When and how did Canelo Alvarez become the biggest star in boxing?

Trying to retrace the point when a young red-headed Mexican collected the Face of Boxing tag is not an easy task. For there have been several stops, false starts and lessons along the way for Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, the iconic 34-year-old who has become, in the post Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao years, the sport’s towering financial powerhouse.  

He makes regular appearances on rich lists, calls just about all the shots and, perhaps in a lesson handed down from Mayweather (and not the only one), he claims to get an 80 per cent share of everything sold in the venue on fight night, from the merchandise to the sodas and snacks. 

Setting off on his professional journey aged just 15, even Canelo would have been hard pushed to have dreamt up the enormity of his success. For a while, however, it seemed written, particularly after his comparatively early union with Oscar De La Hoya, who presented him to the UK boxing media in Las Vegas one weekend in around 2009 claiming Canelo would “be the next one” in a line that could be traced back to Oscar, Julio Cesar Chavez and further back down the long history of Hispanic greats. 

Sure, Canelo was soon headlining fights, but he was given a leg up with exposure on Floyd Mayweather undercards with Mayweather boxing Shane Mosley and Miguel Cotto; it would not be long before Canelo himself was beating Mosley (on a Mayweather undercard) and then Cotto. 

Before he got there, Canelo fought Mayweather himself in 2013 as the culmination of an incredible fight week in Las Vegas for a show billed as The One, which served as a precursor to Mayweather’s box office blockbusters against Pacquiao and Conor McGregor. 

Mayweather-Canelo generated some $150m on Showtime and sold more than 2m buys.

Mayweather picked up from where De La Hoya had left off with the British press four years earlier when he declared: “I’ve only got 24 months left, and this is the man.” 

He was referring to Canelo, who saw out the fight against Floyd but looked bemused and all out of answers by the halfway point. Of course, plenty said afterwards the contest had come too soon for Canelo, that the catchweight was better suited to Mayweather, but Canelo was befuddled, lost in the Mayweather maze in the MGM Grand.  

He emerged, however, a more complete fighter for the experience and within two years he had done what Mayweather predicted he would and was the biggest draw in the sport.  

In 2017 and 2018, Canelo somehow came through two violent fights with Gennady Golovkin without a loss and tested positive for clenbuterol, serving a six-month ban between Golovkin fights – which were a year apart. 

His drawing power was no less diminished when he returned and he continued on his way of main events and pay-per-view blockbusters. More than 10 years on from the humbling at the fists of Mayweather, Canelo remains at the pinnacle without a clear heir to the sport’s most lucrative throne. 

But Canelo had been on the radar of Doug Fischer, editor of The Ring, even before he moved to crack America. 

“He was already a teenage star in Mexico before he began his US campaign because he had been fighting on a major free terrestrial network (Televisa), that had marketed him as ‘the next big thing,’” Fischer recalled. “His first title bout in 2011 drew 11,000 to the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, but I think 2013 was his breakout year in the US because he drew nearly 40,000 to the Alamodome in San Antonio (vs. Austin Trout) and challenged Floyd Mayweather Jr. in a PPV event that did two million buys.”  

It is not often that, in defeat, the next generational star is born. Usually the torch is passed, but Mayweather emphatically held on. 

“That fight was Canelo’s first major PPV headliner, which got his feet wet in the business side of boxing as well as the highest level of sporting events in America and all of the pressures and obligations that come with such events,” Fischer added. “He learned to avoid being on the shit-end of catchweight agreements, he understood how much energy participating in things like HBO’s 24/7 series can take from a fighter, and he also got an embarrassing boxing lesson from Mayweather. That hurt his ego but also made the fire in his belly burn brighter. Canelo continued to work on his craft with renewed vigor, and he continued to improve, fight by fight, after his first loss.” 

HBO’s then lead announcer Jim Lampley agreed that the Mayweather fight more than played an active role in Canelo’s rise, although like Fischer he had chartered the journey. 

“It was a gradual ascent, not a big-moment starburst,” Lampley said. “He was known to the boxing public before he fought Floyd Mayweather, and though he predictably lost a majority decision, he visibly threatened Mayweather in a way that previous opponents had not. One judge scored the fight a draw. That was step one.

“Step two was on May 9, 2015, one week after the high-priced tedium of Mayweather-Pacquaio, with fight fans still lamenting the disappointment of the latest ‘fight of the century’, and with a larger-than-usual audience tuned in on HBO, Canelo produced a rampant three-round destruction of the charismatically violent James Kirkland before a stadium crowd in Houston. From that moment on Canelo would be must-see TV regardless of the platform. And he visibly earned a level of respect from Mayweather which made it somewhat unimportant whether he ‘won’ the decision. He created the impression that he was the heir apparent to Floyd’s number one status, and a lot more fun to watch.” 

If anything, the majority decision might have hindered Canelo. The contentious nature of judge CJ Ross seeing an even fight when in reality it was a Mayweather landslide still sticks in the throats of those who were there. Despite that, Canelo pressed on and stopped Alfredo Angulo less than five months on.  

Canelo struggled then to a narrow and debatable win (split decision) over Erislandy Lara, with some believing it was his star power, and not his skills, that got him out of a bind and earned him the win, but the demolition of Kirkland, a points win over Cotto and then another spectacular KO of poor Amir Khan added to his momentum, his bank account and his highlight reel.

And by now, the spot at the pinnacle was vacant. Anthony Joshua was huge business in the UK but not visible in the US where Pacquiao and Floyd were slipping out of the picture. Tyson Fury was ballooning up in weight and more often in nightclubs than boxing clubs and there was no one else with Canelo’s gravitas or fanbase. The fact he was prepared to get into the trenches and accommodate opponents only added to his appeal. 

“His fighting style is part of it, and being a Mexican ginger – which is rare – doesn’t hurt,” Fischer added. “But mainly it comes down to his attitude and charisma. He’s willing to challenge himself which hardcore fans respect, and he’s got a cowboy-like confidence and swagger about him.”

“He is a star because he is the number one audience attraction in Mexican boxing,” Lampley explained, “and Mexico is a large nation which is, per capita, the most intensely devoted boxing market in the world. He is methodical and technical by comparison to most of his Mexican superstar predecessors but he is violent enough to sustain the tradition. And his granite punch resistance fits with the blood and guts style elements that fan base wants to see. All that and the unique red hair equals superstar.”

And yet Canelo did nothing of grabbing the torch from Mayweather in the ring, and when he had the chance to sit atop of the sport without dispute he was, for many, gifted a draw against Gennady Golovkin in their first fight, and even though Canelo won the rematch by the narrowest of margins – on a majority – that is the victory that most stands out for Fischer as the Mexican’s most significant. 

“For me it’s his rematch with Golovkin,” said the Ring editor. “GGG gave him a hard time in their first bout, and like most observers, I thought Canelo lost that fight. Most fighters of his stature would take the draw and say ‘goodbye’ to a hardass like Golovkin forever, but Canelo’s got a lot of pride. He wanted the chance to be better. And he fought a better fight in the rematch, which was the Fight of the Year, and a modern classic among middleweight championships.”

Lampley struggled to pinpoint Canelo’s marquee win, believing instead his star appeal is the sum of more than just one breakout performance. 

“He has a defining long-term record,” Lampley contended. “I don’t think there was any one defining win, though beating Austin Trout was significant in establishing he could beat a skilled boxer-counterpuncher and beating Miguel Cotto was a big step because Cotto was a major star, vastly respected for skills and professionalism. Those two wins were big credentials at the time.”

Of course, the big Canelo controversy came between the Golovkin fights, with the clenbuterol positive. That was a dilemma for his fans, and for The Ring’s Fischer.

“It was a huge deal at the time and I think it hurt and embarrassed Canelo on a personal level while he dealt with the investigation,” said Fisher. “There was a lot of heat on him from fans, media, and much of the boxing industry. It was a hard time for Ring Magazine, too, because we had vowed to drop him from the rankings and strip him of The Ring championship if the Nevada commission suspended him, which happened. However, we got push back from Golden Boy Promotions (Canelo’s promoter at the time and the magazine’s owner). We fought it and eventually got our way – Canelo was dropped from the rankings before the rematch but the whole ordeal, which lasted months, was very stressful.

“However, I’ll say this about Canelo, he had more resources to fight the commission than any other fighter in the world, but he cooperated with them 100 per cent. Most fighters that pop dirty for a PED immediately lawyer up before it’s even made public, as Tyson Fury, Billy Joe Saunders, Oscar Valdez, Conor Benn, Alycia Baumgardner and dozens of others have over the years. They deny everything and they threaten to sue and it’s no secret that the commissions and the drug testing agencies don’t want to bother with lawsuits. Canelo had the juice – no pun intended – to give the NSAC the finger and move the entire promotion to Texas or some other jurisdiction that wouldn’t hassle him, but he played ball with Nevada. I respect that.” 

These days, it is rare for a Hall of Fame induction class not to include a fighter who has tested positive and there is no question Canelo is heading to Canastota. Some members of the boxing authorities maintain Alvarez positive was legitimately contaminated from meat, including high-profile doping agents, but the mud has stuck in some quarters, even if time has passed. 

“He has lived down the PED scandal despite the ineradicable evidennce,” opined Lampley. “It is helpful to him that the opponent on the other end of that discussion was from Kazakhstan, not from the United States or Mexico… There has been no further perceived infraction, Gennady is effectively retired, the world wanted to move on and we did.”

And what of Canelo’s legacy? Fischer is certain he is one of the greatest Mexicans of all time and is “right up there with Julio Cesar Chavez.” 

It doesn’t get any better than that, but Lampley sees Canelo as a fighter who can still do more to leave his mark. 

“He is fighting for his legacy right now,” added Lampley. “Even other living Mexcian superstars like Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales have acknowledged to me that Canelo can now state a case to be seen as the greatest Mexican ever and such a legacy identity would be about as elevated as any current fighter can reach.”

However, like most observers, Lampley doesn’t believe a straightforward victory over Berlanga this weekend will do anything for that legacy. 

The buzzword for Canelo over the last two years has been Benavidez. David Benavidez, “The Mexican Monster”, is the natural rival and one Canelo doesn’t have to leave his weight class for. It is quite possibly the biggest fight in boxing, and arguably the best fight that can be made. 

“It would earn the respect of an entirely new generation of boxing fans,” said Fischer, when asked whether Alvarez should seek out Benavidez. “The younger social media heads and content creators who weren’t around when he first started making his name 15 years ago.” 

“Benavidez is hugely charismatic,” concurred Lampley. “So, Canelo can enhance his popularity just by taking the fight. But if the risk of fighting Berlanga is stage three or four, the risk of Benavidez at 168 looks like stage eight or nine. For other opponents, but maybe not for Canelo. The payday might rival or exceed what he made for taking the risk of fighting Golovkin. But he is Canelo, so he can make big money without risking a Benavidez matchup. And that is what we see for now. Edgar Berlanga. After all, how much more popular can he get? And isn’t his legacy already elevated and secure? I think so.”

Canelo has not really fuelled the Benavidez fire. It is clearly one of his least favorite topics, but he has been more open about wanting another attempt to defeat Dmitriy Bivol. First, of course, the Russian must meet his compatriot Artur Beterbiev in Riyadh next month in one of the year’s major fights, but there are plenty of attractive options at 175 if that is where Canelo sees his future.  

Of course, the queue to face Mexico’s boxing cottage industry is lengthy, and features Terence Crawford – calling Canelo out from 154lbs – to the monsters at ’75 and everyone in between who wants their shot at boxing’s economic stronghold. 

“The global public doesn’t yet know enough about David Benavidez, David Morrell, or for that matter even Terence Crawford, for it to be critical that those names appear on Canelo’s legacy application,” said Lampley when asked what Canelo needs to do to enhance that application. “This isn’t Ali-Frazier we are talking about here. Canelo could walk away tomorrow and a significant percentage of meaningful observers would go ahead and identify him as the greatest Mexican fighter ever. 

“It will never be unanimous. So need ain’t got anything to do with it – it’s all about want. Does he want the thrill and the passionate audience response that would come from beating Benavidez or Morrell? Fighters fight, that’s why thay are who they are. I suspect he will not leave boxing wirthout at least one more giant play, and that does not describe Berlanga unless it becomes a Foreman-Lyle type, drag out battle. We shall see.”

Canelo has had plenty of criticism for ‘ducking’ fighters, but those who know him don’t question his heart, his ability or his intent. They also think he has nothing left to prove, even if Berlanga is far from the final night of his storied career. 

Fischer also doesn’t believe Canelo needs to do more at 175, but he won’t put Canelo daring to be great beyond the Mexican once more and agrees with Lampley that we could yet see what Lampley referred to as “one more giant passion play.” 

“I wouldn’t put it past him to go for a rematch with Dmitry Bivol should Bivol defeat Artur Beterbiev in October,” surmised Fischer. “And I wouldn’t be shocked if he challenged Beterbiev if King Artur prevails and becomes the undisputed champ.” 

It is hard to concisely say exactly when Canelo became the boxing royalty he is today, but a win of that ilk, up at 175, would serve only to cement his status as the star that shines the brightest in the sport today.