Boxing Pound-for-Pound Rankings: Canelo Alvarez continues to slip despite win as mileage starts to add up
CBSN
The Mexican superstar is still winning fights, but he does not look like the same dominant force he once was
The only question after Alvarez's wide decision win over rugged mandatory challenger John Ryder is how far removed the 32-year-old superstar now appears to be from the title of pound-for-pound best that he once wore unanimously in recent years.
While Alvarez largely dominated Ryder, the fact that the fight went the full 12 rounds was one of many indicators, along with the generous swelling across his face, that the four-division champion is naturally slowing down. It's also a continuation of the theme that began last year when Alvarez lost cleanly while challenging light heavyweight titleholder Dmitry Bivol before looking sluggish in a fall trilogy win over Gennadiy Golovkin.
Considering Alvarez turned pro at age 15 and now has 63 pro fights under his belt, a gradual decline is only natural. But it feels somewhat startling considering the level Alvarez had been operating at in recent years where weight classes no longer seemed to matter as he carried his power with him up in weight.
