Canelo Alvarez AJ’s style ring ride makeover needs to go now
Melina Pizano
Canelo Alvarez entered the ring at T-Mobile Arena with a Mexican marching band, featuring traditional dancers and country music.
It was a great sight to see. A show the former pound-for-pound king has done many times in the past. It was classic Canelo, to begin with, in Las Vegas.
However, things took a Wembley Stadium-style twist that came straight out of Anthony Joshua and Eddie Hearn’s playbook.
Hoisting Canelo above the crowd on a platform decorated with the Matchroom logo and then firing the pyrotechnics all seemed a bit done.
This kind of razzmatazz just doesn’t happen at T-Mobile and it’s not what Mexican fans expect from their fighters. From a position in the crowd, it was clear that most of the Mexican fans who witnessed it were bewildered.
They want their warriors to come to the ring with bad intentions and fewer lit fireworks. And never be put on pedestals until you have won a victory.
Unfortunately for Hearn and DAZN PPV, they were wrong. Hopefully we won’t see this kind of English National Stadium on the Vegas Strip again.
It just wasn’t Canelo, it wasn’t Cinco de Mayo, and it wasn’t Mexico. At first glance, it might not have been Canelo’s idea, however.
CANELO ALVAREZ DRAWING BOARD
The undisputed super middleweight champion needs to return to the drawing board after losing to Dmitry Bivol in a fight he couldn’t get his footing.
Despite his jazzy entrance, the crowd didn’t take off, mostly due to Bivol overpowering Canelo with his effortless jab.
The crowd was flat all night, leading to suggestions that Canelo needs to rethink what he portrays going forward.
Raising his arm like he won and making suggestions after the fight that he didn’t lose seemed out of place for the Jalisco native.
GGG
A trilogy collision with Gennadiy Golovkin is to be reduced in September. The focus should be on the action inside the strings.
Throughout the buildup, bewildering chatter overshadowed the showpiece event, which Canelo needs to rectify. Back to the concentrated, razor-sharp Canelo we all know and love.
Also, listen to your own body, rather than puffing, about how you can beat anyone in the world at any weight.
There is a limit, and Canelo has reached it. He needs to drop back down to 168, face GGG, Jermell or Jermall Charlo, and Chris Eubank Jr. before considering 175 again.
If that’s not a wake-up call for the superstar, nothing will ever happen.
The opinions expressed in this article are the opinions of Phil Jay.
Phil, editor of WBN, has over ten years experience in boxing news. Also, follow WBN us on Twitter @WorldBoxingNews.