Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, a boxing icon with over 65 fights under his belt, has made it clear that he’s willing to face anyone—as long as the money is right. The 34-year-old Mexican superstar has reached a point in his career where he commands top dollar in pay-per-view buys and live gates, cementing his status as one of the most influential figures in the sport.
Recently, Canelo reinforced his independence in response to being stripped of one of his four super-middleweight world titles for not facing a mandatory challenger. “I’m not gonna do whatever they want. I’m gonna do whatever I want. Because I deserve it, because of all I have done,” he said.
While Canelo’s dominance is unquestionable, a rising contender could soon challenge his reign. That man is 23-year-old Diego Pacheco, who recently impressed with a stoppage victory over Maciej Sulecki. Pacheco’s performance has caught the attention of boxing fans and analysts alike, including famed trainer and boxing commentator Teddy Atlas.
On his podcast, Atlas discussed the potential danger Pacheco poses to Canelo, describing the young fighter as a ‘nightmare’ stylistically for the Mexican champion. “I’m not saying he’s afraid, what I’m saying is Pacheco represents a bad match-up style-wise for Canelo at this point in his career,” said Atlas.
He pointed out that as fighters age, their footwork tends to slow down, making it harder to close the gap against taller, longer opponents like Pacheco, who stands at 6′ 4″. “The physical style of Pacheco is a nightmare match-up, I believe, for Canelo … You can’t counter a guy that’s as tall and long as Pacheco and knows how to use that length. There’s nothing to counter. You’re gonna shadow box all night,” Atlas added.
Despite his belief in Pacheco’s abilities, Atlas suggested that the young contender could benefit from one more fight before challenging Canelo for the title. However, he also expressed doubts that a showdown would happen anytime soon, citing Canelo’s history of avoiding matchups he doesn’t feel comfortable with. “I think Canelo wants no part of it for the reason I just laid out … He’s the golden goose, he can get away with it … He earned it by being the pay-per-view king, but if you want to be the greatest, you should fight everybody.”
For now, Canelo’s focus is on his upcoming fight against Edgar Berlanga on September 14. Fans are eager to see whether Pacheco, with his powerful jab and promising skills, will eventually force the champion into the ring for what could be a defining clash of styles.
