Canelo Alvarez faces a tough test against Terence Crawford on September 13 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. The fight comes at a time when Alvarez, long considered the biggest draw in boxing, faces growing criticism about his skills.
Alvarez's journey to the top of the boxing world wasn't easy. After losing to Floyd Mayweather Jr. in late 2013, he worked hard to become the sport's biggest star. For a long time, he seemed unbeatable. Only Gennady Golovkin gave him real trouble, and his move up to light heavyweight against Dmitry Bivol in 2022 didn't go as planned.
Now, some say Alvarez isn't the boxer he used to be. He hasn't knocked anyone out since 2021. But his supporters argue that's because opponents don't want to engage with him, not because he's lost his power.
The biggest criticism is that Alvarez can't cut off the ring like he used to. This allows opponents to move around freely, leading to less exciting fights. His recent bout with William Scull showed this problem clearly. Scull spent most of the fight running around the ring, avoiding Alvarez.
Eddie Hearn, the Matchroom Boxing promoter, shared his thoughts on this issue in a recent interview:
"Anyone that has movement is going to cause Canelo problems at this stage in his career."
Crawford, known for his confidence and technical skills, might take advantage of this. Unlike many of Alvarez's recent opponents, Crawford isn't a big underdog. He'll likely try to use his movement to outbox Alvarez.
This fight is a big deal for Alvarez. It's a chance for him to show he's still at the top of his game. The boxing world will be watching closely to see if he can silence his critics and prove he's still the "Face of Boxing."
