THE only loss on Saul “Canelo” Alvarez’s 48 fight record is his 2013 points defeat to Floyd Mayweather. But the Mexican star insists that result has not affected his standing in the sport.
“As far as losing to Floyd, I don’t think I lost any credibility. You know, to go in there and perform like I did against Floyd at 22 years old, I don’t think I lost any credibility at all,” Canelo said. “I lost to a guy that nobody beat. Nobody was able to beat. None of the big names were able to beat him, so I don’t think I lost any credibility.”
Ahead of his May 7 defence against Amir Khan, he believes that he has developed as a fighter. “Look, I think I faced every kind of style. There’s so many different styles I’ve faced. I’ve faced people like that that are fast, elusive. I have the experience to be victorious May 7. I think it’s something that he doesn’t bring anything different that I haven’t faced before in the past to the table,” Saul said.
“Obviously I have to be prepared, but yes, I have faced guys like him before. Many things have changed. I’m more experienced now. I’m more of a complete fighter. I’ve learned so much in that fight. So many things have changed. I think I have more confidence around the ring, so there’s many things that have changed.”
He did scalp a legend in the sport when he beat Miguel Cotto last year to win the WBC middleweight title. “As far as beating Miguel Cotto, what it did, it gave me confidence. And it was historic for me, for my career, and it gave me a lot of confidence, a fighter, the stature of Miguel Cotto, the experience he has, the brand, the name, everything. It just gave me a lot of confidence and it’s something that was historic for me,” Alvarez said.
But given his young age, only 25, the Mexican star has a lot more to achieve. “There’s many more things and many more goals. I have so much more that I want to accomplish in the sport,” he said. “I think that I can reach many of them. I just have to concentrate more and keep working hard at my craft.”
