Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez, boxing's biggest active star, says Muhammad Ali is the greatest fighter of all time. The Mexican champion shared his opinion in a recent chat with GQ Magazine.
Canelo's got a lot to say about greatness. He's won world titles in four different weight classes and only lost twice in 66 fights. That's pretty impressive. Right now, he's getting ready to fight IBF World Champion William Scull on May 3. If he wins, he'll be a two-time undisputed champion in the super middleweight division.
When GQ asked Canelo who he thinks is the best boxer ever, he didn't hesitate.
"The best in the world. Of all time."
He was talking about Muhammad Ali, of course.
Ali's story is the stuff of legend. He won gold at the 1960 Olympics in Rome and turned pro that same year. In just his 20th fight, he shocked the world by beating Sonny Liston for the world title. Ali fought the best and beat them all. Even when he lost, he came back and won the rematch. He did it against Joe Frazier, Ken Norton, and Leon Spinks.
Ali didn't just make waves in the ring. He stood up for what he believed in outside of it too. People remember him as much for fighting for social justice and speaking out against war as they do for his boxing.
As for Canelo, he's got big plans. After the Scull fight in May, he might face Terence Crawford in September. That would be a mega fight, for sure. But first, he's got to get past Scull.
Canelo's only lost to Floyd Mayweather and Dmitry Bivol, both on points. He's aiming to keep it that way and add more wins to his already impressive record.
