik(Lololokkkkkkkukkkokkljkkk

  4. Why do he have to take Chavez off this mantle you speak of..let Chavez stay on this mantle while Canelo being right along side Chavez when Canelo career is over.

  5. Wow slow down bro,
    Canelo is pretty dam you have to admit he’s the best Mexican fighter now so we can go for it now I’m not even Mexican I think it’s great

  6. Canelo is the best….and still more wining coming for him…some year more and he will create a amazing curriculum in the name of hispany community and Mexico…

  7. Chavez always be the greatest no even pacquiao or mayweather come closer to the fights that Chavez fight.

  8. SALVADOR SANCHEZ IS THE GREAT THE BEST MEXICAN FIGHTER EVER HE JUST DIED YOUNG AND RECARDO LOPEZ PERIOD

  9. I, am a passionate Mexican fight fan.
    The greatest Mexican fighter is Salvador Sanchez.
    Sanchez would have knocked out Chavez and Canelo.
    If Sanchez had lived, he would be in the debate of greatest of all time.

  10. Agree Canelo not the best in the hearts of the Mexican people. However he is certainly the smartest and most successful.

  11. Joe it’s plain to see that you don’t know nothing about the sweet science you sound so ignorant even saying that

  12. Chavez fought mostly cab drivers and 2 fights its plan as day he lost but got the judges early gift he was a B average fighter

    • Read the stats on ring magazine. You can see the bouts, the decisions, kos, and every detail on Chavez. You’re just a neighborhood garage boxing know it all and still have alot to learn about the pugilistic world.

    • Man yall don’t pay no mind to Joe … he’ll the other day when he was over here polishing my knob… he said he thought Jake Paul had chance to be the greatest of all time… and I asked him at what and he just smiled… whoa.

  13. They both are bums who ducked the top black boxers of there times especially that bum canelo who was exposed by Floyd mayweather. And Chavez ducked azimuth Nelson at 126 and 130 . Facts!!

    • There are no great black fighters at the moment in super middle weight division. Maybe good and ok fighters… but not great ones. So if there are none.. how is he ducking??? Chavez Sr. Fought Mayweather’s uncle.. Taylor frankie randall sweat peas .. and many more black fighters. Blacks need to go play basketball or football. JUST Be quiet!!!!

    • That fight was 11years ago i bet floyd wont fight canelo right now canelo fights every color he aint scared meng

    • Chavez would have smoked Azumah Nelson at 130 just like Salvador Sanchez did at 126! As for Canella I agree and has to use Peds to beat old men he’s a cur in my book.

    • Chávez never ducked any black fighters
      Beat Roger mayweather , meldrick taylor, , Frankie Randall…
      All of which are better than who you mentioned .

    • Azumah Nelson was a beast. I recently watched the fight in which Salvador Sanchez knocked Nelson out. Based on what I saw, the outcome would have been the same had he fought JC Chavez.

      As far as Canelo not fighting black fighters, he’s fought Floyd Mayweather, Shane Mosley, Austin Trout, James Kirkland and Daniel Jacobs. What difference does it make? How many good athletic black fighters did Mayweather fight? Does closing out a fantastic career with Andre Berto count? Just my take.

  14. Canelo went up several weight classes and started knocking people out. He didn’t finish Mosley/Cotto when the two were over the hill during those fights. Something is amiss.

  15. Although i have to agree with Mr. Abel Sanchez as Chavez being the best Mexican fighter. Chavez, couldn’t hold Canelo’s handwraps When it comes to “BEST MEXICAN BOXER”, with that said, the best Mexican fighter/boxer my vote would go to the late,
    “Salvador Sanchez”, its unfortunate he was taken from us far to early, to see what he could gave accomplished in the sport of BOXING…..

    • Thank God, Salvador Sanchez has not been forgotten. He never got the chance to reach his prime. Salvador you were a prince and on the way to being a King. Long Live the King.

  16. Chávez is Chávez from the old school, 15 round he’s one of the BEST POUND FOR POUND #1 but God bless all this boxers

  17. The haters keep repeating the same old thing cheater as this of that but it just makes canela greater cause we all know you’re just hating 18

  18. Able you think don’t get it that tears down your whole Argument Is in with the new out with the past. That’s just how life rolls it keeps going and going forward not Is backwards like you able you live in the past Get over it As a trainer and a fighter Utriple G failed And that’s what the both of you are bitter about that you were Notbetter than Canelo and Eddie they proved Both wrong.

    • GGG got robbed and canelo is a cheat been caught a few times and not the only one outta that camp so canelo can fight his ass off but when when you mention canelo your always gonna think peds for me takes away from his achievements the tainted meat excuse been around for years you make as much as he does and you don’t know what your consuming that’s bs

  19. Canelo the Now present Sr. the past get over it.The young fans love Canelo they don’t no who Sr. Is haters Canelo is a generational fighter whether you like it or not….. The young fans are not stuck in the past life moves on and it’s moved on to Canelo Alvarez And senior realizes it now It’s just the haters that want to hate on Canelo and canello Chavez doesn’t say anything about it anymore cause he knows Haters that wanna continue to discredit Canelo but all they do is make him greater…. So thank you haters..

  20. Canelo told Chavez at a post fight interview that he doesn’t want to take it away from Chavez, he wants to make his own history on the side. I think it was after Canelo vs BJS fight.

    • What is sad is that’s the only excuse you people can come up with haters connhaters canelos been exonerated by the Hair fallico I don’t know what more proof you people want to hear it’s the only excuse that you can say about canello because he is a great fighter so you’re gonna tell me Holyfield And many more Roy Jones junior Tony Shane mosley And I’m talking about great flighters here nobody talks about them Everybody goes on that holy field is the this and that and the greatest and he was also the dirtiest Canello did the least of what all the guys I just mentioned did let’s just get it straight. But the more you guys hate on the same thing over and over the greater Canelo becomes It has become proven that Canelo is a clean and was exonerated Thank you …

  21. Canelo already has a better resume than Chavez. You can count canelo’s soft touches on half of one hand! Can’t say the same thing about Chavez.

    • Ok, I’ve seen all of Canelos fights, I’m sorry to say, but belts don’t matter all that much to me. I see a fighters skills and heart. Canelo is not even in the top 5 Mexican fighters of all-time! Here’s my top 5, and if you don’t agree with me, then you just don’t know Boxing.
      1. Chavez, 2. Sanchez, 3. Olivares, 4. Ricardo Lopez, 5. JMMarquez

    • Remind me who has 28 championship bout wins in a row?? Let me help you out El Gran Campeón Mexicano. Chávez everything else is just noise,all the great ones,Agree! Period!!

  22. Canelo is one of the greats. But Sanchez is right. There’s just something about Chavez.

  23. Ha! Yeah ok…you mean the greatest like when DelaHoya delivered that epic beat down of the so called “ greatest Mexican fighter”??? You mean like that??? That was the past dude get over it. While Canelo may not get to the amount of fights that Chavez had in his life time of boxing, that doesn’t take away what Canelo has accomplished as a boxer and is a much more skilled boxer than Chavez ever was. Move along now. You and Chavez need to stop talking now.

    • You know Boxing not even the same anymore you get to fight who you want to fight when you want to fight that’s b******* you got to earn your f****** rank chaves is the greatest fighter that ever was but now if Salvador Sanchez was still alive we all be talking different.

    • I bet u don’t even spit it out when canelo is done do u? That’s badass what a fan. I wish u were my fan. Cookie ur nasty

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