---
title: "Barry McGuigan Questions ‘How Much Desire’ World Champion Has Left"
canonical: "https://boxing-social.com/news/barry-mcguigan-questions-champ-desire/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Danny Gilfillan"
section: "News"
published: "2023-08-27T06:36:11Z"
modified: "2023-08-27T06:36:11Z"
---

# Barry McGuigan Questions ‘How Much Desire’ World Champion Has Left

Saul ‘Canelo’ Álvarez’ upcoming fight against Jermell Charlo will be a test of his desire to still compete at the upper echelons of the sport – that’s the view of one former world champion.

After three relatively flat performances in his last three outings, [many feel that Alvarez is finally on the decline](https://wp.boxing-social.com/news/reaction-to-canelo-beating-john-ryder/) after having over 60 professional fights.

In his column for [The Mirror](https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/boxing/saul-canelo-alvarez-jermell-charlo-30735216), Barry McGuigan questioned whether the “God like” ‘Canelo’ still has the fire in the belly and that is what makes Charlo live in the fight.

> “This is a test of Canelo’s desire to keep going at 33 after 18 years as a pro. I’m not sure how much love Canelo retains for the game. When you live in that Mexican bubble, where boxing is more than a sport, the intensity can be overwhelming.”
>
> “So many Mexicans live in poverty and have been downtrodden their whole lives. They express themselves through boxing. It gives them their identity. In Mexico Canelo enjoys almost god-like status”
>
> “You can probably multiply the adoration I received at the height of my career, which was both amazing and scary, by ten. That’s hard to manage every minute of every day.”
>
> “As the great Marvin Hagler said, it is difficult to get up for work when you are sleeping in silk pyjamas.”
>
> “So that is the tension in this fight. Sooner or later Canelo will experience another Bivol-like moment, a night when no matter what he tries he comes up short.”

Despite the view that ‘Canelo’ could be on the slide, he is still a clear favourite to get the better of Charlo, who is moving up two whole weight classes for the contest, which will take place on September 30th at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.