20 little-known facts about Canelo Alvarez
By David Rouben
10. 11 of his first 13 fights were knockouts
If there’s one thing that’s remained consistent throughout Canelo’s career, it’s his knockout power. He started 11 of his first 13 pro fights collecting heads. His third and fifth fights went the distance, but he stormed out of the gate.
He was an extremely active fighter, competing seven times in 2006 and 2007. He even waited two weeks to fight Francisco Villanueva after beating Cristian Hernandez. Fighting people that were older than him was the norm, including Daniel Martinez who was a full 20 years older than Canelo. Jose Reynoso also claimed Canelo amassed 10 more knockouts during that span, but that none of them were officially documented.
It didn’t take long for Golden Boy to discover Canelo after this incredible stretch. He finally got a fight in the United States in 2008, against Shane Mosley’s cousin, under their banner. When they first put pen to paper on a contract two years later, it felt like the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
When he was first fighting, Canelo competed between 140-145 pounds. One of the primary concerns when moving up in weight is that you lose some of your power. But to see him continue to knock guys out the heavier he’s gotten is an extremely promising sign.