Alvarez hasn't scored a knockout since 2019 or even a TKO since 2021. His last six fights all ended in unanimous decisions. Critics argue that his opponents haven't been up to snuff for world championship level bouts.
On September 13, Alvarez will face Terence Crawford in Las Vegas. Crawford, a four-time world champion, will jump up three weight classes for this fight. While Alvarez is favored to win, some say a victory over the smaller man won't mean much.
Alvarez's dominance has come at a cost. He collected all the 168-pound belts in just 11 months back in 2019, a feat that made the division less appealing to other fighters. He's become a victim of his own success.
Former WBA super middleweight champ George Groves weighed in on the situation. "Canelo's just too good for his rivals," Groves said. "He's made the division less attractive. Guys like Edgar Berlanga, David Benavidez, and Scull just don't cut it as challengers."
But there's hope on the horizon. Christian Mbilli, the WBC interim champ with a perfect 29-0 record and 24 KOs, will fight Lester Martinez on the Canelo-Crawford undercard. Hamzah Sheeraz, who recently beat Berlanga by 5th round TKO, has caught Groves' eye. "Sheeraz has power like Tommy Hearns," Groves noted.
Diego Pacheco, backed by Matchroom, has also shown promise with recent 12-round decision wins over Steven Nelson and Trevor McCumby.
Groves thinks the division will pick up steam once Canelo hangs up his gloves. Until then, fans and fighters alike will have to wait for a new era in the super middleweight class.