Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez has secured his place in the Hall of Fame. The Mexican star has fought 65 times since his professional debut in 2005 when he was just 15 years old.
Now 34, Canelo has won world titles in four weight classes and has dominated the super-middleweight division since 2018. He became the undisputed champion at 168 pounds with wins over Callum Smith, Billy Joe Saunders, and Caleb Plant. Canelo has defended his titles four times but was recently stripped of one belt for not facing a mandatory challenger.
Despite his impressive resume, former three-weight world champion James Toney doesn't rate Canelo highly. In a recent interview with FightHype, Toney claimed Canelo wouldn't last in his era.
"Let me say this, Canelo was brought up the right way, he would not last two big fights in my era. He's soft. I'm just being real with me. He's a good fighter, but you know what he's not in our league."
Toney won the IBF Super-Middleweight World Title in 1993 and defended it against Tony Thornton, Tim Littles, and Charles Williams. He lost the belt to Roy Jones Jr. in a clear decision, suffering the first knockdown of his career.
Canelo has only lost twice in his career, with his most notable defeat coming against Floyd Mayweather. He continues to take on tough challenges and will face Edgar Berlanga on September 14 in Las Vegas.
Toney's comments highlight the ongoing debate about the toughness of different boxing eras. While many veterans like Toney believe their era was tougher, Canelo's achievements speak for themselves. The Mexican star has proven himself against the best of his generation, just as Toney did in the 1990s.
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Toney retired in 2017 after a long career spanning 92 fights. He won 77 of those, including a notable victory over Evander Holyfield. While his opinion of Canelo might be harsh, it's clear that both fighters have left their mark on the sport in their respective eras.