Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez has scored 39 knockouts in 66 fights.
Though the elite Mexican is currently without a stoppage since a 2021 win over Caleb Plant to become undisputed super-middleweight champion, few who have felt his power deny it.
Having won his first world title down at super-welterweight, most of Canelo’s highlight reel KOs came in those lower divisions – although he did score a stellar fight-ender against Sergey Kovalev all the way up at light-heavy.
His most devastating came against Amir Khan at a catchweight of 155 pounds for the WBC Middleweight World Title at the T Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Though the Brit’s speed of hand and foot served him well in the opening rounds, Canelo would find more success as the clock ticked down. He dazed Khan in the sixth, slowing him down enough to land and overhand right that dropped the challenger hard. No count was administered and there was immediate worry for the smaller man’s health, who was treated by medical staff.
Reflecting on his best stoppages in a feature with DAZN, Alvarez said he feared for Khan when he hit the canvas.
“I actually went over to see if he was ok. It was the natural reaction – the knockout was too strong. And on top of that, when he fell to the canvas he twisted his neck badly. So I thought something more than a knockout had happened.”
Khan would describe the shot as a ‘monster punch’ and dropped back down to the welterweight ranks, ending his career there with three wins from five fights and a final defeat to British rival Kell Brook.
Canelo is still competing at the top level, having most recently outpointed Edgar Berlanga to defend his unified super-middleweight world titles. He is now reportedly considering facing William Scull, who picked up the IBF belt when he vacated it, in an attempt to become two-time undisputed in the division.
