By Clint Calkins
In boxing history the middleweight division has been a prestigious one. Many great fighters have held the claim of champion, Sugar Ray Robinson, LaMotta, Monzon, Hagler, Sugar Ray Leonard, even Davenport’s Michael Nunn was considered boxing’s best pound for pound as he held the middleweight title.
This weekend Canelo Alvarez 46-1 (32) defends his WBC Middleweight title against former 140 lb champion Amir Khan 31-3 (19).
The catch here is that Canelo has demanded a weight limit of 155 pounds instead of the middleweight limit of 160. This makes you think his W.B.C. title may stand for Weight By Canelo instead of World Boxing Council. Canelo requires his opponents to weigh in no more than 155 pounds for a 160 pound title. This to me means that Canelo may not be ready for the middleweight division and should step down until so.
In the golden days of boxing you did not see “catch weights”. The legends of yesteryear fought to prove that they were the best. Canelo is not ready for Gennady Golovkin or any legit 160 pound contender as long as he can make the rules of his division.
Khan is a 140 pound fighter stepping up to middleweight because he has the old school fighter’s mentality of wanting to prove he belongs. Khan’s chin has been questioned in his career and Canelo’s punch can test that but I have to give Khan credit for stepping up and I just wish that Canelo could have the same desire as Khan to prove he is the best in his division by not setting these weight standards.
I feel that Canelo will use this to his advantage by wearing down Khan by being aggressive and testing his chin. Khan on the other hand can use his boxing ability to offset Canelo and make it an interesting fight. No matter the outcome let’s hope that the middleweight division can shine as it did back in the day and keep it as a 160 pound division to prove to the boxing fans who is the best.
What do you think?
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