Alvarez beat William Scull by decision in his most recent fight. The match didn't thrill fans, who found it boring. Canelo looked upset in the ring and said he doesn't like boxers who fight like Scull did. Some people thought Alvarez could have worked harder to cut off the ring.
Even with the criticism, Canelo partied with his team and family after the fight. It's been a while since he knocked someone out - his last KO was against Caleb Plant in 2021. Since then, he lost to Dmitry Bivol and won six fights by decision. These performances have cost him some fans over the past few years.
But Alvarez didn't let the negative buzz stop him from marking an important day. He took time to honor Jose 'Chepo' Reynoso on his birthday. Reynoso played a huge role in Canelo's career from the start.
When Alvarez was just 14, Reynoso spotted him and took him under his wing. He's the one who gave Canelo his catchy nickname. At first, it was "Canelito," meaning "little cinnamon," because of Alvarez's red hair. As the boxer grew up, they dropped the "little" part, and "Canelo" stuck.
Reynoso passed on a lot of wisdom to young Canelo. He's also the dad of Eddy Reynoso, who trains Alvarez now. At 72, Chepo has stepped back from boxing a bit, but Canelo won't forget what he did for his career.
The nickname Reynoso gave him might have played a big part in Alvarez becoming such a big star. It's catchy, unique, and fits him perfectly.
Canelo's tribute shows he remembers where he came from, even as a global boxing superstar. It's a nice touch of humility from a fighter who's faced some tough crowds lately.