Boxing

CANELO ALVAREZ is boxing’s pound-for-pound king having now won world titles in FOUR different weight divisions.Most-recently, the Mexican, 30, dominated British star Callum Smith to win the WBA, The Ring and WBC super-middleweight titles.
Canelo most-recently dropped down to super-middleweight to beat Smith
But before that, Canelo had leapt from middleweight to LIGHT-HEAVYWEIGHT to beat Sergey Kovalev in 2019.
That win saw him join legendary Mexican’ Erik Morales, Juan Manuel Marquez, and Jorge Arce as four-division world champions.
Having started his career at 15, Alvarez fluctuated in weight, even fighting at the light-welterweight limit of 140lbs before settling in at welterweight.
Winning his first world title at light-middleweight, SunSport investigates the dramatic body transformation Canelo has been through in his career…
Welterweight
After 33 bouts, Alvarez made his US debut on October 2008 beating Larry Mosley and recorded another win Stateside before returning back to Mexico for two years and nine fights.
When he returned he defended his NABF welterweight title against Jose Cotto in what turned out to be his last contest at 147lbs.
Canelo defended his NABF welterweight title against Jose Cotto in what turned out to be his last contest at 147lbsCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Light-middleweight
Canelo first won a world title at 154lbs beating Ricky Hatton’s brother Matthew in California.
The Mexican eased to a points decision but was much trimmer in frame and bulk with a baby face.
He would make five defences of the WBC belt before unifying against Austin Trout in April 2013 also claiming the WBA strap.
At aged 23, Canelo would defend his light-middleweight titles against ring legend Floyd Mayweather – but was made to suffer on the scales.
Canelo won his first world title at light-middleweight claiming the WBC beltCredit: AFP – Getty
Floyd Mayweather
Mayweather only moved up from welterweight to face Oscar De La Hoya and Miguel Cotto, but did so once again to challenge rising star Canelo in September 2013.
But the American boxing great – who promoted and managed himself – proved he is a veteran of the business side of the sport by forcing Alvarez to contract stipulations.
The Vegas bout was made at a catchweight of 152lbs, meaning the champion had to lose an extra two pounds – and Canelo claimed Mayweather even tried to put a rehydration clause in the contract.
Mayweather reportedly weighed 150lbs, below weight, and Alvarez came in at 165 pounds, putting on almost a stone – but was still outpointed by his American rival.
Floyd Mayweather made Canelo fight at a catchweight limit of 152lbs when they boxedCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Middleweight
Canelo moved up to middleweight two years after his first defeat, and learned from Mayweather on how to use his star power.
Despite campaigning in the 160lbs division, the Mexican hero forced his opponents to fight at a catchweight of 155lbs, first winning the The Ring, Lineal, and WBC titles against Cotto.
Brit Amir Khan even moved up to middleweight to fight Canelo at 155lbs, but was brutally KO’d in six rounds before Alvarez moved back to light-middleweight to win the WBO title from Merseysider Liam Smith.
He only dropped back to 154lbs after being mandated by the WBC to face Gennady Golovkin, but promoter De La Hoya insisted his man was not yet a true middleweight.
Alvarez won the WBC middleweight title but boxed at a catchweight of 155lbsCredit: AFP or licensors
Khan was brutally knocked out in six rounds against CaneloCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Julio Cesar Chavez Jr
Canelo beat Smith for the WBO belt in his final fight at 154lbs.
Despite De La Hoya claiming the Mexican was not yet ready to box at 160lbs, one fight later Alvarez would face Julio Cesar Chavez Jr in a 164.5lbs catchweight bout – ABOVE the middleweight limit.
The fight was used as a tester before Canelo matched up against middleweight rival GGG, as Chavez Jr was easily outpointed.
Canelo moved from light-middleweight to face Julio Cesar Chavez in a 164.5lbs catchweight boutCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Super-middleweight
After two contentious results against Golvokin at middleweight – that saw Canelo walk away with a draw and win – he announced a move up to 168lbs to face Brit Rocky Fielding.
The Mexican would challenge for the WBA’s understudy super-middleweight world title, which he won with ease in three rounds.
Canelo was much the smaller man but targeted Fielding’s body to win a world title in his third weight, and then revealed he would be open to fighting world champion Smith.
Alvarez attacked Fielding’s body on the way to winning the WBA beltCredit: AP:Associated Press
Daniel Jacobs
After winning a super-middleweight belt, WBC and WBA middleweight champion Canelo returned to 160lbs, facing Daniel Jacobs with the IBF title also on the line.
Alvarez’s move back down eight pounds did nothing to dent his reflexes and power as he put on a great display of defence and aggression on the way to a points win.
Canelo stuck with the IBF’s 170lbs rehydration clause, but Jacobs did not, meaning he lost the belt on the scales after coming in at 173.6lbs for tactical reasons.
After winning a super-middleweight belt Canelo moved back down to middleweightCredit: AP:Associated Press
Sergey Kovalev
After adding another middleweight belt to his collection Alvarez decided not to defend them against rival Golovkin in a trilogy bout.
Instead he replicated US legends such as Roy Jones Jr, Bernard Hopkins and Sugar Ray Leonard who all won 175lbs titles.
Canelo hinted he would stick to the weight after beating Kovalev, but instead slipped back to super-middleweight for his next fight against Smith.
Canelo Alvarez weighs in at light-heavyweight against Sergey KovalevCredit: Getty Images – Getty

Callum Smith
Canelo weighed in for his super-middleweight win over Smith
Canelo cemented himself as a fully-fledged four-division champion after dominating Britain’s brave and resilient Smith after weighing in at the 168lb limit exactly.
The Mexican superstar walked away with the WBA super-middleweight crown, two years after winning their secondary ‘Regular’ title.
Canelo had too much power and precision for Smith and stormed to victory after 12 one-sided and almost identical rounds in Texas.
He defended the titles in a mandatory challenge against Avni Yildirim in February and now faces Billy Joe Saunders on Saturday, his fourth at super-middle.
Cruiserweight?
Canelo Alvarez has ruled out a move to cruiserweightCredit: AFP
Jones Jr was the only boxer ever to go from middleweight to heavyweight champion, after he dethroned John Ruiz in 2003 to become WBA champion, but skipped over cruiserweight.
He vacated his heavyweight title straight away, moving back down to light-heavyweight, and later in his career campaigned at cruiserweight, but never for a world title.
Last year, Canelo stated he would dare to go all the way up to cruiserweight.
He said: “It sounds very crazy, but you never know.”
Watch this space…
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LENNOX LEWIS has ripped into Jake Paul’s ‘farce’ of a fight with Ben Askren – at the same time as arranging his rematch with Mike Tyson.The heavyweight boxing legend, 55, took a swipe at the American YouTuber for ‘pretending’ to be a professional.
What did they expect?..The majority of the marketing was on social media targeting teenagers. Do teenagers really have $50 for PPV?🤷🏾‍♂️Triller files lawsuit against illegal streamers alleging $100 million in damages from Jake Paul vs. Ben Askren card https://t.co/2duGvMZsOR— Lennox Lewis, CBE, CM (@LennoxLewis) May 3, 2021

Lennox Lewis hit out at the ‘farce’ of YouTuber boxing while in talks to fight Mike TysonCredit: Getty

Lewis embarked on a furious Twitter rampage after it emerged Triller – who hosted Paul’s recent win over Askren – was suing illegal streamers to the tune of £72million ($100m).
The 1988 Olympic gold medallist claimed illegal streaming was inevitable given their target audience were too young to afford the £36 ($50) PPV fee.
Quote-tweeting an article about Triller suing, Lewis wrote: “What did they expect?
“The majority of the marketing was on social media targeting teenagers.
“Do teenagers really have $50 for PPV?”
When one Twitter user replied by saying YouTubers fighting pro fighters was ‘ridiculous’, Lewis hit back: “Name 1 youtuber that has faced a #professional boxer?”
After being reminded Paul is a licensed professional, Lewis took yet another swipe at the ‘farce’.
He wrote: “Now we are getting to the root of the problem.
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Skewing the topic eh.. my whole thread/topic is about pretenders. Now some people can’t separate the meaning of retired boxers #exhibition from pro boxers match. No retired boxer is actually fighting as a professional. Why is this so hard to conceptualize🤷🏾‍♂️— Lennox Lewis, CBE, CM (@LennoxLewis) May 3, 2021

Lewis called YouTuber boxing a ‘farce’ after Jake Paul’s win over Ben Askren, fearing someone will get seriously hurt one dayCredit: Getty
It reads, anyone can get a license doesn’t mean they are boxer with skills. Recipe for disaster when someone gets hurt🥊— Lennox Lewis, CBE, CM (@LennoxLewis) May 3, 2021

“Licensed as a professional boxer with a record of NOT fighting a boxer.
“This is the farce not my beloved #boxing.”
In a separate post, Lewis added he fears a YouTuber or ‘pretend’ boxer could get seriously hurt one day.
He wrote: “Anyone can get a license doesn’t mean they are boxer with skills.
“Recipe for disaster when someone gets hurt.”
Lewis recently confirmed he is preparing for an exhibition fight with Tyson – 19 years after they fought as pros – with the veterans having a combined age of 109.
And when one tweeter pointed out the irony of him getting back in the ring himself at the age of 55, Lewis hit back saying he’s not claiming to be a pro any more.

Lewis tweeted: “Skewing the topic eh.. my whole thread/topic is about pretenders.
“Now some people can’t separate the meaning of retired boxers #exhibition from pro boxers match.
“No retired boxer is actually fighting as a professional. Why is this so hard to conceptualise?”
Lewis is set to fight Tyson, 54, for a second time in September following Iron Mike’s comeback draw with Roy Jones Jr last November.
Tyson had been in talks to fight Evander Holyfield in what would have been their third fight, before they collapsed after they failed to agree on the financial aspects of the deal.
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