Canelo Alvarez was recently stripped of his IBF title and recently, in an interview with Million Dollaz Worth of Gam, he bluntly dismissed his mandatory challenger William Scull by saying, “Who is Scull? I never heard of him.” Alvarez’s decision to forgo the fight against Scull and face Edgar Berlanga is definitely a bold one. The Mexican fighter is redefining what it means to be a boxing champion.
Alvarez is unfazed about his decision
Alvarez is set to defend his WBA, WBC and WBO super middleweight titles against Edgar Berlanga on September 14 in Las Vegas. He recently addressed the controversy surrounding his decision to skip mandatory title defenses. Canelo was stripped of his title by the IBF last month after he refused to fight No.1 contender William Scull. He is still confident in his decision. When asked about his refusal to fight Scull, Alvarez stated that he built his career by fighting the likes of Miguel Cotto, Mayweather, and everyone to make himself the Canelo Alvarez he is today. “I can do whatever I want. And IBF is not going to come one day and tell me, ‘Hey, you need to fight William Scull.’ Who is Scull? I never heard of him.”
The 34-year-old boxer also stressed that the dynamics of boxing change when people reach his level of success. Alvarez explained that there are stars, superstars who added value to the championships, the belts didn’t make them, so it’s different. Canelo believes that he has earned the right to choose his opponents that enhance his legacy, not just fulfill a mandatory obligation. Currently, the Mexican boxer is preparing for his upcoming fight against Berlanga and focusing on his journey of choosing bouts that he feels will solidify his status as a boxer.
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Oscar De La Hoya took a jab at Alvarez
Former pro boxer Oscar De La Hoya took shots at Canelo Alvarez on social media by claiming that the Mexican is dodging tough opponents like David Benavidez. Oscar criticized Alvarez’s avoidance by stating that Saudi promoter Turki Alalshikh recently revealed that Canelo refused to meet him in person. Canelo will do anything not to fight Benavidez.
“The Golden Boy” warned Alvarez about the timing of his fight with Berlanga overlapping with UFC 306. He even attacked his opponent Edgar Berlanga by saying, “You are from Brooklyn. Puerto Rico doesn’t claim you brother.”
