With his body punching handiwork and his typical wear your opponent down the Mexican way, middleweight ruler Canelo Alvarez has scored an impressive 35 KO’s from his 51 pro wins. Canelo is yet to take out a legit middleweight and he has scored just one stoppage win in his last four fights, yet despite this a certain heavyweight punching legend has said that in his opinion the Mexican superstar is “pound for pound the best puncher today.” (WBN)
Foreman of course, knows all about the art of punching, of power punching, and his opinion is well worth hearing. Still, is Canelo worthy of the praise Big George has heaped on him? It must be pointed out that the relative lack of recent KO’s scored by the 28 year old (again, Canelo has yet to KO a true 160 pounder – forget his KO of Amir Khan) is largely due to how Canelo has been in with the rock-chinned Gennady Golovkin twice, and before that a survive-at-all-costs Julio Cesar Chavez.
Against certain fighters – James Kirkland, Liam Smith and, way before that, Carlos Baldomir, none of whom were or are full middleweights – Canelo has been every bit the destructive puncher; but can he flatten a big, strong and in his prime 160 pounder? Which brings us neatly to the upcoming Danny Jacobs fight of May 4th. If Canelo can become only the second man to register an inside the distance win over the huge for the weight “Miracle Man” he will add enormously to his reputation as a big puncher. But can Canelo take out Jacobs?
It’s a great fight, one plenty of good judges have called a 50/50 fight, and Jacobs, who took the best GGG had to offer, is thinking KO win himself. In fact, in this fight, Canelo just might be facing the most dangerously equipped 160 pound foe of his career, or even his most dangerous foe period (at least this side of Floyd Mayweather).
It’s a great fight we have to look forward to on May 4 and Canelo must be given credit for taking this fight when really he didn’t have tò. With the big money he is guaranteed with his DAZN deal, Canelo could certainly have picked easier and safer foes. But No, Canelo is gonna earn his money. So too is Jacobs, and for this at least we must applaud both warriors.
Now, can Canelo back up the big words of Big George? A KO from either man on May 4 would be quite the impressive spectacle.