Canelo Alvarez, the Mexican boxing superstar, has picked an unexpected name as the hardest puncher he's faced in his career. The four-weight world champion didn't choose Gennady Golovkin, as many might have guessed, but instead pointed to James Kirkland as the man with the most powerful fists he's encountered in the ring.
Alvarez, who started his professional journey back in October 2005 at just 15 years old, has faced a who's who of boxing talent on his way to becoming one of the sport's biggest names. He's collected world titles across four weight divisions and currently holds the WBC, WBA, and WBO belts at super-middleweight.
Many boxing fans might have assumed that Gennady Golovkin, with whom Canelo shares a storied trilogy, would be the Mexican's pick for hardest hitter. But Alvarez surprised everyone with his choice.
"Everybody can say Golovkin, but I never felt that bad like Kirkland. Kirkland hit my arms and it felt like rocks. I say I need to finish this guy right now, because he's going to hit me all the fight around."
The fight Canelo's referring to took place in May 2015. It lasted just three rounds before Alvarez scored one of the most eye-catching knockout wins of his career. Despite the short duration, Kirkland's power clearly left a lasting impression on the Mexican star.
James "Mandingo Warrior" Kirkland, known for his heavy hands, boasts a career record of 34 wins and 3 losses, with an impressive 30 of those victories coming by way of knockout. This statistic backs up Canelo's assessment of Kirkland's punching power.
Alvarez's career continues to flourish. He's set to face IBF champion William Scull in May, with a chance to once again become the undisputed champion at 168 pounds. As he prepares for this challenge, Canelo's revelation about Kirkland serves as a reminder of the diverse challenges he's overcome on his path to boxing greatness.
