In boxing, as in life, there are errors that are paid expensive. And one of them was to make fun of Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez.
The young redhead of Guadalajara, with just 19 years, faced a confident, experienced rival and mouth. But that night, respect was imposed with fists, and the silence was the only sound that remained after the final bell.
It all started in 2005, when a teenage cinnamon debuted as a professional with just 15 years. Although Mexican law did not allow it, its talent was so obvious that the Boxing Commission turned a blind eye. Four years later, he already accumulated an undefeated 30 fights and began to generate noise out of Mexico.
It was then that the fight againstLanardo Tyner, a veteran of the ring, respected, with a past like Sparring of Floyd Mayweather. He was not any rival: he had never been knocked out, he had a cunning defense and a style that had frustrated much larger boxers. Tyner did not shrink before anyone … and less before a young Mexican yet to be tested in gringas lands.
From the first assaults, Canelo showed more than strength. His precision was surgical, his past calm, his reading of impeccable combat. Tyner, seeking to deconcentrate him, turned to gestures, mocking smiles and provocations. But the tapatío did not bit the hook. With serenity, he continued applying his plan: body-corner, firm jab, exact combinations.
Each round was a lesson. Although Tyner resisted with Gallardía, the control was Canelo. His blows entered with intelligence and power, while American’s responses were increasingly desperate. The veteran’s experience was not enough before the temper of a young man who seemed to have a champion’s soul from the cradle.
The decision was unanimous. Canelo not only won the fight, won respect. Tyner, who began confident, ended up swallowing his words and recognizing that he had faced a phenomenon. That night he marked a before and after in the Mexican’s career. It was no longer just a local promise. It was a real threat to the big names of international boxing.
Shortly after this fight, Canelo signed withGolden Boy Promotionsand HBO. The young man who came from selling palettes in the trucks now made his way in the elite of world boxing. And he did not only with fists, but with a head, classy … and with the pride of representing millions.
Tyner learned that, in boxing, making fun of a warrior like Canelo can be expensive. And the world understood that a star was born that would not only hit hard, but would leave mark on each step.
