Trainer: Canelo is Very Strong, Much Better at Higher Weight

By Miguel Rivera

WBO junior middleweight champion Saul "Canelo" Alvarez (48-1-1, 34 KOs) is looking very strong in training camp, according to trainer Eddy Reynoso.

The Mexican superstar is training in San Diego for his upcoming HBO Pay-Per-View showdown with Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., which takes place on May 6th at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

The fight takes place at a catch-weight of 164.5-pounds. Canelo has never fought any higher than a catch-weight of 155, and his last fight took place in September at the junior middleweight limit of 154 - when Canelo knocked out Liam Smith to capture the WBO title.

Canelo has to sacrifice a lot of himself to get down in weight to 154 and 155. Chavez Jr. has fought as a high as 172-pounds, and in his last contest, in December, he fought at the super middleweight limit of 168-pounds.

Reynoso explains that Canelo is now a lot stronger and looking much better in camp with the added weight to his pound. Canelo is very well known, when he weighed in at 154 or 155, to rehydrate up to over 170-pounds.

"We have always been accustomed to Saul fighting with fighters who are a little taller. He adapts quite well to those types of styles, fighters who have more reach and we have done the proper preparation. The preparation changed a lot, we have a good margin of pounds to work with and do it differently, and to reach the fight in good condition," Reynoso siad.

"It is obvious that Saul sacrificed himself to score 154 pounds against Liam Smith in his most recent contest. It was hard enough to make that weight, we made many sacrifices, and during all of the preparation for that fight we skimmed on a lot of things, because we didn't want to force too much on the boxer - but this time the supplementation is different, and we will arrive in very good condition."

"At this weight Saul is very strong in training. When we're working at that weight I could feel he's stronger, and the preparation has been stronger. He's able to supports more workloads, and that gives you a result that you are looking for to look very good in the ring."