Despite Bitter Animosity, Canelo Alvarez Gives Floyd Mayweather Ultimate Recognition With His ‘Perfect Fighter’

Can even the bitterest rivalries forge respect? When Canelo Alvarez faced Floyd Mayweather in 2013, sparks flew. The clash wasn’t just a bout; it was a clash of eras. Mayweather emerged victorious, handing Canelo his first professional loss. Fast forward, and the tables have turned.

In a revealing interview with PPV.COM, Canelo crafts his ideal fighter, and guess who has the highest ring IQ? Mayweather. Despite their storied past, Alvarez’s nod to Mayweather’s tactical genius is unexpected. Does this gesture hint at a newfound respect? Or is it an acknowledgment of undeniable skill?

Is Floyd Mayweather the smartest guy in the ring?

As Cinco de Mayo weekend approaches, the buzz in the boxing world is palpable, and all eyes are on The Undisputed champion. Set to face Jaime Munguia in Las Vegas, this bout is a showcase of mastery and legacy. But before stepping into the ring, Canelo sat down with PPV.COM to discuss the makeup of his “perfect fighter.”

“If you could build the perfect fighter, let’s start with some of the assets. Who has the best right hand you’ve ever seen?” the interviewer asked. Without hesitation, Canelo responded, “Tommy Hearns, I think, is one of the best right hands I ever see.”

“Left hand?” probed the interviewer next. “Left hand. Julio Cesar Chavez?” Canelo answered. As the conversation deepened, the topic of sheer power came up. “Duran or Foreman?” Canelo pondered. “And footwork?” the interviewer continued. “Footwork, I think, Whitaker?” Canelo suggested, tipping his hat to Pernell Whitaker’s legendary defensive maneuvers.

“Chin?” came the next query. “Chin? I think me,” Canelo said with a chuckle, confident in his own resilience. Finally, the topic of ring intelligence was broached—a quality often overlooked but crucial. “And IQ, who’s the smartest guy in the ring?” “I think Mayweather. Very, very good IQ,” Canelo conceded, giving a nod to his one-time adversary, Floyd Mayweather.

The Mayweather and Canelo fanbase have been in a tussle since the 2013 bout. Often blaming Floyd for choosing the bantamweight for their fight. Floyd not so long ago talked about this and made it clear that it was Canelo who chose the weight.

Was the catchweight Canelo Alvarez’s call after all?

In the ring, every pound counts, and recently Floyd Mayweather cleared the air about a crucial detail from his historic fight with Canelo Alvarez. During a revealing chat with Fight Hype, Mayweather shared that the agreed-upon weight of 152 pounds for their bout wasn’t his idea. “Let’s be clear that I didn’t choose the agreed weight, it was Canelo who asked for it,” Mayweather stated.

He elaborated, “I never asked Canelo for a bantamweight. Someone on Canelo’s team said they were up for it, so we just asked what weight they wanted.” This clarification from Mayweather adds a new layer to the narrative of their epic showdown.

How much of these admired qualities will we see on display? Will Canelo’s own combination of skill and smarts rise to the occasion?