Saul "Canelo" Alvarez Does Not Fight Like a True Mexican Warrior

Saul "Canelo" Alvarez, the WBC light middleweight champion, just made his first successful title defense against a very disappointing veteran former European champion Ryan Rhodes who looked as if he forgot that he was allowed to throw punches back at his opponent that night.

Despite Canelo fighting in his hometown in a sold-out stadium in Jalisco, Mexico, he never once fell under the massive pressure of the hometown crowd curse where so many other top fighters fell due to trying to impress their hometown crowds too much causing them to lose their fights.

I had the honor of sitting ringside twice already at two of Canelo's fight's the first time was at his fight against former fighter of the year, Carlos Baldomir at Staples Center in Los Angeles and of course his highly criticized title-winning fight against Matthew Hatton at the Honda Center in Anaheim.

Both of these stadiums are local to huge Latino populations who came out full force and showed their utter support for the 20-year-old phenomenon.

But ironically, just as Canelo does not look traditionally Mexican with his red hair, freckles and Conan O'Brien looks, he also does not fight in the traditional Mexican warrior fighting style as well.

Traditionally, Mexican fighters tend to fight in a very crowd-pleasing all-action, constant-pressure, highly-aggressive offense-first fighting style. Many Mexican warriors tend to take pride in fighting, standing toe-to-toe with their opponents instead of utilizing greater defense and true boxing techniques of hitting and not getting hit.

Many consider Julio Cesar Chavez the greatest Mexican fighter of all-time and much of his fame and star power would be based on his exciting traditional Mexican warrior fighting style where he would often attack and stalk his opponents beating them down to win the fight.

Alvarez, however, does not embody this fighting style at all. Instead, he fights in a very methodical technical style where he safely boxes and attempts to break down his opponents to a 12-round decision or late stoppage.

In fact, words to best describe Saul's fighting style would be words such as disciplined, experienced and economical.

His fights are not the most exciting such as the Pacquiaos or Gattis of the sport, but they are not as boring as say a Hopkins fight or a Ruiz fight, as well. Canelo is not a boring fighter at all, but due to very limited politically protected selection of opponents so far that is why some may consider his fights to be boring.

Mostly due to the lack of challenge or danger that he has faced so far in the ring. His most publicized fights in the USA were against a washed up retired final pay day version of Baldomir, Matthew Hatton who had no deserving place being in a title shot for the WBC 154 belt, and Ryan Rhodes who was supposed to be Saul's first real tough test.

Rhodes was no test at all in fact it look as if he should have just tagged a random fan sitting ringside to come in and fight for him seeing that he did not want to fight that night.

Is this Canelo's fault? No it is not. If you want to place blame on anyone it is his handlers, they are carefully protecting, padding, packaging as blatantly as can be.

But in all honesty that is boxing. The sport historically has constantly done the very same thing with their next fast rising stars over and over from generation to generation and shoot Canelo is only 20 years old and he is already making a ton of money and of course everyone else who is involved with him as well.

Ever since his win over Rhodes everyone has been weighing in on who his next opponent should be from Angulo, Martinez, Chavez Jr., Cotto, to Martirosyan, but let's be honest, his next opponent will be another "WHO?" In which we will again have to watch some old fights on YouTube if there are even any of this next unknown unpopular and non-threatening  opponent.

Canelo is great for the sport of boxing he is getting the hardest most loyal fans (Mexicans) on fire again for the sport and the rest of us are taking notice to this undeniable hype that just seems to keep growing and growing and such an alarming rate.

But there will come a time, and hopefully it will be sooner rather than later as in Canelo's prime early 20s, where we can see just how great and truly special this phenomenon really is when he steps into the ring with another truly great fighter or at least a threatening dangerous beast.

Even his direct counter part competitor Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. finally fought Zbik, a decently legitimate undefeated top contender (with of course only having a 30 percent KO ratio).

How will Canelo do once he steps into the ring with a real challenge? I say he will do just fine. He fights very smart to win the fight not to win the crowds.

Subscribe:     http://www.youtube.com/KingJ323

Follow on Twitter:     http://twitter.com/KingJ323