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No matter how many historical milestones he checks off and titles he collects, Canelo Alvarez believes there is no satisfying certain critics.
The Mexican superstar and current unified super middleweight champion recently expressed his dismay with the notion – popular in some corners of the boxing peanut gallery – that he is avoiding top contenders like former super middleweight titlist David Benavidez and middleweight beltholder Jermall Charlo. That line of thought received renewed attention after Alvarez announced a potential move up to the cruiserweight division, a move that some regarded as a way to avoid fighting the likes of Benavidez and Charlo.
For Alvarez, it is all just sour grapes.
“Look, what I see and what I know is I beat the No.1 fighter at 168. It was Callum Smith,” Alvarez (57-1-2, 39 KOs) told World Boxing News. “Next, Billy Joe Saunders, second. Next, the third one (Plant). So, I beat all the best at 168. They were all undefeated. I beat all the best at 168, and now there’s people saying you need to fight this one — like always.”
Ironically, Benavidez (25-0, 22 KOs) would have probably already had a chance to fight Alvarez, but the 25-year-old lost the WBC 168-pound title twice: the first time was when he positive for cocaine and the second was when he came in overweight on the scales in what was supposed to be his first title defense against Roamer Angulo in 2020.
Charlo (32-0, 22 KOs) has never fought at the super middleweight limit but has repeatedly expressed his interest in moving up to face Alvarez.
“This always happens,” Alvarez said of the criticism. “But I beat the best champion at 168. Then they say, ‘he’s scared of him’ or ‘he’s scared of that guy.’ I am not scared about anything. I don’t avoid anybody.
“But what does that guy (Benavidez) bring to me? Nothing. Nothing. Mention a champion they (Benavidez and Charlo) fight before. How many? I really don’t care. Haters are always going to be haters.”