Teddy Atlas has not been shy in branding Saul ‘Canelo‘ Alvarez ‘overrated’ in the past.
The Mexican is the current unified super middleweight champion, the fourth division he has been a champion in during a 65-fight campaign with only two losses on his record.
Despite this, Atlas has often said Alvarez is assessed to highly in the grand scheme of things. Neither did he agree when he was named the greatest Mexican fighter of all time given that he is up against the likes of Salvador Sanchez and Julio Cesar Chavez.
Speaking on Fight Hub TV, Atlas stood by those comments.
“That’s honest, that accurate. I think he was overrated. They took that as me saying he’s not that good. No, I didn’t say that. When you make him number one, again, with the history of champions you have in that country, wow, you better know what you’re talking about.”
The former trainer turned pundit then detailed the five fights he thinks ‘Canelo’ has lost.
“He has not established himself and earned that spot yet. I know he’s won a lot of titles but he’s also picked guys to win a lot of those titles. When he did step up with a really legitimate guy like [Dmitry] Bivol he lost 11 or 12 rounds. He lost to Mayweather, every round. I know he was younger, but it was still a loss. I thought he lost to Lara, I thought it was very close, like a one-point fight. I think he lost to Triple G, the first fight, I don’t think too many people, even Mexicans, would argue with me.
I thought he lost the second fight to Triple G, different kind of fight, first fight Triple G pressed him, pushed him, fought on the inside and won the fight. I thought he won the fight fairly handily. The second time, Canelo was the guy pressing the fight, he had grown, got more confident, matured, but I thought Triple G fought enough in spots spaces to use the jab and used the jab magnificently enough to win enough rounds to win the fight.”
Atlas has also said if ‘Canelo’ really wants to prove himself he must fight David Benavidez, which he has said he will if the money is right. In the meantime, he returns to the ring against undefeated Puerto Rican Edgar Berlanga on September 14.
