CANELO-CRAWFORD SUPERFIGHT SPECIAL EDITION
The Ring Magazine - The Bible Of Boxing, August 2025 • Volume 102, No. 9
26 THE BIRTH OF CANELO TODAY HE'S KNOWN BY A SINGLE NAME, BUT SAUL ALVAREZ BECAME THE FACE OF BOXING THROUGH YEARS OF WORKING IN OBSCURITY By Doug Fischer 34 AZTECTRADITION CANELO’S CHAPTER IS THE LATEST IN A STORY WRITTEN BY THE FISTS OF MEXICAN GREATS By Ernesto Amador 40 THE STANDARD-BEARER CANELO DISCUSSES THE PRESSURE OF FAME AND HIS PREPARATIONS FOR THE CRAWFORD FIGHT By Ernesto Amador 46 THEREDEEMER AS TERENCE CRAWFORD PUNCHED HIS WAY INTO BOXING HISTORY, OMAHA GOT A MUCH- NEEDED CHAMPION By Vershan Jackson 52 A NEW LEGEND? A VICTORY OVER CANELO WOULD PUT CRAWFORD IN AN ELITE CLUB OF WELTERWEIGHTS WHO DARED TO BE GREAT By Wallace Matthews
60 THE LONG BATTLE FOR RECOGNITION CRAWFORD SHARES HIS THOUGHTS ON THE EVE OF HIS BIGGEST CHALLENGE By Tom Gray 67 ROAD TO COLLISION AN ILLUSTRATED JOURNEY TO A LONG-AWAITED SUPERFIGHT By KronkAAArt 84 BATTLE PLAN: CANELO SIZE CAN MATTER, SAYS TRAINER RUDY HERNANDEZ, BUT ONLY IF CANELO GOES ON THE ATTACK By Steve Kim 90 WHO'S PICKING CANELO? 92 BATTLE PLAN: CRAWFORD TRAINER STEPHEN “BREADMAN” EDWARDS MAPS OUT CRAWFORD’S PATH TO TOPPLING CANELO By Adam Abramowitz 98 WHO'S PICKING CRAWFORD? 102 168 B.C. THE SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT DIVISION HAS A CLEAR LEADER, BUT THE YEARS BEFORE CANELO WERE A WILD RIDE By Don Stradley
108 MASTERCLASS CANELO HAS FACED THE BEST OF FOUR WEIGHT CLASSES, BUT 168 IS WHERE HE REIGNS SUPREME By Thomas Gerbasi 114 DOWN TO EARTH THE PAST IS RIFE WITH STARS WHO WERE HUMBLED WHEN THEY CHALLENGED THE CHAMPIONS OF HIGHER DIVISIONS By Ruth Raper 120 THECONTRARIAN HISTORY MAY SUGGEST THAT CRAWFORD IS IN TROUBLE, BUT THAT SUGGESTION ISN’T LIKELY TO BOTHER “BUD” MUCH By Corey Erdman
DEPARTMENTS 8 OPENING SHOTS 15 COME OUT WRITING
23 RINGSIDE By Doug Fischzr 100 THE FACE OF BOXING By Wojtek Urbanek and Thomas Hauser 126 FINISHING SHOTS
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Cover photograph by David LaChapelle
unity. Most engagements begin with a single decisive move, but without instant response from the team, the opportunity can vanish.
No Ropes, No Gloves, No Lag: stc’s group and EWC 2025 League of Legends Showdown There were no gloves, no ropes, and no referee. But inside the stc Esports Arena in Riyadh on July 16, 2025, on the opening day of the League of Legends tournament at the Esports World Cup (EWC), what unfolded carried all the elements of a true fight. When the lights hit the stage and the screens snapped into motion, the only thing missing was the sound of the opening bell. For Saeed, who had flown in from Dammam for this single day, this wasn’t about lights, chants, or showmanship. This was about watching the closest thing to a perfect fight that five digital minds could construct together. He’d followed the reigning champions of the 2024 EWC tournament, T1, for years. He knew the roster, the stats, the signature plays and flanking routes, and he came to see them bring his favorite League of Legends champions—Vi, Jarvan, and Lee Sin—to life. The experience didn’t disappoint. What he saw was strategy at its peak, executed by some of the best players in the world. Each champion played a role that would be instantly recognizable to anyone familiar with a disciplined fight team executing a well-rehearsed plan. Jarvan opened the engagement with Cataclysm, a move that raised a circular wall around opponents, trapping them and forcing a close-range clash. It was textbook ring control. Vi followed with her boxing-inspired style, amplified by massive gauntlets that guaranteed impact at close quarters. Then came Lee Sin, using sharp, martial precision to shut down escape routes with clean, controlled strikes. To Saeed, it felt like watching a flawless set, strike, and finish—executed in perfect sync. That level of coordination in multiplayer gaming isn’t just instinctive; it depends on constant, real-time communication. Riot Games, the creator of League of Legends, introduced Party Voice Chat in 2018 to meet this need, enabling teams to speak directly in-game. At the professional level, this kind of live communication is indispensable—high-stakes matches demand
Voice chat alone, however, has its limits. Five players communicating at once can quickly turn into a wall of sound. This is where voice aggregation becomes essential—and stc group provides the digital foundation to make it possible. Built into the game’s infrastructure, voice aggregation fuses multiple audio streams into one layered and filtered feed. It identifies speakers, prioritizes key commands, suppresses noise, and ensures the right message reaches everyone instantly. The result is a seamless line of direction guiding players through every round. For that system to work under tournament pressure, the network must be flawless—and stc group is the only telecommunications provider with the infrastructure to meet that demand. Voice aggregation relies on absolute digital stability. The setup behind EWC required more than high speed; it needed to function without delay, jitter, or loss. That’s what stc group delivered. As the Elite and Founding Partner of the Esports World Cup, stc group didn’t just power the venue; it enabled the experience. With 27 5G towers across all event zones, including all EWC areas , and over 1,295 antennas as indoor solutions, stc’s infrastructure ensured that every millisecond of voice, connectivity, and coordination ran without interruption while supporting thousands of visitors and players simultaneously. The achievement wasn’t just about capacity—it was about consistency. At this level, perfection isn’t a luxury; it’s a requirement. Every signal had to land exactly when it was needed. One missed packet, and voice aggregation falters. One flicker of latency, and a crucial call comes too late. In a match where fractions of a second decide everything, that kind of disruption can turn a clean engage into a team wipe. That’s why stc group’s role went far beyond connectivity. They delivered a digital environment stable enough for everything to run exactly as intended. And while Saeed didn’t know the technical specs behind what he was watching, he didn’t need to. What he saw— and felt—was the result. That’s the thing about great infrastructure: when it works, it disappears. Everything simply happens exactly when it should.
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WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS ... Unbeaten in 41 fights, a 22-year-old Canelo Alvarez made his main event debut in Las Vegas on September 15, 2012. The opponent was Josesito Lopez, who'd earned the opportunity after upsetting former welterweight titleholder Victor Ortiz three months earlier. Canelo, coming off a one- sided points win over aging great Sugar Shane Mosley, was dazzling in this fight, dropping Lopez three times en route to a brutal fifth-round TKO at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. The fight with Terence Crawford will mark the 18th time Canelo has headlined in Las Vegas.
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F or decades, Saudi Arabia has been viewed through an outside lens, its rich cultural fabric and ambitious vision often overshadowed by outdated perceptions. Today, a new narrative is unfolding - one of rapid transformation, economic diversity and cultural resurgence. At the heart of this shift is the Kingdom’s emerging film industry, shaping how Saudi Arabia tells its story to the world. A documentary chronicle of change Produced by Konoz under the Ministry of Media, The Destination is a documentary exploring Saudi Arabia’s recent transformations. Through immersive storytelling, the film captures Saudi Arabia’s remarkable progress in the past years, spanning economic growth, cultural advancements, sporting achievements, diplomatic breakthroughs, and technological innovation. More than just a documentary, The Destination is a window into a nation redefining its place on the global stage. The film showcases Saudi Arabia’s emergence as a major global hub, welcoming millions through international events and initiatives. With the 2027 AFC Asian Cup, Expo Riyadh 2030, and the 2034 FIFA World Cup all on the horizon, The Destination highlights its rich heritage and ambition. Blending archival footage, exclusive interviews, with insights from policymakers, industry leaders, and cultural figures, The Destination presents a compelling narrative of a nation on the move - a cinematic reflection of Saudi Vision 2030, not just as The Destination: A cinematic reflection of Saudi Arabia’s transformation
an aspiration but as a reality taking shape. Konoz: Bringing Saudi stories to the world Konoz is dedicated to telling Saudi Arabia’s story through documentaries and animated films that highlight its cultural identity, historical depth, and modern achievements. At the forefront of the Kingdom’s burgeoning film industry, Konoz is reshaping perceptions and amplifying the Kingdom’s voice on the global stage.
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Ahead of the Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford megafight for the undisputed super middleweight championship, we asked readers of The Ring to give their fondest memories from each fighter’s career as well as their predictions for what will go down on September 13 in Las Vegas.
whatever reason, it just felt like the Earth stopped spinning and tuned in to watch what I was watching. To watch him give the fans a great show and watch him clinically shut down a great fighter like Spence, it truly was an electric night. Noel Rodriguez My favorite Canelo inside- the-ring moment was when he defeated Amir Khan in a way that left the boxing world shocked. My favorite Canelo outside-the-ring moment was when he gave an interview inspiring the next generation, telling us, “If you truly want something, it will require immense discipline.” He goes on to say, “Find what you love in life.” My prediction is a Canelo stoppage in Round 10. Medina Luv My favorite Canelo memory is when he fought Floyd Mayweather Jr. Despite being his first-ever superfight and his first loss, the resiliency of him trying to show how great he will be one day against one of the greatest of all time was a sight to behold! Zach Bolos I am an aspiring boxer and an even bigger boxing fan. My favorite memory of Canelo is seeing him achieve history against Caleb Plant, and my favorite memory of my favorite fighter, Terence Crawford, is seeing him MAKE history and solidifying his place as a two- time undisputed champion. [The victory over Spence was] the most inspirational moment in boxing I
That’s the PIF Effect REDEFINING URBAN LIVING
T he first time I got to see Bud Crawford fight live on TV was when he ventured over to Scotland to challenge Ricky Burns for the WBO lightweight title. Crawford was a young fighter at 22-0. He had never fought in this type of environment before. It didn’t show. He boxed beautifully and gave Burns a boxing lesson over 12 rounds. I struggled to give the champion two rounds. Right then I knew Crawford was special. When you consider that Ricky went on to capture world honors at 140, Bud’s win simply got better with age. Paul Wickes
Crawford reacts to winning his first world title after defeating Ricky Burns.
I'll always remember the Crawford- Errol Spence Jr. fight. Everyone I knew didn’t believe in Crawford pulling it off, but I just had a feeling that he was going to piece him up all night. When Crawford knocked him down the first time, all the blood in my body went straight towards my legs as I literally jumped from my seat in awe. In the coming rounds, I had never been more of a fight fan at that moment. For
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The Red Sea
Where two worlds make one
Kirkland, showing that he is not only a humble and respectful sportsman but a good person overall. This is one of Canelo’s fights where his power, technical skills and his ability to win in an exciting fashion prove why he is deserving of the praise and spotlight he continues to receive today. I predict that Canelo will win this fight via TKO in Round 9. Both are undoubtedly great fighters, but Canelo’s power and size will ultimately lead him to victory. I think he can be the first and only person to stop Bud, and I think he can achieve this impressive feat by breaking Bud down slowly with body shots throughout the fight. My favorite Terence Crawford memory has to be the night he dominated Errol Spence Jr. It wasn’t just a win; it was a statement. Easily one of the coldest performances I’ve ever seen. One of my favorite Canelo moments was when he stopped Billy Joe Saunders on May 8, 2021. The energy at AT&T Stadium was crazy, and Canelo was locked in from the start – breaking Saunders down round by round. That uppercut in the eighth round was brutal; it shattered Saunders’ orbital bone and forced him to retire on the stool. Canelo walked to his corner like he already knew it was over. The way he handled a slick, undefeated fighter like Saunders just reminded everyone why he’s one of the best in the game. I’ve got Terence Crawford over Canelo because of his overall skill set and versatility. He’s just too smart, too quick and too complete. Charles Mendoza I have watched Terence Crawford’s whole career since it has been on TV – first on HBO Boxing against Breidis Prescott on the Brandon Rios-Mike Alvarado 2 undercard in 2013 and continuing to his first world title win, against Ricky Sofia Barraza
have ever witnessed, and I hope to achieve similar feats someday. My prediction for Canelo vs. Crawford: I got Crawford by UD. He’s just really something else. Not even the great Canelo can break this man. Edgar Ramirez My favorite memories of Canelo fights are Canelo hitting the arm of Callum Smith effectively and knocking out Amir Khan with one big shot (I was scared). If Crawford fights recklessly, then he will get knocked out in the second half of the fight, probably in Round 8. If Crawford chooses to fight defensively and not take any chances, then Canelo wins via decision. Muhammad Usama Talha Memories I wanna revisit are of Crawford knocking out Andre Gorges. That was a crazy knockout! And Crawford telling Spence everything he was gonna do to him years before the fight even happened! Also Canelo breaking Billy Joe Saunders’ orbital bone after all the disrespectful stuff Saunders said in the lead-up to the fight! Nothing like a brutal stoppage to end a grudge match, right? Moe_Slim My wife and I had a pandemic wedding in 2020, and as Canadians we couldn’t cross the border for our honeymoon until 2021. We chose Las Vegas, and while there we attended concerts and shows, but one of the absolute best moments was attending the Crawford vs. Shawn Porter fight for the WBO welterweight title. My wife didn’t understand how big of a fight this was, and I’ll never tell her how much I paid for tickets, but the energy was electric, from the entrances to Jimmy Lennon Jr. introducing the fighters to the crazy 10th-round TKO! Looking back at video showing the corner telling Crawford he was down on points and then him turning on the switch and finishing the fight was wild! Crawford by decision on September 13th! Cory Low
Meeting the man himself on a hot day in Rome on a tour at the Colosseum. Been a fan of Canelo since the early days, but I think this one goes to Crawford. It’s a passing of the torch.
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Kurt McKee
One of my favorite Canelo moments is his fight against James Kirkland. Kirkland comes in fast- paced, hoping to overwhelm Canelo early on with the high quantity of punches he’s throwing while Canelo is against the ropes blocking most of them. Canelo quickly changes the pace of the fight, moving to the center of the ring and landing clean shots, one of which is a straight right hand that ends up knocking down Kirkland. Canelo continues to dominate the fight, knocking Kirkland down again with a right uppercut in Round 3, then ultimately knocking him out with another right in the same round. After the KO, Canelo checks on
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Burns to win the WBO lightweight belt in 2014. And nine years and 16 title fights later – all but two won by knockout – my favorite memory came against Errol Spence Jr. Crawford put on the most impressive performance of his career against his toughest opponent to become the first undisputed champion at welterweight in the four-belt era. He is one of the best fighters I have ever seen. Johnnie Fox COME OUT WRITING
to be the best boxer since Floyd Mayweather’s 2016 retirement, and for all of Canelo’s head movement, I see Crawford’s superior footwork and timing helping him to bank most of the early rounds. By the time Canelo decides to play catch-up and turn up the heat, I envision Crawford having figured out Canelo’s puzzle and holding off the late rally for a close but clear victory. Thomas Choong
and somehow Errol knew Bud didn’t like hot sauce. Bud was shocked but amused, LOL. My prediction is Canelo via decision! Fernando Mora-Roman I have always been an extremely casual boxing fan, and that really meant I tuned in to the big crossover fights. I purchased the big pay-per- views and enjoyed watching Canelo vs. Gennadiy Golovkin and other
Favorite Crawford memory: Bud dancing with his mom at Mandalay Bay after stopping Shawn Porter.
Alvarez finished James Kirkland with a giant right hand in the third round.
Sam Amaya
I’ve attended recent matches for both men, and there’s something about live fights that lets you share in the energy – you’ll never scream at home the way you will while actually being there. I recall Crawford walking to the ring in both the Madrimov and Spence fights. In both cases, Crawford’s presence carried the brash confidence of a champion who felt he had finally arrived, and saying to the crowd with a bold look, “Give me the recognition I deserve.” What I felt during the ringwalk for Canelo’s match against Munguia was unlike anything I had ever experienced. The arena darkened minus the light of
cell phones, the anticipation building as Canelo’s highlight reel appeared on the giant screen to energetic Mexican music, and the cheers of a partisan crowd as he entered the ring, waving to the crowd as if he meant to say, “I’m who you came to see. I’m the man.” I’ve long considered Crawford
big events like Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao. I worked a corporate job during the pandemic and did so remotely during much of 2020. To entertain myself during this time, I started watching old YouTube videos of famous fights while also searching out boxing
My favorite memory of Canelo is when he went face-to-face with Caleb Plant at a press conference and dodged his slap, at the same time countering and slapping him back. Sold the fight well. My favorite memory of Crawford is when he had a face-off with Errol Spence Jr.
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analysis to help me understand the sport better and learn the fundamentals. I found myself being more and more interested in the sport and watching more cards than I had before. Many of the videos and fights I watched included Crawford, who was even then considered a pound- for-pound fighter with a skill level unmatched in the sport. Over the next couple of years, I became a bigger fan, bought more pay-per-views and went to some fights, the first one being Pacquaio vs. Yordenis Ugas in Las Vegas. I continued to learn more about the fundamentals of the sport so I can better understand what I'm watching. I’d say my fandom became even bigger once I booked my trip to Las Vegas and bought a ticket to the Spence-Crawford fight. Watching this incredible performance live was one of the most memorable sports-related moments of my life.
without going to that gym to let loose and relieve some stress. I know this is a long story, but the crux of it is that I highly doubt I would be watching every fight that I could without watching all of those Crawford fights on YouTube and seeing him put forward a masterful performance that night in Vegas. He turned me into a huge boxing fan and it led to my involvement in boxing workouts, which has subsequently helped keep me active and healthy. My superfight prediction is that Crawford will win the fight in a unanimous decision, winning seven rounds and scoring one knockdown, something that has never occurred in Canelo's career. Petar Guetzov Write To The Ring! Email comeoutwriting@gmail.com or use this address: P.O. Box 90254, Brooklyn, NY 11209
Many fans cite Crawford's victory over Errol Spence Jr. as their favorite moment in Bud's career.
Over the next few years, I proceeded to become a huge boxing fan who watched every single card that I could, both mainstream and small/ local. I also saw several more fights in Vegas, including Tank Davis vs. Frank Martin and Naoya Inoue- Ramon Cardenas. A year ago, I also started going to a boxing gym a few times a week, and it has helped me become an even better fan of the sport as well as one that understands all the small intricacies during any fight. I don’t fight but do high-intensity interval boxing exercises, bag work as well as some light sparring. It has been incredibly beneficial for me, and I can’t really go more than a few days
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RINGSIDE By Doug Fischer AN EXTRA-SPECIAL SPECIAL
August 2025 Volume 102, No. 9
Founder Nathaniel Fleischer (1888-1972) Owner His Excellency Turki Alalshikh
Editor-in-Chief Douglass Fischer Managing Editor Tom Gray Senior Editor Brian Harty Creative Director Lamar Clark Controller Deborah L. Harrison
Subscription Inquiries Back Issues Inquiries Digital Orders Inquiries The Ring Magazine Subscriber Service Dept. PO Box 16027 North Hollywood, CA 91615-6027
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W elcome to our latest special issue! In The the publication’s grandest effort in previewing an anticipated superfight. I might be wrong about that. I might not be wrong. Let’s just say this is the most comprehensive big-bout preview issue in recent memory. Starting with a cover creation by legendary photographer David LaChapelle, we went all-out for this Ring’s 103-year history, it is quite possibly
THE RING (ISSN: 0035-5410) August 2025, is published 12 times per year by The Ring Magazine FZ, LLC P.O. Box 90254 Brooklyn, NY 11209. Postmasters: Send change of address Notices to: The Ring Magazine Subscriber Service Dept., PO Box 16027, North Hollywood, CA 91615-6027, Phone: 818- 286-3101; rngcs@magserv.com. Single copy price $9.99 in U.S.A. ,10.99 Canada (£10.99 in the U.K.). Global Subscription price $60.00 for 12 issues plus S&H. Not responsible for the loss or non-return of unsolicited articles or photographs, which will not be returned unless accompanied by a self- addressed envelope bearing the proper amount of postage. The entire contents of this magazine are copyright ©2025 The Ring Magazine FZ-LLC. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. All rights reserved. Publisher is not responsible for the accuracy of the content of advertisements appearing in this magazine, nor the delivery or quality of merchandise or services offered. No endorsement of any such advertisement is intended or implied. Advertisers and agencies assume liability for claims arising from the content of their advertisements. FOR ADVERTISING INQUIRIES AND RATES: advertising@ringmagazine.com. U.S. / Canadian and International distribution by Comag Marketing Group LLC, 155 Village Blvd #200, Princeton, NJ 08540. UK distribution by Seymour Distribution Ltd., 2 East Poultry Avenue, London, England, EC1A 9PT. Printed In USA and the UK.
expanded August edition – dedicating 128 pages to the Canelo Alvarez- Terence Crawford showdown on September 13. OK, slight exaggeration there. We have around 20 ad pages – shoutout to our sponsors – but it’s not an overstatement to say that more than 100 pages of the magazine you hold in your hands expertly examines the matchup and significance of the highest-profile super middleweight championship in the history of the division.
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In 45 years of reading The Ring, I can’t recall an entire issue devoted to one fight. Even the biggest boxing event of the previous era – the long-awaited Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Manny Pacquiao showdown – received only a portion
whatever you want to call them. It was always a thrill to see an upcoming big fight on the cover of The Ring back in the 1980s. The newspaper business was still strong in that decade and many of the
Michael Katz spent time in one or both fighters’ camps and would bring back notes on their teams, training and sparring, which I greatly appreciated and hungrily consumed. But I always wanted more. I wanted in-depth interviews with the fighters. I wanted articles providing insight into the minds and
appreciation of boxing history. This was the first time I read about legendary former champions such as Mickey Walker, Henry Armstrong and Emile Griffith, as well as classic welterweight battles like Jimmy McLarnin-Barney Ross and Sugar Ray Robinson-Kid Gavilan. It’s my hope that the historical articles in
giving their all on fight night, reading the exclusive Q&A interviews with both fighters in this issue might put some of that skepticism to rest. Crawford isn’t the media-friendliest fighter, but managing editor Tom Gray
this issue. I should have known there was a clear path to victory for Duran, and after reading about the strengths and weaknesses of both Alvarez and Crawford – straight from the brilliant
of the May 2015 issue that previewed the so- called “Fight of the 21st Century.” Six features (totalling 32 of the issue’s 98 pages) were dedicated to Mayweather-Pacquiao. In the 10 years since that mega-event, several other anticipated big fights were featured on the covers of our print editions – Canelo vs. Gennadiy Golovkin I (November 2017), Canelo vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (July 2017), Jorge Linares vs. Vasiliy Lomachenko (June 2018), Canelo vs. Golovkin 2 (October 2018), Errol Spence Jr. vs. Mikey Garcia (April 2019), Canelo vs. Daniel Jacobs (June 2019), Andy Ruiz vs. Anthony Joshua 2 (January 2020) and Spence vs. Crawford (July 2023) – but none of those compelling matchups commanded the entirety of those issues. Canelo-Crawford – which will be
got the sometimes-surly Nebraskan to expound on his motivation to challenge Alvarez. Canelo also opened up during his interview with esteemed Spanish- language broadcaster and columnist Ernesto Amador, who goes back nearly 20 years with his record-breaking countryman. Alvarez is respectful of Crawford’s skill and talent but critical of the American’s resume (in comparison to his) while confident in his own abilities and unparralleled experience. Crawford has the same confidence and even more of a chip on his shoulder going into the biggest fight of his 17-year pro career. You’ll understand why after you read THE REDEEMER, penned by Nebraska college football star Vershan Jackson, who has known Crawford since his
THE BIBLE OF BOXING MAYWEATHER VS. PACQUIAO PACQUIAO 37-PAGE PREVIEW
spirits of the fighters. I wanted history. I wanted analysis. I wanted expert opinions. I was only going to get that in the pages of quality boxing magazines, and The Bible of Boxing was the ultimate authority. The first big-fight preview issue of The Ring that I can remember (and the second boxing magazine I ever purchased) was the July 1980 edition that looked forward to the Sugar Ray Leonard-Roberto Duran showdown. The “Special Leonard-Duran Program Section” of that issue spanned 20 pages consisting of large, black-and-white action photos, biographical capsules, notes on the fighters’ records and common opponents, a tale of the tape and scorecard, as well as predictions from boxing
this issue – on Mexico’s grand legacy, legendary weight-climbers who dared to be great and the origin of the 168-pound division, to name a few – give you proper perspective on Canelo- Crawford and what the fighters are attempting to achieve with a victory on September 13. Just reading the biographical capsules of Leonard and Duran and seeing their records listed back in 1980 gave me a better understanding of the elite-level fight that would take place on June 20. The thought of Leonard losing was inconceivable to my 10-year-old brain, but the information The Ring provided was enough to inform me that Duran was going to
IT’S ON! THE FIGHT OF THE 21 ST CENTURY IS AT HAND
ALVAREZ VS. KIRKLAND MAY 9 FIGHT IS A JUICY ENCORE TO MAY 2 P. 64
WILDER ARRIVES NEW CHAMP’S WILD RIDE TO THE TOP P. 70
HAGLER VS. HEARNS ENERGY LINGERS
MAY 2015
30 YEARS LATER P. 76
fellow Omaha native’s early days in the gym. We’re pleased to introduce Jackson and Amador to the readers of The Ring and we’re proud to welcome back many regular contributors – including Hall of Famer Wallace Matthews and award- winning author Don Stradley – whose writing talents, insight and reporting made this 128-page periodical as entertaining as it is informative. The best thing I can say about this special issue is that if you’re not already excited about Canelo-Crawford, you will be after reading it.
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The Leonard-Duran special included welterweight championship history.
#MayPac was huge, but it didn't take over the May 2015 issue.
broadcast live on Netflix, available to the streaming platform’s worldwide audience of 300 million households – is an extra-special event that deserves an extra-special issue. It was an arduous task putting this massive issue together in time to go on sale weeks before Canelo and Crawford put their legacies on the line at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. However, it was also a gratifying and nostalgic endeavor.
pundits and personalities. Two fight-related features – a “Pictorial Portfolio” of great
push my hero a hell of a lot harder than Dave “Boy” Green did. Learning about Duran’s lightweight reign of terror and looking at his 71-1 (55 KOs) record made me nervous. I’m not sure how much I would have understood at the time, but it would have been fascinating to read an article that examined the style matchup of “The Brawl in Montreal.” I believe we provide that analytical breakdown for Canelo-Crawford with the two BATTLE PLAN features in
welterweight fights of the past and an extensive listing of EVERY 147-pound world title bout from 1892 to 1980 – were included in the program section. Both gave me perspective that the newspaper reports lacked on the magnitude and significance of the latest welterweight championship. These articles also began building the foundation to my understanding and
dailies covered boxing, especially during the buildup to major championship bouts. However, newspaper sportswriters only reported on so much – generally just the news of the day, what was said at press conferences, media events, etc. Sometimes enterprising boxing columnists like
boxing minds of trainers Rudy Hernandez and Stephen “Breadman” Edwards – you’ll understand that there isn’t a clear favorite in this super middleweight matchup. And if you’re understandably cynical about two multimillionaire veterans near the end of Hall-of-Fame careers
I love special issues, collector’s editions, programs, previews –
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TODAY WE KNOW HIM BY A SINGLE NAME, BUT SAUL ALVAREZ BECAME THE FACE OF BOXING THROUGH YEARS OF STUDYING HIS CRAFT, HONING HIS SKILLS AND CHALLENGING HIMSELF By Doug Fischer THE BIRTH OF CANELO
B efore the word “Canelo” was a global brand attached to the face of North American boxing, it was just the fighting moniker of a teenage prospect from Mexico. “Saul Alvarez” is what he was called here in the U.S. if you go back more than 15 years. His nickname, “Canelo” (Spanish for cinnamon), was only heard during his ring introductions and in the chants from the small cheering sections inside the casino ballrooms where his first two fights on American soil took place back in 2008. No fanfare accompanied those bouts. And even when the U.S. boxing media began to take notice a few years later, the jury was out on how good the freckle-faced ginger really was. I was one of those skeptics. However, even during the early years of Alvarez’s rise, the personable young man from Guadalajara grew on me. It wouldn’t take long for him to impress me – and the rest of the world – as a fighter and a competitor. Let’s take a stroll down memory lane (and through my old reporter’s notebooks), back to the MaxBoxing.com days (when I was more of a beat writer than an editor) and my early years with The Ring. First reference, first impression I heard the name “Saul” for the first time in November 2003. It was after a press conference at the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles, the site of one of Golden Boy Promotions’ first shows. The card was co-headlined by two
rugged Guadalajara veterans – Oscar Larios and Javier Jauregui – trained and managed by the Reynosos: Chepo and Eddy (“Edison” back then). The father-and-son team were fielding questions from a small group of mostly Latino sportswriters, including Ramiro Gonzalez, the boxing scribe for La Opinión (the largest Spanish-language newspaper on the West Coast at the time). Gonzalez asked Chepo about “Saul,” which instantly put a big smile on the old trainer’s face. He spoke enthusiastically in Spanish to Gonzalez, who later filled me in about the prepubescent amateur – youngest of seven boxing brothers – who was tough enough to serve as a sparring partner for Larios, the reigning WBC 122-pound titleholder. Fast-forward almost five years to October 2008. Gonzalez, who had become Golden Boy’s PR director, told me that Alvarez was set to make his U.S. debut on a GBP card at the Morongo Casino in Cabazon, California. “You want to be there,” he said. “Saul is going to be the next Chavez.” I rolled my eyes at what seemed like typical publicist bullshit, but the backstory of a rare Mexican redhead turning pro at 15, fighting on free TV (Televisa) and quickly becoming one of the most popular fighters in his boxing-rich country piqued my interest. However, I wasn’t curious enough to brave Southern California traffic on a Friday night. Don’t judge me; Cabazon is 100 miles east of my hometown of Inglewood. It was easier to watch Alvarez on free Spanish-language TV – TeleFutura’s
Illustration by Smithe
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“Solo Boxeo” series, which featured two of my favorite boxing commentators, Ricardo Celis and Bernardo Osuna. (No, I don’t speak Spanish, but I always enjoyed their call on fights. Is that weird?) I expected a competitive bout because I was familiar with Alvarez’s opponent, Larry Mosley Jr., a highly touted amateur who never panned out as a pro. At 28, Mosley was considered a failed prospect despite carrying a respectable 15-2-2 (6 KOs) record into the Alvarez bout. Ten years earlier, he had been the No. 1-rated amateur welterweight in the U.S. Top Rank signed him in 2000 but released him by the end of 2005. That was the last year Mosley won a fight, and he was coming off a TKO loss four months prior to facing Alvarez, so most dismissed him as cannon fodder. I didn’t. I witnessed the talented Watts native befuddle world-class pros at the L.A. Boxing Club when he was a teenager. Mosley could box his ass off when motivated (which was seldom). I viewed him as a potential banana peel with his quick hands and slick style and figured the Reynosos might’ve failed to do their homework. Or maybe they had, and they truly believed in their teen sensation. Alvarez, who was announced as 18 years old (minimum age for pros in California) but was really 17, was presented as “Saul Alvarez” on the Solo Boxeo graphics. “Canelo” was only seen on the waistband of his brown trunks and emblazoned on a welcome banner held by an enthusiastic group in red T-shirts. He made those vociferous fans happy, winning a brisk but uneventful 10-round decision by scores of 99- 91, 97-93 and 96-94 (which I agreed with), improving his record to 22-0-1 (15 KOs). I was underwhelmed by both fighters and thought they gave each other too much respect. The first half of the bout was a contest of jabs, but it was Mosley inching forward. Alvarez didn’t land his jab with authority or sit down on any follow-
up punches until the second half of the fight, and while he hit Mosley a lot harder than the American hit him, he inexplicably retreated to the ropes for
overthinking his approach. Maybe I was overthinking and needed to see more of him. First interview, first live fight Alvarez fought seven times in 2009, all in Mexico, all at the welterweight limit, collecting minor belts along the way. His HBO debut came in his second bout of 2010, the first bout of his I covered live. Alvarez, now 19, faced Jose Miguel
answers to English. He was polite and humble but also confident, not just in his ability but in his vision for his future. Alvarez and Golden Boy, who he had recently signed with, were aiming for a world title shot at welterweight or junior middleweight by early 2011. I didn’t give much thought to those plans, because it just seemed like wishful thinking. I wanted insight on his fighting style, so I asked him about his boxing heroes and was pleasantly surprised when he answered “Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard.” MY boxing heroes! I know it’s not a big deal to idolize those two legends, but 99.9999% of the time, young Mexican fighters answer “Julio Cesar Chavez” to that question. I told Alvarez that I expected more from him during the Mosley bout. He wasn’t offended or defensive (another pleasant surprise). He nodded and then matter-of-factly explained that he sets out to “work on different things” during every fight. “All [Mosley] had was his jab and right hand,” Alvarez said. “He didn’t punch hard, so I practiced blocking and countering right hands off the ropes.” He said he only had around 40 amateur bouts and needed to continue his education with his first 20-25 pro fights. “I was still a boy when I turned pro,” Alvarez said. It made sense. He added that 13 bouts from early in his pro career were not included on his official ledger, which stood at 31-0-1 (23 KOs) at the time. Aside from having one loss, Cotto’s record was identical to Alvarez’s, but the 32-year-old veteran’s resume was backed by extensive amateur experience. The older brother of future Hall of Famer Miguel Cotto represented Puerto Rico at the 1996 Olympics. Just before the start of the press conference for the Mayweather-Mosley undercard, Alvarez told me that he would be “too strong” for Jose Cotto and that he was ready to take on Miguel at 147 or 154.
During that presser, Cotto’s emotional young trainer, Joe Santiago, confidently declared that Golden Boy matchmaker Eric Gomez would be fired after his fighter brutally knocked Alvarez out. Gomez laughed at the presser, but he wasn’t laughing midway through the opening round when Alvarez missed with a right cross and got clipped by a sweeping left hook. Alvarez’s body went limp, but he managed to stay on his feet even as he teetered into the ropes. “Welcome, kid, to the big time,” Larry Merchant said during the HBO PPV broadcast. Alvarez understood that you might not always win when you target the top dogs. Cotto did his best to fulfill his trainer’s prophecy, landing four crunching right hands to the jaw as the dazed Alvarez reeled along the ropes. Who knows? Maybe the practice he got in with Mosley helped him survive Cotto’s swarming attack. Alvarez got through the near-disastrous first round and seemed recovered at the start of the second. He scored a technical knockdown 10 seconds before the bell when a counter right uppercut caused Cotto to spin off-balance and touch his gloves to the canvas. Alvarez took control in the third round, staying light on his feet, controlling distance and landing power punches off his jab like his boxing idols. “Too bad he wasn’t gifted with their hand speed,” I jotted down in my notepad. Alvarez elected to box off the ropes for most of Round 6, which he did effectively, but doing so allowed Cotto to outwork him. The tactic drew mixed reactions. The crowd was into it. Press row surmised that the kid was gassed.
The HBO broadcast booth was split. Harold Lederman said Alvarez was the best at fighting off the ropes since Roy Jones Jr. Merchant replied, “I’m not sure it’s the best place for him to be.” Alvarez sporadically stepped on the gas until a series of heavy combinations prompted the referee to save Cotto in Round 9. The consensus among press row was that Alvarez showed heart in surviving adversity but he was lucky he was in with Jose Cotto, a 5-foot-5 former lightweight, and not Miguel Cotto. The audition did not go well. Some thought he was being pushed on the public for the wrong reasons.
portions of the late rounds. I was glad I stayed home.
I admit I was a bit spoiled when it came to Mexican up-and-comers. I witnessed the rise of Marco Antonio Barrera and the Marquez brothers, Juan Manuel and Rafael, at Forum Boxing
“If his hair was black and his skin was brown, would they be making a big deal about him?” questioned MaxBoxing writer Gabriel Montoya. First L.A. appearance Golden Boy and the Reynosos kept Alvarez busy. Two months after Cotto, he knocked out
Luciano Cuello in Guadalajara to set up his second HBO PPV showcase, the co- featured bout to Shane Mosley vs. Sergio Mora at Staples Center in Los Angeles on September 18. His opponent was another plodding veteran, but this one was a former welterweight champ who had recently taken Vernon Forrest the distance at junior middleweight: Carlos Baldomir. Golden Boy held a public workout at the historic Olvera Street (a popular Mexican marketplace) in downtown L.A. This was my first time seeing Alvarez outside of a gym or arena, and I noted the large number of female fans that came to see him. Some of these women, all of whom I presumed were of Mexican descent, were boxing fans, but most had learned about Alvarez from personality pieces they watched or read in Spanish-language media. They practically swooned at the sight of him. I honestly had no idea women found him attractive. A young PR lady who worked for Golden Boy confirmed his
shows in Inglewood as a ticket-buying fan during the early-to-mid ’90s and from press row as a newbie member of the boxing media later in the decade. That trio was touted as Mexico’s boxing future and they looked the part. Alvarez looked “exotic” outside of the ring but not very special inside it. He didn’t have the volume-punching, pressure-fighting attack of young Barrera or the surgical technique of featherweight Juan Manuel or the explosive power Rafael wielded on his way up the bantamweight ladder. What was Alvarez’s style? I wasn’t sure on first viewing. It looked like he was trying to emulate Mosley’s sneaky jab and upper-body movement during their early rounds. I thought he lacked the confidence to really go after Mosley later in the bout. Maybe Alvarez was
Canelo's stretch of homecoming fights in 2009 included a first-round stoppage of Carlos Herrera.
Cotto in the co-feature to the Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Shane Mosley HBO PPV main event on May 1 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The 10-round bout would serve as Alvarez’s audition for future appearances on the subscription cable network. I met and interviewed Alvarez for the first time at a media workout in Los Angeles two weeks prior to the bout. Two things I immediately recall is that Alvarez sparred for the media, which was an old-school Mexican tradition, and he clearly understood my questions but still used Gonzalez to translate his
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sex appeal. “He raises and rides horses in Guadalajara,” she gushed. “That makes him attractive?” I asked. “Yes! He’s a good dancer, too,” she replied. “He can salsa, cumbia, merengue and rumba. And he’s a gentleman!” “Gotcha,” I shrugged. “If these female admirers show up to Staples Center, Golden Boy might actually have the crossover attraction they’ve been hyping.” Of course, for that to happen, Alvarez, who was now 20, would not only have to keep winning, he’d have to make statements in the ring. If he couldn’t “show out” against a 39-year-old Baldomir, he really was a hype job. Alvarez delivered, and he did it the best way a young fighter touted as “the future” could – via cold knockout. However, though he was the crowd favorite that night, the arena was quiet before he lowered the boom against the painfully slow Baldomir, who had rehydrated to 169 pounds. “I can’t say that he’s dazzled me,” Merchant said at the start of Round 6. With 10 seconds left in the round, Alvarez dropped Baldomir face down to the canvas off a crisp hook after stunning the veteran with right hands. Baldomir was counted out. The Mexican fans in attendance – which included a fair amount of women – were dazzled. It was Alvarez’s 11th knockout in his last 12 bouts. He was picking up steam. First world title bout Alvarez fought one more time in 2010, a 12-round decision over iron-chinned Lovemore Ndou. He weighed in at 149½ for that bout in Veracruz, Mexico, which was televised on Televisa and tape-delay broadcast on HBO in the U.S. Golden Boy wanted Alvarez to win a world title while he could still make 147, meaning his first bout of 2011, but the top two welterweights – pound-for- pound superstars Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. – were well out of his league. The second-tier candidates – fighters like Andre Berto, Victor Ortiz, Jan Zaveck and Vyacheslav Senchenko
– either already had commitments or were content to protect their belts in their homelands. It was Pacquiao’s 150-pound catchweight victory over Antonio Margarito for the vacant WBC 154-pound title (which, having made history, PacMan promptly vacated) that gave Golden Boy an idea: Why not have Alvarez do the same? He could win the junior middleweight title at a catchweight against a WBC-rated 147-pounder and thus position himself for a second title shot at welterweight. In stepped Matthew Hatton, the European welterweight champ who was No. 5 in the WBC’s 147-pound rankings. The gutsy older brother of Ricky Hatton was willing to travel from Manchester, England, to face Alvarez at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, on March 5, 2011. That’s the business of boxing, and at a Tuesday media workout the week of the fight, it was clear to me that Alvarez was getting more involved in that side of the sport. Alvarez and the Reynosos were now promoting the Televisa cards he headlined. He proudly told me that they signed Nobuhiro Ishida, a junior middleweight/middleweight from Osaka, Japan, and were interested in signing other Japanese fighters to bring to Mexico. That seemed out of left field, but Alvarez explained that Japanese bantamweight Tomoki Kameda, who turned pro in Mexico, fought on two Televisa cards in Guadalajara in 2010 and did strong ratings. He reminded me that the Reynosos were no strangers to the Japanese boxing scene, having traveled there four times with Larios. Ishida was set to fight one of Alvarez’s older brothers, Rigoberto, the following month in Guadalajara. The 6-foot-2 slugger dropped a split decision to Rigo but would go on to blitz James Kirkland in the 2011 Upset of the Year before twice challenging for middleweight world titles vs. Dmitry Pirog and a bulldozer from Kazakhstan that Saul would get to know very well.
When asked about his first title bout, Alvarez said, “I’m not too young for this. I’m going to show America how mature I am.” He pooh-poohed anyone who pooh- poohed Hatton as his opponent. “Hatton is a warrior,” Alvarez said. “All fighters are dangerous once you step into the ring. ‘Easy’ guys can quickly become difficult if you underestimate them.” Wanting extra motivation for this pivotal bout, he told me he had been watching key fights from the careers of Ali, Chavez and Oscar De La Hoya. Alvarez wasn’t just observing their styles. He was watching how they carried themselves on the nights they faced their most formidable rivals. Ali vs. Liston, Frazier and Foreman. Chavez vs. Mayweather, Taylor and Whitaker. De La Hoya vs. Whitaker, Trinidad and Hopkins. Alvarez understood that you might not always win when you target the top dogs. “I’ve learned from them,” he said. “They all have styles worth emulating. They all accomplished so much. That inspires me. I want to surpass what they did.” Eric Gomez told me the plan was four fights in 2011. He brought up the mediocre welterweight beltholders, Zaveck and Senchenko, but he also mentioned newly minted WBA 154-pound titleholder Austin Trout. “He’s interested in fighting Trout, who just beat [Rigoberto Alvarez] for a title in Mexico. That’s a tough fight,” said Gomez, who added that was the type of matchup that would get Alvarez on HBO’s primetime flagship series, Championship Boxing . “We’ll see how he does on Saturday and see if HBO likes him.” The HBO brass didn’t like it when Alvarez missed the contracted 150-pound catchweight by a pound and a half, which reportedly cost him 30% of his purse. Alvarez seemed genuinely embarrassed and disappointed with himself at the weigh-in. I was disappointed with the result of the fight even though it was a near-
Alvarez survived a shaky first round against Jose Miguel Cotto (above) and rebounded to win by ninth-round TKO. Carlos Baldomir (below) was an easy target for Canelo, who dropped the Argentine veteran for the count in Round 6.
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