Canelo’s Power: Is it Overrated?

Canelo’s Power: Is it Overrated?

By M.DeTyrone

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez has a pro record of 32KOs in 47 fights with a professional boxing record of 45-1-1 (32KO) with a 68 % KO. If you break down his KO record, it’s been against subpar opposition. He hasn’t KO’d or TKO’d an elite ex or current world champion unless you believe the 39-year-old Carlos Baldomir at 153.5 lbs. and the psychological damaged and washed up Kermit Cintron were elite boxers.

After the KO of James Kirkland in the third round in a middleweight catchweight, fight on May 9, 2105 there’s much talk of Canelo’s power and his ability to KO opponents all thorough the web by Canelo fans, the Mexican nationalist fans, boxing media, and the boxing commentators. According to them Canelo’s on the rise after the KO of James Kirkland and TKO of Alfredo Angulo in middleweight catchweights.

Canelo’s KO record is full of subpar boxers, which he defeated in Mexico and in the welterweight division. Canelo’s KOs in the welterweight division is 20, which is a 62.5 % of his 32 KOs. All versus the boxers Carlos Leonardo Herrera, Antonio Fitch, Raul Pinzon, Axel Rodrigo Solis, Pedro López, Marat Khuzeev, Jesus Abel Hernandez, Daniel Martínez, Pablo Alvarado, Cristian Hernández, Brian Camechis, Victor Márquez, Ivan Illescas, Fransico Villanueva, Javier Martínez, Francisco Villanueva, Jeferson Luis Goncalo, Michel Rosales , Euri Gonzalez, and Gabriel Martínez. Sorry, but I can’t find a true talented boxer within that list of 20 boxers, however the Canelo fans seem to have the ability to find them.

In the super welterweight division, Canelo has eight KOs, which is 25% of his 32 KOs versus the boxers Sean Holly, welterweight Josesito López, welterweight Kermit Cintron, welterweight Alfonso Gómez, 39-year-old former welterweight Carlos M. Baldomir, Super Welterweight Luciano Leonel Cuello, Lightweight / welterweight José Miguel Cotto, and super welterweight Ryan Rhodes.

Twenty-five of Canelo’s 32 KOs have been in Mexico that’s 78% of his KOs. Outside of Mexico, a total of three of Canelo’s 32 KOs have been in Las Vegas that’s 9.5% of his KOs and four of Canelo’s 32 KOs have been in California, Florida, and Texas that’s 12.5% of his KOs.

Let’s look at his KO record of 32 KOs round by round and see whose he KO’d.

Round 1: Alvarez has five KOs.

1.      Carlos Leonardo Herrera TKO 1 in the welterweight division

2.      Antonio Fitch TKO 1 in the welterweight division

3.      Raul Pinzon TKO 1 in the welterweight division

4.      Axel Rodrigo Solis TKO 1 in the welterweight division

5.      Pedro Lopez TKO 1 in the welterweight division

All of Canelo’s first round KOs have occurred in the welterweight division vs. subpar opposition. This is normal for a boxer moving up the ranks his last first round KO was in 2009 in the welterweight division.

Round 2: Alvarez has seven KOs.

1.      Marat Khuzeev KO 2 in the welterweight division 

2.      Sean Holly KO 2 in the super welterweight division (catchweight in 2007)

3.      Jesus Abel Hernandez KO 2 in the welterweight division 

4.      Daniel Martinez KO 2 in the welterweight division 

5.      Juan Hernandez KO 2 in the Jr. Welterweight division 

6.      Pablo Alvarado KO2 KO 2 in the welterweight division 

7.      Cristian Hernandez KO 2 in the welterweight division 

Canelo has five KOs in the welterweight division, one in the super welterweight division, and one in the Jr. Welterweight division. All of his seven KOs have been versus subpar opposition.

Round 3: Alvarez has two KOs.

1.      James Kirkland KO 3 in the middleweight division (catchweight)

2.      Brian Camechis KO 3 in the welterweight division

Overall, from round one to round three Canelo has a total of 14KOs, which are 44% of his 32KOs. Eleven of those 14 KOs were in the welterweight division. His most significant KO was against the two-year inactive and a no Anne Wolfe, James Kirkland.

Round 4: Alvarez has three KOs.

1.      Victor Marquez KO 4 in the welterweight division

2.      Ivan Illescas KO 4 in the welterweight division

3.      Abraham Gonzalez KO 4 in the Jr. Welterweight division

Round 5: Alvarez has three KOs.

1.      Josesito Lopez TKO 5 in the super welterweight division

2.      Kermit Cintron TKO 5 in the super welterweight division

3.      Fransico Villanueva KO 5 in the welterweight division

Josesito Lopez a blown up welterweight given an opportunity to challenge for the WBC Super Welterweight title, and lost due to a sizable weight disadvantage. Since the Canelo fight Lopez has gone down back to the welterweight division and has been TKO’d in six by Andre Berto, was TKO’d in five by Aaron Martinez and TKO’d in six by Marcos Rene Maidana.

Round 6: Alvarez has three KOs.

1.      Alfonso Gomez TKO 6 in the super welterweight division

2.      Carlos M. Baldomir KO 6 in the super welterweight division

3.      Luciano Leonel Cuello TKO 6 in the super welterweight division 

In 2011, Alfonso Gomez not a true super welterweight given a WBC World super welterweight title and was TKO’d in six rounds. Since that defeat, he returned down to the welterweight division and lost to Shawn Porter via UD. In 2010, the 39-year-old Carlos Manuel Baldomir former world champion fought Canelo at 153.5 lbs. and KO’d in six by Canelo.

From the round, four to round seven Canelo has a total of 9KOs, which is 28% of his 32 KOs.

The only significant KO victory was against Kermit Cintron a former welterweight champion, and since the Canelo fight has been fighting in the welterweight division vs. dismal opposition.

The last TKO victory by Canelo was versus the welterweight Alfonso Gomez and his last KO victory in the sixth round was versus the 39-year-old Carlos Manuel Baldomir.

Round 8: Alvarez has one KO.

1.      Javier Martinez KO 8 in the welterweight division

Round 9: Alvarez has three KOs.

1.      Francisco Villanueva TKO9 in the welterweight division

2.      Jose Miguel Cotto TKO 9 in the super welterweight division

3.      Jeferson Luis Goncalo KO 9 in the welterweight division

The last ninth round TKO by Canelo was versus the lightweight/welterweight journeyman Jose Miguel Cotto in 2010 in a super welterweight catchweight fight. Cotto was the last boxer to badly hurt Canelo.

Round 10: Alvarez has two KOs.

1.      Michel Rosales TKO 10 in the welterweight division

2.      Alfredo Angulo TKO 10 in the middleweight division (catchweight)

From the eighth round to the tenth round, Canelo has a total of 6KOs, which is 18.75% of his 32 KOs. Four of those six KOs were in the welterweight division. None of those six KOs has been versus significant boxers outside the known name of Alfredo Angulo that was coming of periods of inactivity and TKO defeats at the hands of Erislandy Lara and James Kirkland.

Round 11: Alvarez has one KO.

1.      Euri Gonzalez TKO 11 in the welterweight division

Round 12: Alvarez has two KOs.

1.      Ryan Rhodes TKO 12 in the super welterweight division

2.      Gabriel Martinez TKO 12 in the welterweight division

Only three KOs out of 32 KOs were in the Championship rounds. Two of which were in the welterweight division. The most significant TKO was in 2011; Ryan Rhodes was TKO’d in 12 by Canelo and was later in 2012 TKO’d in seven by Sergey Rabchenko.

Canelo has power to KO and TKO but it has been versus subpar opposition that tends to be sluggers or boxers with limited footwork and defense. When he’s stepped up in competition versus pure-boxers or boxer-punchers with good footwork, he couldn’t TKO or KO. Examples are welterweight Matthew Hatton, super welterweight Erislandy Lara, welterweight Floyd Mayweather Jr. super welterweight Austin Trout (he hurt Trout but could not finish him), 39-year-old Shane Mosley, 39-year-old welterweight Lovemore Ndou, and lightweight Miguel Vasquez twice.

Yes, Canelo’s KO powers overrated by his fan base and by many in the boxing media. Canelo is no one punch KO artist and majority of his KO’s have been versus opponents, which he outweighed by nearly 20 lbs. after the day weigh in, and they have no true footwork or defense.