What's Canelo's legacy?

chunky_mcdaniels

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It's not just that as he got older he took lighter fights, the problem is that he did this while holding onto the belts, holding up the division, denying the well-deserved chance from top contenders.
His last 6 years are marred by mismatches disguised as decent match ups.
  • John Ryder
  • Jermell Charlo
  • Jaime Munguia
  • Terence Crawford
All of the above are egregious size differences/weight class jumps, which is flat out blasphemous as a champion holding the belts. The greatest advantage a fighter can have at the top level is size, especially so if the two are talented.

He camouflaged his resume exceptionally with these match ups.
  • Avni Yildrim (bum)
  • Gennady Golovkin 3 (had never fought above 160 and was clearly outsized in the fight).
  • Edgar Berlanga (bum)
  • Rocky Fielding (bum)
  • Sergei Kovalev (8 weeks notice off a brutal 12 rnd fight, desperate for capital due to rape charges, psychological shortcomings going into fight).
You're allowed a few bum fights and a few mismatches, but he tarnished his legacy with too many.

It took a Saudi (and a 175'er in Bivol) with a cheque book to show his shortcomings, no jab, slow, flat footed and can only fight forwards.

That being said he had a great career and showed his worth numerous times aside from the above.
 

reservoirdogs

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His last 6 years are marred by mismatches disguised as decent match ups.
  • John Ryder
  • Jermell Charlo
  • Jaime Munguia
  • Terence Crawford
All of the above are egregious size differences/weight class jumps, which is flat out blasphemous as a champion holding the belts. The greatest advantage a fighter can have at the top level is size, especially so if the two are talented.

He camouflaged his resume exceptionally with these match ups.
  • Avni Yildrim (bum)
  • Gennady Golovkin 3 (had never fought above 160 and was clearly outsized in the fight).
  • Edgar Berlanga (bum)
  • Rocky Fielding (bum)
  • Sergei Kovalev (8 weeks notice off a brutal 12 rnd fight, desperate for capital due to rape charges, psychological shortcomings going into fight).
You're allowed a few bum fights and a few mismatches, but he tarnished his legacy with too many.

It took a Saudi (and a 175'er in Bivol) with a cheque book to show his shortcomings, no jab, slow, flat footed and can only fight forwards.

That being said he had a great career and showed his worth numerous times aside from the above.
I was cool on some of his softer fights during his 168 run like Fielding or Yildirim, either because they were a mandatory like Yildirim or an “extra” December fight in Firlding’s case. But mostly because they were exceptions rather than the rule in those years.
I give Canelo credit for the Kovalev fight, Kovalev’s weaknesses have been exposed before but still Canelo jumped up 2 divisions at that time and Kovalev was coming off 2 wins against solid opponents (avenging his loss to Eleider and stopping Yarde).

My gripe with Canelo’s career is his choices of opponents after the Bivol loss. He let go of it
 

chunky_mcdaniels

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I give Canelo credit for the Kovalev fight, Kovalev’s weaknesses have been exposed before but still Canelo jumped up 2 divisions at that time and Kovalev was coming off 2 wins against solid opponents (avenging his loss to Eleider and stopping Yarde).
Perhaps, but imv the Kovalev fight is textbook Alvarez/Reynoso tactics/playbook, it appears far greater than the reality.
  • 8 weeks notice for Kovalev
  • Off a brutal 12 round war
  • Without the capacity to cycle PEDS on such short notice (they ALL DO PEDS).
  • Alvarez with the huge PED cycle, lead in.

The irony is the inverse occurred against Crawford, he finally got a taste of his own medicine, a fight not dictated entirely on his terms, and an opponent with a far greater lead in time/preparation.
 

Ducktales

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In the discussion for GOAT level Mexican boxers. Like Andre Ward pointed out last night, Mexicans aren’t as hard on their boxers after a loss.
Facts but they been going the fukk in on saying he fought with no heart. I don’t agree with that. But a lot of them not feeling him at all right now
 

seemorecizzy

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Great fighter.
Only fighter he shoulda fought that he didn't was benevediz but I guess he knew he couldnt handle him at his current age.

Only lost to hall of famers, and Mayweather and crawford are considered 2 of the greatest fighters that ever lived lol

Much respeck
 

Black_Jesus

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from the home of coca-cola, i'm not referring to s
Great Legendary fighter.
Pssibly the greatest Mexican fighrer ever
Legendary career and resume..
4 division champion.. unified in 2. Undisputed in 1
Very under-appreciated..
Gave a whole lot to the sport and really held the sport on his back for many years post Floyd/Manny...
there were literrallly several divisions of nikkas that wouldn't move in the hopes of getting a figfht with Canelo....
Fought 22 fights as champion in the past 10 yrs(which really shouldn't be overlooked)..
He really did a lot but it was never enough for many fans so he kinda started to move with a chip on his shoulder when it came to pleasing certain fans that would call moving up to 175 to fight Dimitri Bivol a cherry pick or history revisionist that would claim he would duck Danny Jacobs unification then call Jacobs a bum in hindsight..
He was in a space where it didn't matter who he fought hating fans would say he ducked someone else.. He wasn't allowed to take soft touches without criticism or get a close decision wothout being accused of paying off judges..
Only real stain his legacy was testing positive for Clenbuteral once..
 

FaTaL

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A warrior who only lost to precise punchers, everybody else was food
 

UpAndComing

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Canelo is an absolute legend

Just like he told Ellie Seckback... We are just going to have to accept it
 
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