Canelo is now recognized as the number one star on the planet, firmly taking the mantle from ex-pay-per-view king Floyd Mayweather.
Santos Saul Alvarez Barragan was born July 18th, 1990, in Guadalajara, Mexico.
After just 20 amateur fights, young Saul acquainted himself with the professional fight game as a fresh-faced 15-year-old light-welterweight. He knocked out 18-year-old Abraham Gonzalez in four rounds.
With his pale complexion and ginger hair, a trait he gained from his mother, he was named ‘El Canelo.’ In English, it means Cinnamon.
Later shortened to ‘Canelo,’ the teenager quickly gathered a fanbase due to his distinctive looks.
After three more victories – two by knockout – and now boxing at welterweight, Canelo experienced his first setback in boxing. Jorge Juarez held him to a draw in June 2006. It’s a decision that still hurts Alvarez to this day.
Canelo quickly got back in the ring three weeks later. Taking his frustrations out on Juan Hernandez, he knocked out his opponent in two rounds.
This triumph was the first of seven straight knockouts. The prospect gathered a reputation for hurting his opponents and stopping them early.
A year later, with his record at a healthy 17–0-1 with 14 knockouts, Alvarez took on unbeaten Gabriel Martinez for the WBA Fedecentro welterweight title. He took the title at 18 due to Martinez retiring after 11 completed rounds.
Alvarez would make two defenses of the title in his next five fights, four of which were convincing ten-round points wins. These more prolonged bouts would give him valuable experience, even though they were all one-sided affairs favoring the young Mexican. The last of which, against Larry Mosley, a cousin of ‘Sugar’ Shane, was his first fight across the border in the United States.
After dispensing of Raul Pinzon in one round, in his second Stateside bout, Alvarez knocked out Antonio Fitch within 120 seconds to gain the NABF welterweight title. Canelo would immediately add the WBO Latino title as he battered Euri Gonzalez into an eleventh-round submission.
Another four knockouts followed on his way to picking up the WBC Youth welterweight title in August 2009. Canelo defended it with ease, predictably, by knocking out Carlos Herrara.
Canelo then gave up the third fringe title of his career.
Still holding the NABF title as he moved into 2010, Canelo defended it for the last time with a third-round knockout win over Brian Camechis in March of that year. He then noticeably struggled to make the 147lb limit when taking Jose Miguel Cotto, brother of Miguel Cotto, and stopping him in nine rounds.
With his fanbase across the US border noticeably beginning to swell, Alvarez decided to make a permanent move up the weights. He took on Luciano Cuello eight days before his 20th birthday for the WBC Silver light-middleweight title. Another impressive performance transpired as he stopped the Argentinean in six rounds.
Alvarez then defended it in his most high-profile fight so far. Canelo knocked out shamed former world champion Carlos Baldomir in spectacular style at the end of the sixth round at the Staples Center.
In December, a unanimous points victory over IBO welterweight champion and boxing veteran Lovemore N’dou followed. Winning almost every round in a stand-out performance, Canelo earned a place in the WBN P4P Top 50 for the first time due to his efforts.
Rising to world champion status in March 2011 was no surprise, given Canelo’s heart and desire to reach the top. Beating Matthew Hatton, an experienced fighter, was not as easy as Canelo made it look.
Becoming the youngest-ever world light-middleweight champion put Alvarez in the big leagues. It had promoter Oscar De La Hoya purring about what would evolve. His prediction came to pass as Canelo has been sitting at the top table ever since.
Those early championship wins over Ryan Rhodes, Alfonso Gomez, Kermit Cintron, Shane Mosley, and Josesito Lopez gave Alvarez the platform to shape his future career – ultimately placing him as the natural successor to Mayweather.
Losing to the ‘Money’ man in 2013 was not the end of the world for Canelo. Furthermore, some believe he wouldn’t be the fighter he is today without it.
Having gained middleweight and super-middleweight titles since Canelo’s lucrative deal with DAZN in 2018 only further cemented his position as the best.
How long can he stay there?
Canelo Record
52-1-2 (35 KO’s)
WBC super-welterweight
WBC middleweight
WBO super-welterweight
WBC middleweight
WBA middleweight
WBA super-middleweight
IBF middleweight
WBN P4P RANKING: 1
Read all articles and exclusive interviews by Phil Jay. Learn more about the author, experienced boxing writer, and World Boxing News Editor since 2010. Follow on Twitter @PhilJWBN.
