It was a hugely satisfying Mexican Independence Day for Guadalajara’s 22-year-old boxing sensation Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, who pocketed two million dollars after destroying Josesito Lopez in five rounds to retain his WBC Light Middleweight crown at a sold-out MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas.
More importantly for Alvarez, the fight confirmed his arrival as a major boxing celebrity and as the heir apparent to the reigns of Cotto, Pacquiao and Mayweather.
Significantly, after the contest Alvarez told reporters that he wants a “big” rival for his next fight. Critics have repeatedly slammed his handlers for matching the talented young Tapatio with unworthy challengers, either too old or too small to cause him any real problems.
According to some sources, there’s a possibility that the next opponent for Alvarez will be Floyd Mayweather Jr., who is currently serving a three-month jail sentence for attacking his ex-girlfriend. This marquee fight would be a huge money spinner and a major step up for Alvarez. But it would also be a potential banana skin for his mentor Oscar de la Hoya of Golden Boy Promotions, who hopes to turn “Canelo” into an international superstar.To be considered a boxing great Alvarez must face “a top-tier 154-pound fighter in his next defense,” writes Sergio Martinez of Boxing Insider. “If he were to drop a competitive loss … it would not end his career and would give everyone an honest assessment of where Mexico’s alleged future stands and how far away he is from the elite level.”
Alvarez is now 41-0 since making his professional debut in 2005. Thirty of these victories have been by knockout and he has defended his light middleweight title five times.
Regardless of who his next challenger is, Alvarez is now huge box office. Saturday night’s fight boosted Showtime’s ratings, with a peak audience of 1.036 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research.
Although attracting a smaller audience on HBO Pay-Per-View, Sergio Martinez’s decision win over Mexico’s Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. – the fights were held simultaneously – may show Alvarez that loosing to a more experienced rival need not wreck a career. Chavez Jr. was outclassed in 11 of the 12 rounds but won kudos for his courage in facing a tough opponent.
The question is, will “Canelo” be prepared to do the same in his next bout?