Canelo's Middleweight Dominance: Who Can Beat Him?

Canelo Alvarez looked sharp against Christian Mbilli last Saturday, raising a familiar question: can anyone at middleweight or super middleweight actually beat him right now?

The answer, according to Bad Left Hook's roundtable discussion, is probably not. Scott Christ wrote that while Canelo has faded from his peak, the current landscape lacks the truly elite fighters needed to trouble him. Neither Lester Martinez nor Hamzah Sheeraz — the latter reportedly favored by Turki Alalshikh — inspire much confidence despite their credentials. "It has to be a really, really good fighter, and the right kind of fighter," Christ noted.

Aging Fighter's Consistency The Key Question

Wil Esco compared Canelo to an aging pitcher, arguing the Mexican star will struggle to replicate his Mbilli performance consistently. He estimated only a 35 percent chance Canelo matches that form again, with 65 percent odds he delivers something less. If Canelo underperforms, Esco sees potential openings for Yoenli Hernandez, Carlos Adames, or Sheeraz, though none are favored.

John Hansen pointed to Osleys Iglesias as the division's lone genuine threat. Iglesias combines exceptional skill with the power to keep Canelo honest, though he faces a massive step up in competition. Patrick Stumberg still believes David Benavidez was the answer before losing the WBC belt by missing weight years ago, calling that timing mishap one of boxing's cruel twists.

Stumberg named Janibek Alimkhanuly and Iglesias as the only realistic contenders now. Alimkhanuly's technical pedigree could expose holes in Canelo's game, while Iglesias possesses the speed and disruptive jab to create problems. Both, however, remain underdogs. Canelo next faces Martinez if WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman honors his commitment to mandatory challengers.

Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash

Original reporting:

• badlefthook.com — Around the Table: Can anyone at 160 or 168 beat Canelo? | Bad Left Hook