LAS VEGAS — A few years in the past, whereas protecting Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez’s return to Guadalajara, I visited the gymnasium the place he started a superb two-decade profession that made him the undisputed tremendous middleweight champion and champion in 4 completely different divisions.
There, Chepo Reynoso, the coach who took him in at age 14, spoke to me in regards to the inevitable expiration date of a boxer once I requested him how for much longer we might have Álvarez as knowledgeable fighter.
Reynoso jogged my memory that Álvarez has been boxing since he was a baby and that he was already knowledgeable at 15. Due to his self-discipline and competitiveness, Álvarez grew to become a a number of world champion and the Mexican athlete who has earned extra money than another boxer from his nation. However all that effort ultimately takes its toll.
“When he sees that his physique is now not responding, regardless that he works arduous and takes care of himself, will probably be time to say goodbye. Your physique tells you, ‘Cease, I can’t do that anymore,’” Reynoso, now 72, advised me. He accompanied Álvarez in his painful loss to Terence Crawford Saturday in Las Vegas.
Throughout the identical journey, I visited Rigoberto Álvarez, Canelo’s older brother, who additionally jogged my memory that his youthful brother had been combating his complete life and turned skilled at 15 as a result of he was already a father and needed to help his daughter. Rigoberto then recounted a dialog he had with Canelo in 2023: “He advised me himself that he noticed himself combating for a pair extra years, however he didn’t need to retire as a consequence of put on and tear. He wished time for his kids and his household,” Rigoberto mentioned in 2023.
On Saturday in Las Vegas, the indicators these in Álvarez’s nook warned about got here to fruition. Towards Crawford, Álvarez misplaced all his tremendous middleweight titles in a battle wherein he was vastly outclassed.
He left the post-fight information convention with out his belts, a primary within the final seven years, as when he misplaced to Dmitry Byvol within the mild heavyweight division in 2022, he was nonetheless the tremendous middleweight champion.
This time, he left accompanied by his spouse, daughter and coach Eddy Reynoso. But it surely was additionally hanging that he left with the serenity of somebody who has made peace with the passage of time.
Terence Crawford lands a punch and Canelo Álvarez leans backward within the eighth spherical of their undisputed tremendous middleweight title battle at Allegiant Stadium on Saturday.
(Harry How / Getty Photographs for Netflix)
Through the previous few years, Canelo has been the face of boxing: He was thought-about the very best pound-for-pound fighter after his victory over Gennady Golovkin of their second battle in 2022, the star of million-dollar fights and the undisputed king of pay-per-view. However on Saturday, he regarded like a drained, previous cowboy — sluggish and unimaginative, with worn-out reflexes and a physique that now not responds.
“There are occasions while you attempt, however your physique says it might’t,” Álvarez mentioned in English. “I attempted to determine Crawford out, however my physique wasn’t giving it anymore.”
He accepted the defeat calmly. Whereas Crawford, at 37, gave him a boxing lesson in a packed Allegiant Stadium, Alvarez appeared resigned to his destiny.
The loss reopens previous criticism in regards to the legitimacy of Álvarez’s victories and high quality of his opponents. Not even the greater than $100 million he reportedly earned Saturday night time will erase the sensation {that a} cycle has come to an finish.
His fast future is unclear. He has a contract signed with Arab promoter Turki Alalshikh to battle twice in 2026. Álvarez had beforehand spoken of a tour of Europe and Asia, however with out his belts, he’ll now not be the identical international attraction.
Enticing rivals are additionally few and much between. David Benavidez awaits him at 175 kilos, though Canelo has at all times thought-about him too massive bodily for him. And if the trail results in exhibitions with fighters resembling Jake Paul or Conor McGregor, bodily put on and tear and lack of necessity might steer him away.
Immediately, Álvarez speaks extra about his household, particularly spending time together with his new child daughter.
“I’ve already received as a result of I’ve my household with me and thousands and thousands of followers who’ve by no means stopped supporting me,” he wrote on Instagram on Sunday after the loss.
The person who was as soon as unstoppable is resting. His legacy, with a assured place within the Boxing Corridor of Fame, is already written. What appears to have ended is Álvarez’s period as a dominant champion, as a result of in boxing, past glory and cash, the final word opponent is at all times time.
This article first appeared in Spanish through L.A. Instances en Español.
