Canelo Alvarez opens up on only defeat to Floyd Mayweather and admits he was inexperienced and sees loss as lesson
CANELO ALVAREZ opened up on his sole career defeat to Floyd Mayweather, which he put down to inexperience and a lesson learned. The Mexican superstar was just 23 when he faced Mayweather in 2013, which sold a then-record 2.2million pay-per-views. Canelo, the WBC light-middleweight champion at 154lb at the time, was also made to fight […]
CANELO ALVAREZ opened up on his sole career defeat to Floyd Mayweather, which he put down to inexperience and a lesson learned.
The Mexican superstar was just 23 when he faced Mayweather in 2013, which sold a then-record 2.2million pay-per-views.
Canelo, the WBC light-middleweight champion at 154lb at the time, was also made to fight at a catchweight 152lb limit.
Mayweather later put on a masterclass over 12 rounds, but it proved to be the last blemish on Alvarez’s record.
Canelo, 30, said on Mike Tyson’s podcast: “I know what happened, I’m going to be with my trainer all my life, because I know.
“When I fought with Floyd, I was 23. I always think I need to fight first with Cotto, Lara and all of those guys and then Floyd.
“But that’s what it is. I needed more experience, more mature. I don’t take that fight like a loss, I learned from that fight.”
Mayweather, now 44, showcased expert counter punching and defence against Canelo that night in Las Vegas.
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Since then, Alvarez has adapted his style and become a master evader, while moving up the weights.
He went on to win titles at middleweight, super-middle and light-heavyweight.
But the four-division champion has settled at the 168lb super-middleweight limit, where he holds the WBC and WBA belts.
He has his eye on the undisputed crown, and faces Billy Joe Saunders, the WBO holder in May, with plans to already challenge for Caleb Plant’s IBF strap after.