By Norm Frauenheim–
LAS VEGAS – Canelo Alvarez says he’s happy to be back on what he calls the path to greatness, a destination that suddenly grew elusive in a stunning loss to Dmitry Bivol four months ago.
It’s still there, of course. Canelo has always talked about greatness as though it’s his destiny. Bivol was just like that bumper sticker. Bleep happens.
Canelo intends to leave it behind and resume his march on history in a long-awaited and long-overdue third fight with Gennadiy Golovkin Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena in a DAZN pay-per-view bout.
Everything seems to say that a victory over Golovkin will happen. GGG is 40, the same age Manny Pacquiao was when his career ended against late stand-in Yordenis Ugas a year ago. Canelo is nearly a 5-to-1 favorite.
Nobody gives GGG much of a chance. Then again, few would have ever guessed that Albert Pujols would be closing in on the 700-home-run milestone at 42-years-old either. Remember, bleep happens. Maybe, GGG channels Pujols and hits a homer here. But don’t bet on it.
Expect a Canelo victory. But greatness is different. It’s not an expectation. It’s an argument. At least, it is amid all the talk before GGG and Canelo resume their contentious rivalry.
Canelo, still boxing’s undisputed box-office draw, stirred up controversy about a month ago when asked if he would fight fellow Mexican Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez if Ramirez beats Bivol on Nov. 5.
“I don’t want to fight Mexicans,’’ Canelo said. “I represent Mexico.’’
The comment has been repeated and interpreted. According to one interpretation, Canelo was really saying he wouldn’t fight David Benavidez. The problem with that one is that Benavidez is Mexican-American. He’s from Phoenix. Over the last couple of years, Benavidez has emerged as the one super-middleweight fans would like to see fight Canelo.
But Canelo has moved on to other challenges against other 168-pound contenders, including Callum Smith or Caleb Plant or Billy Joe Saunders. He’s also moved up the scale, beating former light-heavyweight champ Sergey Kovalev and losing to Bivol. None of the moves have included Benavidez.
His comment about not fighting Mexicans, however, is just a further sign to Benavidez father-and-trainer Jose Benavidez Sr. that he never will.
Benavidez Sr. repeated what was said after David’s third-round blowout of David Lemieux last May in Glendale, Ariz. Then, Benavidez manager/promoter Sampson Lewkowicz told the media to forget about Canelo.
“Quit talking about David-versus-Canelo,’’ Lewkowicz said. “It’s fantasy.’’
In so many words, Jose Benavidez Sr. said the same thing four months later after a news conference Thursday at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand.
“It’ll never happen,’’ said Benavidez’ dad. who will be in Diego Pacheco’s corner for a super-middleweight bout against Enrique Collazo on Saturday’s undercard.
Then, Jose Benavidez had a lot more to say, suggesting that Canelo’s planned path to greatness can never happen without a fight against his son. The defining face of great in Mexican boxing is Julio Cesar Chavez.
Go to a barrio gym in Mexico or the United States. Chances are you’ll see at least one photo or poster of the legendary JCC. He’s the icon
“Julio Cesar Chavez became one by fighting everyone,’’ he said. “He fought Filipinos, he fought Americans. It didn’t matter. He fought everyone. Nationality didn’t matter. You only had to be a champion.
“There’s no other way to be great.’’