By Dan Ambrose: Canelo Alvarez’s lack of mobility will be highlighted when he faces IBF super middleweight champion Caleb Plant on November 6th. This fight could go badly for Alvarez because he’s got to deal with a mobile fighter with a great jab.
Canelo’s poor mobility and flat-footed fighting style have been disguised in the last eight years because he’s fought stationary guys exclusively since his controversial win over Erislandy Lara in 2014.
Canelo landed only 31 headshots in the entire fight, yet the judges gave him a gift decision against Lara.
Canelo to deal with movement from Plant
Plant (21-0, 12 KOs) is the first mobility fighter that Canelo has fought since 2013, and the only reason he’s fighting him is that he has no choice.
Caleb will use his jab and mobility to keep Canelo on the outside, unable to land his short power shots the way he normally does. Canelo is a counter puncher who is at his best when his opponents are throwing power punches.
Where Canelo struggles is when he faces guys that jab a lot and use movement. When Canelo faces those guys, he’s almost helpless and looks lost.
The highly mobile Plant has the last title that Canelo needs to become the undisputed champion at 168. If not for that, Canelo would likely avoid him like he’s clearly doing with David Benavidez, Gennadiy Golovkin, and David Morrell Jr.
It’s no accident that Canelo has saved Plant for last among the champions at super middleweight, considering he knows how difficult he’ll be due to his mobility and boxing skills.
Canelo’s opponent Billy Joe Saunders used to be a highly mobile fighter, but by the time he fought him last May, the British fighter had aged and was old & past it. This wasn’t the same fighter that beat Andy Lee in 2015.
Alvarez has thrived on stationary fighters
To win his titles at 168, Canelo has beaten these stationary one-dimensional champions:
- Rocky Fielding
- Callum Smith
- Billy Joe Saunders
Canelo could have fought Plant a long time again, but he put it off like a person putting off doing yard work or some unappealing task that would require courage and sweat.
It’s no secret that Canelo (56-1-2, 38 KOs) has never been a mobile fighter during his career, and he’s also had knee problems that have slowed him down.
You hate to say it, but without the careful match-making that’s been done for Canelo, he likely would have been beaten.
The way Canelo has been matched is a lot like Jake paul in that his management has steered him around quality fighters.