Canelo Alvarez’s most recent victory was probably his most memorable one- as it came before a full mariachi band in Guadalajara– where he first found recognition as a boxer 12 years ago.
His very entry prompted the Akron Stadium- home to the Chivas soccer club- to burst out fireworks, with 51,000 fans screaming his name, and 25-plus members on each side of the massive entrance ramp giving him a hero’s return. When Saul Alvarez left Mexico to rule the world of boxing- all that he took with him was a single name, Canelo. And over the last decade, that has often been enough to stop any conversation regarding the GOATs of the modern era.
Canelo Alvarez Returned Amidst Much Fanfare and Celebration
Canelo Alvarez had pretty humble beginnings, from the Julian Magdaleno Gym, to a spot on Forbes’ highest-paid athletes list at $110 million earnings last year. Needless to say, Alvarez has achieved all that he set out to, and now it was time for a homecoming. And what a homecoming it was! What the boxer wanted to secure his legacy, was to deliver a fight in his prime as the ultimate fighter in the world- rather than just a makeshift farewell fight. The 32-year-old decided to push for a knockout as the undisputed super middleweight championship defense against John Ryder- but it ended in a unanimous-decision victory- so not bad at the end of the day.
Speaking to ESPN, Canelo- the No-5 pound-for-pound boxer in the world- mentioned that this was truly a historic moment for him. He was glad to be surrounded by people who had always supported him since the very beginning. He was also very grateful to be here where it all began, and the people who had come here to witness it.