Canelo Alvarez's Late-Career Power & Cultural Impact

Segment Spotlight: Quick Hits From LatiNation Sports

Canelo Alvarez Shows His Strength While Looking Toward His Final Fights

Canelo Alvarez looked strong in his latest fight, showing that he still has the power and precision that have defined his career. At 36 years old, however, he is trying to stave off Father Time after accumulating significant mileage in the ring. Canelo turned professional at 17, bypassing the traditional amateur route.

Christian Mbili, whom Canelo beat for the super middleweight title he regained after losing to Terence Crawford, landed combinations that showed Canelo can no longer protect himself completely. Canelo absorbed those punches and demonstrated his toughness, but seeing him take too many combinations is concerning.

There may be only a handful of fights left before Canelo retires. Conor McGregor has said he wants to complete the final fight on his UFC contract and then face Canelo in a retirement bout, although the UFC could delay booking that last contracted fight.

During the final years of his career, Canelo could also become more of a cultural icon in the United States. He is conducting interviews in English and revealing more of his personality after previously relying on an interpreter to avoid being misconstrued. He is also releasing apparel, including designs featured last week.