Saul "Canelo" Alvarez is among the
greatest boxers in the world,
not only because he possesses incredible
talent and skill, but because
he is turning out to be the
kind of fighter we all adore:
one who is not afraid to fight
anybody, no matter the risk.
Picking and choosing opposition is
nothing new in boxing, but it's
still refreshing to see a boxer of
Canelo's fame and reputation still
keeping a tough schedule.
Austin Trout, Floyd Mayweather,
Alfredo Angulo, and now Erislandy Lara.
The redheaded hotshot couldn't have
picked a much more dangerous
string of adversaries if he'd tried.
What's more, Canelo is imminently
capable of besting this high level
of competition.
At just 23 years of age,
he is already an excellent fighter,
and his technical ability and ring
maturity are growing with each
new challenge.
Today we will look
at the kind of technical pressure that
Canelo is capable of putting on his
opponents, which he will need against
Erislandy Lara, who is the very picture of
a masterful Cuban boxer.
This
is Canelo Alvarez: Young Gun.
One of the ways that Canelo
pressures his opponents is with
body position.
Using his hips and legs,
he can create different impressions
for his opponents, forcing them
to react.
Let's examine how that works.
If
Canelo were to shift to his right
hip, for example, his opponent
might expect a simultaneous hook,
like so, or a jab.
In addition,
this movement also suggests
the coiling of a hard right hand.
A shift to the left hip, on
the other hand, could also
be part of a simultaneous right,
or it could be the chambered
position for a left.
Here, you can see Canelo using
these shifts, as well as level
changes, to pressure Austin Trout.
Let's see that again.
Canelo dips under a jab
and shifts to his left hip.
Trout expects him to uncoil into
a left hook, and moves back
accordingly.
Now Canelo drops to his right,
and Trout feels the threat of
an impending right hand.
He steps back and circles to
his right, away from Alvarez's
cross.
Canelo shifts to his left to
cut him off with another potential
left hook, and Trout circles back
to his left to get away.
Some more shifting and suddenly
Trout realizes that Canelo is
almost on top of him, and that he
has been backed up all the
way to the ropes.
He pivots
out of danger, managing to avoid
Canelo's uppercut, but his movements
are not those of a comfortable
man.
Moments later, Canelo uses a
shift to his left hip to find the angle
for a right hand--one that will
work to much greater effect
two rounds later.
You see, not only do hip
shifts threaten certain punches,
but they also create the openings
for those punches.
From a neutral
position like this, a right hand
cannot connect.
With a small
step and a shift to the left
hip, however, the punch has
a clear lane to the target.
Canelo found that angle on
Trout in the seventh round.
Let's break that down.
Canelo jabs to test the range,
and prompt Trout to react.
Next, he preemptively shifts to
his left hip, correctly spotting the
angle for his right hand.
Feinting the jab this time,
Canelo draws a counter jab
from Trout, which slips past his
head as he steps and commits
to his left hip.
Trout's shoulders are nearly square
when Canelo's punch connects,
and he crumples to the ground.
From this camera angle, you
can clearly see how Canelo's
shift to the left hip takes his
head outside the path of Trout's
jab while lining up his own
right hand.
Canelo's positional pressure is
excellent, but his real strength
shines when he takes advantage of
those positions.
Canelo is well-known as
a potent combination puncher,
a skill which is usually attributed
to his handspeed or reflexes.
And while Canelo does possess
exceptionally quick hands and
masterful timing, the real explanation
for his combination prowess lies
in HOW he throws his punches.
Take this simple sequence from
his fight with Alfredo Angulo, for example.
Canelo's jab leaves him balanced
between both feet and ready
to punch from either hand.
He follows up with a left hook
that not only brings his
weight to his rear foot, loading
up a right cross, but
pushes Angulo into the path
of that punch.
Every punch that Canelo throws
leaves him in position to
immediately throw another punch.
Canelo's combinations are also
very intelligent, designed to find
and create openings in the
opponent's defense.
Let's see that sequence of
same-hand combinations again.
Canelo leads with a left hook
that loops around Angulo's
guard, followed by an uppercut
that just misses the mark.
Next, he leads with the same left
uppercut.
Angulo blocks most of
the impact with his gloves,
but in doing so brings his
arms forward and exposes
the right side of his body.
Canelo capitalizes with a vicious
left hook to the liver.
After an ineffective flurry from
Angulo, Canelo tries his first
combination again, but this time
with his right hand.
A short right hook draws Angulo's
guard to the side of his head,
and opens the path for an
uppercut up the middle.
Once more.
Watch the way
that Canelo builds his combinations,
so that each one capitalizes
on the threat of the one before.
Canelo Alvarez is a unique fighter.
Whether it's the novelty of his
red hair and Mexican heritage,
the disparity between his young
age and veteran skillset, or
his admirable willingness to fight
the toughest opposition available,
Canelo Alvarez stands out.
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