BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. – Canelo Alvarez has had an uneven ride ever since beating Caleb Plant to become the undisputed super middleweight champion of the world in November 2021.
In May 2022, Alvarez stepped up to light heavyweight and lost to Dmitry Bivol.
In September 2022, Alvarez scored a unanimous decision win against Gennadiy Golovkin in a trilogy fight. Shortly afterward, Alvarez had left wrist surgery.
In May, Alvarez had a homecoming fight against John Ryder and won via unanimous decision. Alvarez dropped and bloodied Ryder, but the KO many expected escaped him.
And now, on Sept. 30, Alvarez (59-2-2, 39 KOs) will take on Jermell Charlo (35-1-1, 19 KOs) at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Showtime pay-per-view in a 168-pound fight.
“We’ll see if it’s true that I’ve lost a step. We’ll see. I understand what the people said and I agree. I didn’t look my best in my last two fights, but I know why and I’m ready for this fight. We’ll see what happens. We’re going to see something different,” Alvarez said during a press conference at The Beverly Hilton.
Alvarez said fighting with an ailing hand prohibited him from performing at a peak level.
“I’m going to bring my best like always. I’ll bring my skills and my experience into the ring. I’m just going to do my best and that’s it,” said Alvarez.
“I’m very happy to be involved in big fights like this. I hope that everybody enjoys this fight because it’s going to be a great night for the fans and for everybody who has wanted to see this fight for a long time.”
The four-division champion Alvarez signed a three-fight deal with Premier Boxing Champions earlier this year.
At the age of 33, Alvarez has several potential big-name opponents who are affiliated with PBC waiting in the wings, including David Benavidez, Errol Spence Jr., David Morrell, Jermall Charlo, and Demetrius Andrade, among others.
“I always say that outside of the ring, I look like I’m an easy opponent. But when fighters step in the ring with me, it’s completely different. It’s not the same watching me from outside the ring as it is actually being inside the ring with me. I’m a different guy,” said Alvarez.
“I think both Jermell and Jermall Charlo are great fighters. No disrespect to Jermall. But I think Jermell has had better opposition in his fights. I think he is the better fighter. That’s just what I think.”
Manouk Akopyan is a sports journalist, writer, and broadcast reporter. He’s also a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and the MMA Journalists Association. He can be reached on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube at @ManoukAkopyan, through email at manouk[dot]akopyan[at]gmail.com, or via www.ManoukAkopyan.com.