Canelo Alvarez is gearing up for a mega-fight with Terence Crawford to secure the pound-for-pound crown.
Canelo Alvarez will face Terence Crawford in his 68th fight, putting his undisputed super-middleweight titles on the line.
This comes 20 years after Canelo made his boxing debut at the age of 15, and 17 years after his first real close-call.
Canelo almost lost to 5-17-2 Francisco Villanueva in Mexico
Canelo had racked up an impressive 18-0-1 record going into his 20th fight. He had had two close calls before the fight, but both were over four round contests.
In 2006, Canelo edged a split decision over a debutant. Just two fights later, Canelo drew with Jorge Juarez, a Mexican journeyman.
That same year, Canelo stopped another journeyman, Francisco Villanueva, in the fifth round of their six-round contest.
In a strange turn of events, Canelo and Villanueva ended up fighting again in 2008, with the result ending the same – a KO win for Canelo.
Stranger still, the pair met in the ring for a third time that same year in a ten-round contest, with the 5-17 journeyman almost derailing Canelo’s road to stardom.
Over ten rounds, Canelo just about edged a split decision, concluding the trilogy by snatching a win from the jaws of defeat.
Canelo has had six very close fights
In his entire career, Canelo, who rates Crawford highly, has won almost every fight by knockout or unanimous decision.
There have been only four occasions when Canelo, who shut down Jake Paul, has won a fight either by split decision or majority decision:
2006 – Miguel Vazquez (0-0) – SD
2008 – Francisco Villanueva (5-17-2) – SD
2014 – Erislandy Lara (19-1-2) – SD
2018 – Gennadiy Golovkin (38-0-1) – MD
Canelo also fought to a draw with Juarez and, controversially, with Golovkin.