By Hesiquio Balderas
Hall of Fame trainer Nacho Beristain talks about Canelo’s place in Mexican boxing history.
“It’s difficult to label any fighter from Mexico,” said Beristain. “Many people have asked me about Canelo surpassing Chavez as the best in the history of Mexico. That’s a difficult question to answer because the history of Mexico is rich in boxing. There are too many great champions from Mexico and to put a number on Canelo is difficult.
“The best fighters from Mexico are like a vertebrate spine and Canelo is part of that spine. He is a great fighter, no doubt about it. He should be in there with the best. Now whether he is an idol or not, that’s a different question. That relates more about how much love he has gotten from the Mexican people. You can have a great and illustrious career and not be an idol. I can’t really say, but Canelo is a great fighter for sure.”
Chavez was still good till the Parisi fight, when he decided to get in shape and make 140 without too much struggle. 14 months after Parisi, De La Hoya cut up Chavez, and everyone could see it coming where he’d cut up. 1985 to 1995, Chavez pretty tough to beat, Whitaker and Randall only 2 he didn’t pay a big price going the distance, maybe Laporte didn’t take too much damage, and a couple of others.
I remember the Chavez era. Yes, Pernell Whitaker gave Chavez a boxing lesson [in 1993] of a lifetime, and thanks to the corruption it was a draw. What a joke! Chavez had his moments where he was protected in fight decisions as well. Oddly, Canelo has had a few himself. Nobody is really surprised it happens.
Chavez was so good at 140 in the early-90’s that one magazine (not sure which one, maybe World Boxing) wrote an article after his drubbing of Camacho that while the editors picked Sugar Ray Robinson as the greatest fighter ever pound for pound they wouldn’t argue if you went with Chavez. That’s how unbeatable he looked. That all went to crap after Whitaker dominated him and Randall beat him. Chavez still managed some good wins over Parisi, Kamau, and a faded Meldrick Taylor but was definitely never the same after Whitaker.
The other magazine that comes to my mind was The Ring magazine.
Seem to overlooking that the man is a drug cheat. Just forgotten. Not by me I’m afraid. I will forever hold an * over canelo career
Canelo is a great champion but he would be an idol in Mexico the day he snorts coke in front of a crowd there. That is the sad truth.