Condescending Canelo Lets The Truth Slip Out

Condescending Canelo – Move over Floyd Mayweather. There’s a fighter on the block who is more condescending than you ever were, with the difference being he’s less accomplished and also lost his unblemished record to you. His name is Saul “Canelo” Alvarez 47-1-1 (33), the new star fighter in professional boxing that only heaven knows why. Since he lost to Mayweather, little by little Canelo has been exposed as a limited fighter who only agrees to engage in combat when the field of play is tilted in his favor. That may not have been in play for his entire career, but it’s certainly been a factor in the way he’s gone about his career and in who he has elected to fight since the Mayweather setback.

This past week, while in the midst of promoting his September 17th bout with Liam Smith 23-0 (13), he was asked for his thoughts on the upcoming Golovkin vs. Brook bout. He didn’t shy away, saying in no uncertain terms that Brook doesn’t stand a chance. He was then asked if Brook is being sacrificed. “No doubt about it,” he said, via the (London) Daily Mail. “We all know what’s going to happen in the fight. I’m not too interested in the fight itself but he’s going to knock Brook out.”

A very interesting answer from the fighter who the boxing world is dying to see fight Golovkin. Even more ironically, there’s a plausible case that says Kell Brook would be favored over every fighter Canelo has met in his career with the exception of Floyd Mayweather — something that I don’t believe anyone has mentioned.

I don’t think anyone would dispute that from a financial perspective, the highest grossing fight out there is Canelo vs. Golovkin. Some members of the boxing establishment assert that Alvarez hasn’t signed on to fight Gennady because he physically fears him – which is not something I’m on board with. And a lot of why I believe that came out this week when Canelo was asked if the bout with Golovkin was ever going to happen. Alvarez’s answer was simple, truthful, transparent and very revealing.

“It’s going to happen, it’s a fight that has to happen, I want it to happen, the world wants it to happen. It’s just a matter of when it’s going to happen, it will happen soon and sooner rather than later,” he was quoted as saying at morningusa.com on August 30. “No doubt about it, everyone knows that I’m the A-side. The fight will happen when I want it to, that’s the way it is.”

Come on, you must admit that not even Floyd ever came off — as Howard Cosell would say — so truculent. Canelo’s words highlight how self-absorbed he is. As was the case with Floyd, he believes the world revolves around him. In other words, Canelo is not going to be bullied or shamed into meeting Golovkin until he believes that the time and specifics favor him – and that’s all that matters. Moreover, Alvarez knows how badly the fans want to see him meet Golovkin, therefore he has the hook already in, as was the case with Mayweather fighting Manny Pacquiao.  Thus, the bout will be there for him whenever he feels the time is right. The only risk he’s taking is the chance that one of them loses beforehand — and even that isn’t much of a risk because Canelo picks and chooses his opponents so judiciously and Golovkin is so much better than the next best fighter in his weight class.

Canelo’s words, cited above, honestly portray what the truth is regarding his avoidance of Golovkin. Yes, he respects him as a fighter and no doubt considers him dangerous in light of what he said pertaining to Brook fighting him. However, just as Mayweather didn’t fear Pacquiao, Alvarez doesn’t fear Golovkin. No, he just wants to give himself the best possible chance to beat him, hoping that GGG, who will be at least 35 years old by the time they finally meet, starts to show signs of aging. Also, he wants to maximize his return when it comes to his purse. He’s fully aware that the longer he waits the bigger the fight becomes, and that’s not a guess, he’s seen that strategy unfold before and it resulted in both fighters making over 100 million dollars.

If there ever was a doubt as to whether the Canelo vs. Golovkin bout will eventually occur, I think based on the words of the fighter who loves stressing he’s the “A” side, it’s a safe bet that it’ll definitely happen. But not until Alvarez wants it to happen or he can no longer gouge the fans for fights like his upcoming bout with Liam Smith.

One would think after him saying….”The fight will happen when I want it to, that’s the way it is,” that perhaps his fans would become fed up. No, not a chance, because he looks at his fans the way a sheepherder looks at sheep……with the difference being the sheep don’t have a choice!

Frank Lotierzo can be contacted at GlovedFist@Gmail.com

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