Former super middleweight world champion Carl Froch believes Mexican superstar Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez is now beyond his best days.
Canelo, the undisputed champion at 168-pounds, returned to the ring last Saturday night and won a twelve round unanimous decision over mandatory challenger John Ryder.
It was a competitive fight that many had expected to end inside the distance, but Ryder lasted the full twelve rounds.
“I thought Canelo fought a very good world-level fighter in John Ryder, but he’s not quite a top-tier level fighter. You grade fighters on world level, British level and European level, where you’re ranked top-10 in the world. And then you think, is he good enough to step up to world level, which is about timing and who the champions are? I always thought Ryder was a world level fighter, he’s good enough to compete which he proved by going the distance,” Froch explained to Intent.
“I think Canelo is past his best, which everyone knows, but it’s just about levels basically. I think Ryder is at that level in the super middleweight division. I don’t think he’s big enough, I think he’s a middleweight, even light-middleweight, he’s quite small. Canelo is small as well. But Ryder really took it to him, great performance and you can’t ask for more. I’d like to see him win a world title but it’s all about timing. But Ryder has earned himself money and did himself proud.”
Canelo is now heading to a rematch with WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol.
They fought back in May of 2022, with Bivol pulling off a dominant twelve round unanimous decision.
While Canelo was the favorite in the first encounter, Bivol is now viewed as the top dog in the second going.
“I think Bivol wins if it happens, when you look at the last time they fought. Bivol was really busy, fresh, strong and powerful. He’s a natural light-heavyweight. I remember watching him in Monaco early in his career, I remember thinking wow he’s one to swerve. He’s dangerous. When the Canelo fight was made I thought he fought Kovalev at light heavyweight, but this fight he’s going to struggle and he got hammered,” Froch said.