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Canelo Alvarez is in a strange place

Published

3 weeks ago

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Author: Sean Crose

He was arguably the top boxer on Earth in the post-Mayweather era. Canelo Alvarez unilaterally lost to Floyd Mayweather in 2013, but instead of it becoming another victory for Mayweather, the youthful Canelo put his head down, faced challenge after challenge, and ultimately won a slew of titles, untold millions of dollars, and the great respect of countless fans. However, it looks like Canelo’s glory days are in the past. A dominant loss to Terence Crawford last year appears to be the final nail in the figurative coffin containing Canelo’s dominance.

Naturally, these days you’ll see supporters of this sweet science writing down Canelo on social media. Why wouldn’t people like that write him off? Often what they do is belittle the achievements of good warriors. The truth is, however, that Canelo has never been overrated. He really has become such a good fighter. Sure, he went too far when he fought Dimitri Bivol a few years ago. But Bivol was the lithe heavyweight king and the whole thing just seemed too physically taxing for the former Canelo junior middleweight… no matter how great his talent. In fact, Canelo already had his hands full against aging lithe heavyweight contender Sergei Kovalev.

However, Kovalev’s challenge and failure to defeat Bivol did not damage the fighter’s reputation. Canelo simply failed at trying to be even greater than he was before. Even the most cynical fight fan had to admit that to the Mexican star. This was not the case with the loss to Crawford. This marked the end of Canelo’s zenith. Crawford was gaining weight, he wasn’t a baby, and he was believed to be on track to suffer his first loss against Canelo. The fact that Canelo not only lost, but also made it painfully clear that he was no longer a “man” in the hierarchy of the sweet science.

This must be a strange place for Canelo to be in right now. He wasn’t as impressive as he used to be, but he was still undoubtedly capable. It is also worth considering that Canelo is still a relatively youthful man. However, he is a relatively youthful man who has had plenty of fights since childhood. Such things take a toll on a person. If Canelo wrapped it up now, no one would blame them. However, it is challenging for athletes to adapt to normal life after brilliant careers. Canelo is aware of this and that’s why he wants to keep playing.

No doubt someone is competitive, just as Canelo wants a second chance to fight Terence Crawford. However, this is unlikely. Crawford has announced his retirement and appears to be a infrequent exception… a retired great athlete with no interest in returning to the sport he mastered. This may be frustrating for Canelo, but it’s probably a good thing. It’s tough to see him come back and beat Crawford in a rematch.

With that in mind, it seems like Canelo is still a long way from the point where it would be unhappy to see him committing to his career. He may prove otherwise when he fights again later this year, but for now he should still be considered among the top tier of the sport. Not what he was, but still very good. If, of course, this is no longer the case, it would seem that it would actually be better if this man retired. If Canelo has proven anything in this world, it’s that he is his own boss. In other words, he will do as he pleases.

Still, it must feel strange to be at a point in his illustrious career where people will inevitably start to look at his body of work as a whole. He has made his mark on the sport he makes a living in, and people will soon start seeing him in his entirety rather than where he currently is. This may be depressing for Canelo, but it’s also a huge honor. In his time, he was the gold standard of what a professional boxer should be. And if that time has passed, and it certainly has, he can certainly be content that his life’s work will be well remembered. Not many boxers or other athletes can say the same.

Canelo certainly may be in a strange place, but how many former top fighters would want to be in that very place with him right now?

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Boxing

David Morrell says he’ll check out Zak Chelli’s “Every Move.”

Published

1 hour ago

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May 9, 2026

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Image: David Morrell Says He Will Know Zak Chelli’s “Every Move” Tonight

David Morrell says he expects to be fully prepared for Zak Chelli when the two lithe heavyweights meet in Manchester tonight.

Click here to watch Wardley vs. Dubois LIVE!


Morrell admitted he wasn’t very familiar with Chelli before the fight was finalized, but the Cuban challenger says his team quickly began studying footage and highlights once the fight became official.

Morrell studying Chella

“We were introduced to him when his name came up as a potential opponent,” Morrell said The boxing scene.

“We’ve seen a few videos here and there and a few highlights, but by the time the fight comes I’ll know his every move,” Morrell said.

The former interim champion enters the fight with a record of 12-1 and nine knockouts. Morrell remains one of the more experienced contenders in the lithe heavyweight division despite having only had 13 professional fights.

His only loss came last year to David Benavidez, but Morrell believes that tough fights early in his career accelerated his development.

“I Wasn’t Taken Out of the Fire”

“I am one hundred percent elated with the direction my career has taken.

“In my third fight I was fighting for the WBA title and in my 11th fight I was fighting Benavidez. I wasn’t pulled out of the fire,” Morrell said.

Morrell also pointed to the lessons he learned from his lithe heavyweight fight against an experienced opponent.

Lessons in 175

“The first thing was adjusting to 175.

“Later, coming out of those fights, I learned how essential it is to stay focused to fight at that level. Focus during a fight is essential to stay placid, stick to the game plan and not get emotional,” Morrell said.

Tonight’s fight gives Morrell another chance to gain some momentum in the division while continuing his first extended fight in the UK. Tonight’s victory will quickly get Morrell one step closer to another significant fight in the lithe heavyweight division.

Last update: 2026/05/09 at 13:48

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Boxing

Tim Bradley Gives Fair Verdict on David Benavidez vs. Dmitry Bivol: ‘A Recipe for Disaster’

Published

3 hours ago

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May 9, 2026

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Zab Judah sees only one winner in David Benavidez vs Dmitry Bivol: “He’s mastered it”

Timothy Bradley rated the boxing IQ of David Benavidez and Dmitry Bivol, taking into account who has the higher ring intelligence ahead of their potential showdown.

Both sides have held preliminary talks about a possible meeting later this year in which they will fight for the undisputed lithe heavyweight crown.

Additionally, Benavidez proposed that they meet at the 190-pound catchweight, which would allow him to defend his WBO and WBA cruiserweight titles.

The 29-year-old won these belts last Saturday, dethroning Gilberto Ramirez after the sixth round and in turn became a three-division world champion in his first appearance at 200 pounds.

Bivol also boasts a victory over Ramirez, which came after an equally dominant points victory over Canelo Alvarez later that year in 2022.

The Russian has since won all four major 175-pound belts, defeating Artur Beterbiev by majority decision in February 2025 before opting to undergo back surgery and seizing the WBC title, allowing Benavidez to move from “interim” to full champion.

After recovering from surgery, the 35-year-old will defend his title against Michael Eifert on May 30.

But regardless of his next appearance, Hall of Famer Bradley went on to say his YouTube channel that he expects Bivol to cause earnest problems for Benavidez.

“Bivol has the perfect style to beat him. I like David Benavidez – I can’t wait for him to fight again – but [fighting] Bivol is a recipe for disaster.

“[Benavidez has] he also has a high boxing IQ. But he is stubborn. Bivol is not stubborn. Bivol is one of those guys who will do the complete opposite [to] what do you think he will do.

“He’ll have a plan A and a plan B. When he fought Ramirez, he came at Ramirez. We thought he was going to box because Ramirez was so damn substantial.

“You probably won’t think Bivol will go to Benavidez – you’ll be surprised.”

Bradley, like Bivol’s boxing mind, emphasizes that his foot speed is a significant factor in a potential clash with Benavidez, who is more known for his hand speed.

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Boxing

Cameron vs Rea live scorecard

Published

5 hours ago

on

May 9, 2026

By

Liam Cameron and Bradley Rea on a fight poster for their light heavyweight clash in Manchester on the Wardley vs Dubois undercard.

World Boxing News has a live scorecard from Manchester as Liam Cameron takes on Bradley Rea in the Fabio Wardley vs Daniel Dubois tab.

Former British title challenger Liam Cameron comes back tonight against Bradley Rea in an essential domestic delicate heavyweight clash on the stacked Manchester card.

Cameron has regained momentum in recent years with a series of thrilling performances and enters the competition looking to stop the rise of one of Britain’s most beloved contenders.

Rea arrives with a 21-2 record and knows a win over Cameron will facilitate him get back on track after his recent loss to Lyndon Arthur.

WBN provides the live scoreboard for the competition below, as well as live results throughout the night.

Cameron vs Rea Scorecard

Liam Cameron vs. Bradley Rea

Airy heavyweight competition
Manchester, England
10×3

Round Cameron Rhea
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Round 4
Round 5
Round 6
Round 7
Round 8
Round 9
Round 10
Totals:

Official result:

Announcement

Cameron enters the fight with renewed momentum after rebuilding his career with some impressive performances in recent years.

The experienced Sheffield fighter now faces another challenging task against Bradley Rei, who continues to rebuild from the second defeat of his career.

A win for either fighter will push them closer to greater opportunities at 175 pounds.

Cameron vs Rea results will continue with live coverage available on World Boxing News.

About the Author

Phil Jay is the editor-in-chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a boxing veteran with over 15 years of experience. Read the full biography.

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