Congrats Canelo bc he fought smart but this smw div. is weak

[apollo creed]

Canelo fought smart by luring BJS to box and spent his energy and when BJS was exauhsted, Canelo capitalized it with power shots. Canelo is a very cagey and smart fighter. He's patient, his defense is top notch, he conserves very well his energy and he is very good at setting traps and luring his opponents, but let's be fair and admit that this smw era is very weak!

This smw era is not even on the same level of Badou Jack, Groves or DeGale smw era , not to even mention of the S6 era with smw monsters like Ward, Kessler and Froch.

My wish fight-scenario for Canelo would be if somehow Benavidez and Charlo would fight each other and that winner to get Canelo.

[DrDuke]

This SMW era obviously can't be compared with the Super Six one, but it's not worse than the Jack-Groves-DeGale one. Smith destroyed Groves. Jack and DeGale made a helluva fight, but were sorta exposed afterwards. Saunders is on their level or so. Plant looks better. Charlo must move up to face the Canelo-Plant winner. This SMW era looks interesting with such opportunities. Although, of course, Canelo could have tougher times at the LHW.

[apollo creed]

This SMW era obviously can't be compared with the Super Six one, but it's not worse than the Jack-Groves-DeGale one. Smith destroyed Groves. Jack and DeGale made a helluva fight, but were sorta exposed afterwards. Saunders is on their level or so. Plant looks better. Charlo must move up to face the Canelo-Plant winner. This SMW era looks interesting with such opportunities. Although, of course, Canelo could have tougher times at the LHW.

I think 2013 Groves that gave Froch a tough fight would beat 2020/2021 Smith, BJS or Plant.

Tbh only if Canelo would want to go up at 175 lbs and fight the winner of Beterbiev-Smith/Bivol winner, that would be a very strong statement from Canelo, but as I said the best fight for Canelo at 168 lbs would be against the Charlo-Benavidez winner- assuming they would ever fight.

[JoeCorrao]

Canelo fought smart by luring BJS to box and spent his energy and when BJS was exauhsted, Canelo capitalized it with power shots. Canelo is a very cagey and smart fighter. He's patient, his defense is top notch, he conserves very well his energy and he is very good at setting traps and luring his opponents, but let's be fair and admit that this smw era is very weak!

This smw era is not even on the same level of Badou Jack, Groves or DeGale smw era , not to even mention of the S6 era with smw monsters like Ward, Kessler and Froch.

My wish fight-scenario for Canelo would be if somehow Benavidez and Charlo would fight each other and that winner to get Canelo.

BJS was winning up to the eye injury

[Enlightened-One]

Canelo can only fight the men holding the titles.

And if all his rivals are cherry-picking easy opposition, to minimise the risk of losing their place in the Canelo lottery-winning payday queue, then it’ll adversely affect their career progression (i.e. resulting in them lacking experience, failing to learn from the mistakes they make during highly-competitive bouts and not knowing how to adapt when things aren’t going their way).

So Canelo’s rivals are feasting on easy prey during the course of meaningless one-sided stay-busy mismatches and are ill-prepared for the type of threat posed by the Mexican.

Canelo is so damned experienced that he has a massive arsenal and knows how to adapt to every challenge he’s faced with, because he’s seen it all before and he’s accustomed at competing against much tougher opposition than his rivals are facing.

Look at the resumes of Plant, Ramirez, Bivol, Beterbiev, Benavidez, Andrade etc. and tell me I’m wrong?

If Canelo decides to make the jump to 175lbs towards the second half of next year, then I’d expect today’s big-name light heavyweights to follow the same worrying trend of self-preservation, because they’ll be desperately yearning for their turn to receive a mega-payday.

[Perseus]

No way Benavidez and Charlo fight each other knowing a loss takes them out of the Canelo lottery.

[Monzon83]

No way Benavidez and Charlo fight each other knowing a loss takes them out of the Canelo lottery.

That's the problem though, these guys all want to fight people on the level below them. Then fight Canelo and it's too big a jump because he's on the level above them. Iron sharpens Iron as they say and the likes of Plant, Charlo aren't going through that process. Just feasting on C grade fighters, waiting to get the big cashout against the A grade fighter, Canelo.

It's like Saunders last 3 opponents were Isufi, Coceres and Murray. How is that preparing you for Canelo? It's not at all so it's not surprising when he gets his face smashed after he suddenly found himself being hit by a genuine beast like Alvarez.

[armageto]

I've said it for a while now, it might be the worst division in boxing. Canelo gives it star power and a huge name. I mean, look at who he beat for the belts? Froch, Ward, Calzaghe, Kessler, I'd say even Abraham or Andre Dirrell could beat all these guys and unify out of recent SMW good/great fighters.

[Boxerbeetle]

Yeah SMW is awful at the moment.

[Loki]

I've said it for a while now, it might be the worst division in boxing. Canelo gives it star power and a huge name. I mean, look at who he beat for the belts? Froch, Ward, Calzaghe, Kessler, I'd say even Abraham or Andre Dirrell could beat all these guys and unify out of recent SMW good/great fighters.

Fair point. But SMW was only created 1967, so you haven’t got a real historical comparison. I can’t (without looking)think of one SMW fighter pre-1990. Wasn’t Ray Leonard a strap holder? If you take away the Eubank, Benn, Watson era; you are left with the era you have articulated - which was Stella.

I agree, this crop is nowhere near that.

[armageto]

I've said it for a while now, it might be the worst division in boxing. Canelo gives it star power and a huge name. I mean, look at who he beat for the belts? Froch, Ward, Calzaghe, Kessler, I'd say even Abraham or Andre Dirrell could beat all these guys and unify out of recent SMW good/great fighters.

Fair point. But SMW was only created 1967, so you haven’t got a real historical comparison. I can’t (without looking)think of one SMW fighter pre-1990. Wasn’t Ray Leonard a strap holder? If you take away the Eubank, Benn, Watson era; you are left with the era you have articulated - which was Stella.

I agree, this crop is nowhere near that.

I think the modern SMW division is even closer in time than that? I think, my memory fades over the years. I think both Leonard and Hearns had a variation of the title.

[squiggy]

Leonard and Hearns and Duran fought there, but only as interlopers. It seems to me that through the '80s it was mostly ruled over by guys like Fulgencio Obelmejias and Chong-Pal Park. Probably didn't come into its own at all until Toney and McCallum and especially Jones started fighting in it in the '90s.

[Loki]

Leonard and Hearns and Duran fought there, but only as interlopers. It seems to me that through the '80s it was mostly ruled over by guys like Fulgencio Obelmejias and Chong-Pal Park. Probably didn't come into its own at all until Toney and McCallum and especially Jones started fighting in it in the '90s.

I forgot RJJ and Toney. My bad. But, they are more remembered for 160

[fanman]

Good points EO and Creed.

Remember Callum Smith was supposed to be a great fighter & BJS too, according to some.

It's just that Canelo is truly great & makes them look average in comparison. There would probably be some good scraps below Canelo's level.

It's quite impressive what he's doing:
Unified middle, beating Cotto, GGG and Jacobs.
Unified super middle, beating Smith, Saunders.
Unified light middle & won ring title there previously. Beat Trout.
A belt at light heavy.

I wonder if this run at 168 is to make history & keep busy until a trilogy with ggg or a move to take over light heavy.