After three less than vintage performances in a row, a growing number of observers are beginning to question whether undisputed super middleweight world champion Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez is on the decline.
Alvarez did not look his destructive best against Dmitry Bivol, Gennadiy Golovkin nor John Ryder, and as such the almost universally agreed narrative is that his best years could be behind him.
And that view has been bolstered by a recent interview with one of his former sparring partners, who has claimed the Mexican is “tired of boxing.”
On a recent edition of the And Still podcast, Ahmed Elbiali even claimed that one of his spars with Alvarez was waved off because the pound for pound star claimed he was tired.
“I think he [Canelo] is just very lazy. I think he is genuinely tired of boxing, both physically and mentally. He’s been boxing since he was 15, and has had numerous surgeries all over his body. He’s older than his age.
God knows what he does on the side. When you’re being that consistent and work that hard and putting s**t in your gas tank, it’s going to hurt.
Imagine sparring a world champion of his calibre, and in the third or four round he says, “I’m tired.” I swear to God! They just stopped the sparring because he was tired.”
Alvarez’ trainer Eddy Reynoso has issued a response to Elbiali’s comments – and is not best pleased.
He took to social media to call the light heavyweight contender a “sack of potatoes” and stated he was “talking s***.”
Very good joke coming from a sack of potatoes, that’s why it’s so complicated to give opponents the opportunity to spar with champions, because they treat them well in the ring and they think they can, so they come back talking s**t!”
Canelo is next out on September 30 against current undisputed super-welterweight champion, Jermell Charlo.