Promoter Bob Arum backs one of his Top Rank champions to hand Canelo Alvarez the first stoppage defeat of his illustrious career.

In over 100 fights between the professional and amateur codes, Canelo has never even been dropped, let alone defeated in the manner that Arum is seemingly anticipating.

As it happens, the Mexican has only ever suffered three losses in the paid ranks, coming against Floyd Mayweather, Dmitry Bivol and Terence Crawford.

On none of those occasions did Alvarez seem close to hitting the canvas, or getting seriously hurt, as he was instead given a comprehensive boxing lesson by each masterful technician.

Even against Gennady Golovkin, with whom he shared 36 rounds, Canelo never appeared in any critical danger while facing the hard-hitting Kazakh.

Yet somehow, veteran promoter Arum believes WBC super-middleweight champion Christian Mbilli is the man to finally stop the 35-year-old in his tracks.

The pair are set to collide in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, this coming Octoberwith Canelo looking to reclaim a quarter of the undisputed crown he lost to Crawford last September.

Arum, however, has told FightHype that he envisions Mbilli winning by knockout and perhaps ending Alvarez’s Hall of Fame-worthy career.

“We co-promote Mbilli with a Canadian company [Eye of the Tiger]and I [favour] Mbilli to not only beat Canelo but to knock him out.

“I know [Canelo has never been stopped]but Mbilli has the punching power to stop him.”

While the undefeated Mbilli boasts an impressive knockout-to-win ratio, he was unable to put a dent in Lester Martinez when they boxed to a 10-round draw in September.

Although Sánchez was the defending champion, many favored Gómez. The Puerto Rican knockout artist had already defeated Mexican legend Carlos Zárate and was expected to carry his devastating punching power up to featherweight. Instead, Sánchez delivered the defining performance of his career.

The fight exploded into action almost immediately. Round 1 produced one of the biggest surprises in championship history. Less than 40 seconds into the bout, Sánchez caught Gómez charging forward with a perfectly timed left hook followed by a crushing right hand that sent the challenger crashing to the canvas. Gómez beat the count, but Sánchez stayed composed and nearly scored another knockdown before the bell with sharp counters that exposed the Puerto Rican’s aggressive approach. By the end of the round, swelling had already begun around Gómez’s right eye.

Gómez tried to answer in Round 2, stepping in with hard combinations, but Sánchez kept turning him and countering before he could settle.

Sánchez refused to be drawn into a brawl. Using excellent footwork, subtle head movement and pinpoint counterpunching, he repeatedly beat Gómez to the punch while forcing the challenger to pay for every mistake.

The middle rounds showcased why Sánchez is regarded as one of the finest featherweights in history.

Between Rounds 3 and 7, Gómez continued to fight with tremendous determination, landing occasional hard combinations whenever he could trap Sánchez along the ropes. His best moment came in the seventh when a right-left combination briefly lifted Sánchez off his feet and reminded everyone of his frightening power.

Those moments, however, were outweighed by Sánchez’s precision.

The Mexican champion systematically attacked the swelling around Gómez’s right eye, which was nearly closed by the later rounds. He mixed straight rights, left hooks and crisp combinations while slipping many of Gómez’s biggest punches. As the punishment mounted, Gómez’s nose bled heavily, both eyes became badly swollen, and a fractured cheekbone further limited his vision.

Although Gómez never stopped trying to press the action, Sánchez dictated the pace with superior timing, defense and ring generalship.

Seeing his opponent’s vision severely compromised, Sánchez feinted before drilling Gómez with a straight right that left him staggering into the ropes. Sensing the finish, the champion unleashed a sustained barrage of punches that dropped Gómez for the second time. The Puerto Rican bravely climbed to his feet, but referee Carlos Padilla immediately waved the contest off at 2:09 of the eighth round, giving Sánchez a technical knockout victory and his sixth successful defense of the WBC featherweight title.

The victory elevated Sánchez from champion to Mexican sporting icon. Many viewed the performance as redemption for Gómez’s victory over Carlos Zárate two years earlier, and it strengthened Sánchez’s reputation as one of boxing’s most complete fighters.

Tragically, his reign would be brief. Less than a year later, on August 12, 1982, Sánchez was killed in a car accident at just 23 years old while still in his prime. His death ended what many believe could have become one of the greatest careers in boxing history.

For Gómez, the defeat marked the first loss of his professional career and stunned Puerto Rico, where he had been regarded as virtually unbeatable. Rather than defining him, however, the setback became part of a Hall of Fame legacy. Gómez rebounded to win world titles in three weight classes and later developed a close friendship with the Sánchez family, regularly honoring his former rival in the years after his passing.

A rematch was discussed before Sánchez’s death but never materialized. More than four decades later, Sánchez-Gómez is still regarded as one of the finest featherweight title fights ever staged, with both men producing performances that helped define an era

Nigel Benn has rejected the long-held belief that boxing’s legendary Four Kings would have been too much for modern greats, insisting unbeaten Welsh star Joe Calzaghe would have defeated every one of them.

The former two-weight world champion made the bold claim while reflecting on Calzaghe’s legacy, arguing that the Hall of Famer never received the credit his achievements deserved despite retiring with a perfect 46-0 record.

“Old timers will tell you [Calzaghe] would never have lived with Roberto Durán, Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvin Hagler or Tommy ‘Hitman’ Thomas Hearns,” Benn said to The Sun.

“I disagree. Joe would have beaten them all. How many fighters would love to finish with a record like Joe’s?

“Outside of Wales, I don’t think he got the recognition he deserved. Forty six fights unbeaten is a heck of an achievement. I don’t think we will ever see his like again.”

The Four Kings remain one of boxing’s most celebrated groups, with Leonard, Hagler, Hearns and Durán producing a series of memorable championship fights throughout the 1980s. Their resumes continue to serve as the benchmark whenever fans compare elite fighters across different eras.

Calzaghe (46-0) built a Hall of Fame career after dominating the super middleweight division, unifying world titles and making 21 successful defenses of the WBO belt. He retired in 2008 after moving up to light heavyweight and defeating fellow Hall of Famers Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Jr. in his final two bouts.

Benn’s opinion is likely to divide boxing fans given the Four Kings’ standing in the sport, but he believes Calzaghe’s unbeaten record, work rate and all-around ability would have been enough to overcome each member of the iconic quartet.

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Last Updated on 2026/07/04 at 2:12 PM