HAVING vowed to by no means battle one other considered one of his countrymen Canelo Alvarez had some explaining to do right this moment on the launch press convention for his subsequent battle.
On Saturday, Might 4, throughout Cinco De Mayo weekend, the 33-year-old will defend his undisputed super-middleweight crown in opposition to fellow Mexican Jaime Munguia on the T-Cell Enviornment, Las Vegas. Over time Canelo has confronted opponents equivalent to Amir Khan, Daniel Jacobs, Billy Joe Saunders and Dmitry Bivol on the identical weekend.
On Might 6, 2017 throughout Mexico’s celebration Canelo embarrassed Julio Cesar Chavez Jr successful a 12-round shutout on all three scorecards. Since then, there was a agency refusal to face every other challengers from his homeland.
After beating Gennadiy Golovkin in September 2022 to conclude their trilogy a barely agitated Canelo instructed media he wouldn’t battle one other Mexican as a result of he represents his nation and that was the rationale why.
So, why, 18 months later, has he chosen to defend his 4 titles in opposition to the 27-year-old unbeaten Mexican Munguia?
“I do know I stated I wouldn’t battle one other Mexican fighter,” Canelo stated replying to host Jimmy Lennon who posed the query. “However somebody respectful like Munguia, who earned this opportunity battle after battle giving his all, it’s one thing I’m glad we have been capable of make occur. And I hope everybody can see it’ll be nice for everybody concerned for Mexico specifically.”
The elephant within the room was David Benavidez, who like Canelo at present fights beneath the PBC banner, however has determined to maneuver to light-heavyweight and battle Oleksandr Gvozdyk moderately than wait any longer for his shot on the champion.
“Munguia is a disciplined man. He actually hits onerous. He could be a energy puncher and I just like the challenges,” Canelo stated. “I wish to go after fighters which might be like me and hungry like Munguia is and wish to give their all contained in the ring and provides the followers the present they deserve.”
The challenger was filled with respect for Canelo and gratitude for the chance. In January Munguia stopped Britain’s John Ryder within the ninth spherical of their contest. Eight months earlier Canelo was taken the space by the gutsy Brit. Munguia dismissed the comparability predictably explaining that they have been “two fully completely different fights” to Lennon. Munguia knew his function on the presser and performed it completely.
“He’s at all times been a supply of satisfaction and motivation for me,” he stated of Canelo.
“Once I was developing and I used to see him battle I stated, ‘That’s a superb man and I wish to be like him.’ And right this moment now we have an opportunity to face him and hopefully we get to be like him at some point.”
That day is lower than seven weeks away and Munguia, like Canelo, will let their fists do the speaking in an all-Mexican affair which appears to be like like being Canelo’s hardest check since Cinco De Mayo two years in the past when he misplaced to Dmitry Bivol at light-heavyweight.
