Don’t tell Canelo he has nothing to lose

There’s a theory that Canelo Alvarez has nothing to lose on Sept. 14 in his long-awaited showdown with Floyd Mayweather Jr. The reasons add up. Canelo is 23. He’s about to collect a career-high purse, expected to be between $10 and $13 million. He’s facing a 36-year-old fighter, whose tactical mastery has finally allowed him to prevail in the debate about who is at the top of the pound-for-pound’s mythical ratings. It’s no myth at all. It’s Mayweather and only Mayweather.

A loss for the young and still-unbeaten Canelo could become a valuable lesson in the ongoing education of a fighter who is beginning to look a lot like the pound-for-pound’s heir apparent.

What’s to lose, especially if a competitive performance from Canelo in a narrow defeat on the scorecards leads to a rich rematch?

Dumb question.

At least, it was when it was asked of Canelo during an international conference call.

“I think I have a lot to lose,’’ he said. “This is a fight that is very important to me. I have a whole lot to lose. I just don’t see it that way.’’

There’s pride in the answer. It’s an intangible. It’s just hard to know whether it gives Canelo more of a chance on his first night ever on boxing’s biggest stage and against a fighter who has ruled that stage like personal property. But it is evident that pride motivates Canelo as much as money moves Mayweather, who has been guaranteed a record-setting $41.5 million for the second bout in a Showtime deal worth a potential $250 million. Pride is there, in the tone of Canelo’s words. It’s also there, beneath all of that attention-grabbing red-hair, in stubborn eyes the color of combustible flint.

Be careful, and Mayweather has been. He seems to know that Canelo, although young, is dangerous. Whatever has passed for trash talk in the build-up for the biggest fight since Mayweather’s victory over Oscar De La Hoya in 2007 hasn’t exactly been outrageous.

If anything, Mayweather seems to have kept his rhetorical powder dry. His sharpest words seem to be more intended for De La Hoya, Canelo’s promoter. Mayweather, a promoter in his own right, has never liked De La Hoya. Don’t look for the two to start exchanging Christmas cards any time soon, if ever. Despite that, Mayweather seems to agree with De La Hoya about one thing: Canelo is just beginning to approach his potential.

“He hasn’t shown one bit of what’s he’s capable of,’’ De La Hoya said. “He hasn’t put it all together, because he hasn’t fought Floyd Mayweather, the best pound-for-pound fighter. Mayweather will bring the best out of him.’’

He might. Then again, Canelo’s pride might exert a pressure all its own and result in chances that Mayweather has always exploited with unerring efficiency. That might be the lesson. It also might be a lot to lose. But damaged pride has never needed stitches. It heals faster than a bloodied face. As an intangible, it is potentially powerful enough to give a Canelo a chance on Sept. 14. And if not then, maybe later in a rich rematch.