Was Canelo Really the Best Boxer for 2021

Yes, Canelo was the best for 2021, says “The Ring Magazine,” featuring the 31-year-old super star along with his long time coach Eddie Reynoso in its cover.

It’s the first time in The Ring’s long history covering boxing that a boxer and his coach are featured together as the very best of the year.

Canelo Alvarez (57-1-2, 39 KOs) scored three knockout wins in 2021, two against previously undefeated (in their prime) world champions, Billy Joe Saunders and Caleb Plant.

After his victory over Plant, Alvarez became the sixth male boxer (and first Mexican fighter) to be an undisputed world titleholder in the 4-belt era (since 1988) and the first undisputed super middleweight champion.

Alvarez started the year off with a crushing third-round technical knockout over his over-matched WBC mandatory opponent, Avni Yildirim (24-4, 13 KOs) in February, as Yildirim did not come out for the fourth-round.

Alvarez won every round on the three judges’ scorecards, as he out-landed Yildirim in this one-sided fight.

Canelo knocked Yildirim down in the third from a left jab followed by a straight right.

3 months later, Canelo scored an 8th-round TKO over the former WBO titleholder, Saunders (30-1, 14 KO’s).

Canelo Alvarez connected on a hard right uppercut in the eighth-round that shattered Saunders’ right orbital bone and caused his right eye to immediately swell shut.

🇬🇧 Saunders did not come out for the 9th-round.

At the time of the stoppage, Canelo was ahead on all three judges’ scorecards.

He connected on fifty-three percent of his power shots.

Alvarez, one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world, ended the year in November with an 11th-round technical knockout over the former IBF world champion, Plant (21-1, 12 KOs).

The Mexican super star knocked Plant down twice in the eleventh-round from a hard right uppercut and then from a barrage of punches, after which referee, Russell Mora stopped the bout at one minute and five seconds.

Alvarez was ahead on all three judges’ scorecards (98-92, 97-93, and 96-94) when the fight was halted. He out-landed Plant in body shots and connected a fantastic percentage of his power shots.

As fans can see, Canelo was an extremely active boxer, making 4 title fights in 11 months.

Alvarez won a twelve-round unanimous decision (119-109, 119-109, and 117-111) over the previously unbeaten WBA, WBC, and The Ring super middleweight champion, Callum Smith (28-1, 20 KOs)

But.. your you, after reading the above, was 🇲🇽 Canelo really the greatest boxer in the world in 2021?

Or was Tyson Fury the year’s Best fighter.. or perhaps Oleksandr Usyk?