Canelo Alvarez is a four-division world champion, but with a few years left on his career, could he make it five?
Canelo‘s record sits at 62-2-2, with Dmitry Bivol handing him his second career defeat and first in nine years back in 2022.
Bivol did more than tarnish Canelo’s record that night, though, and potentially spoiled his plans for victory in a fifth weight division.
Canelo sparred undefeated heavyweight contender
Canelo’s career began in the welterweight division, and his career has seen him move as high as the light-heavyweight division in which he defeated Sergey Kovalev, who had beaten Nathan Cleverly, for the world title.
Canelo’s fight with Bivol marked another step forward towards his goal of ascending once more, with the WBC approving his request in 2021 to challenge Ilunga Makabu for the cruiserweight world title.
“I know … what he has done with the heavyweights he spars with, and that is why we asked for the fight,” Reynoso told ESPN.
One of those heavyweights is Frank Sanchez, a feared contender in the division, at least until his loss to Agit Kabayel.
The footage shows the 6’4″ 220lbs Sanchez moving around with Canelo, and whilst it doesn’t appear to be an overly intense spar, it’s clear by Reynoso’s words that Canelo can hold his own against the Cuban.
“Canelo moves up to heavy and wins a title”… Fans react to Canelo sparring Frank Sanchez
Whilst some fans praised the Mexican, suggesting he could win a title in the pinnacle of the sport in the heavyweight division, others were unimpressed by the spar:
“Frank wasn’t trying to hurt him… sparring is preparation for a fight… ya gotta stop recording this s— too… disrespectful to the sweet science….”
“this what a typical canelo fight looks like. Canelo walking forward like a zombie while the other guy doesn’t even try.”
Some suggest Canelo has changed since his loss to Bivol, who beat Joe Smith Jr. to enter the spotlight, and now recognizes the challenge of fighting in higher-weight divisions:
“He didn’t care about weight then..”
Either way, it seems with the William Scull fight next, and Terence Crawford fight after, Canelo will likely never enter the cruiserweight division. If he did, Makabu no longer has his title, and it would be Badou Jack, who punched two referees, Canelo would be facing.