Canelo's Reputation Takes A Major Hit

Look, I don't know what's in Canelo Alvarez' heart. I also have to come clean and admit I'm not a professional fighter. That pretty much means I'm in no position to charge someone who takes punches for a living of cowardice. In other words, I have no interest in being a keyboard warrior. I just want to be fair and call it like I see it.

And here's how I see it now that Canelo has given up his WBC title:

The man's reputation has taken a serious hit. It doesn't matter if he did the smart thing, the savvy thing or the strategic thing...he looks bad right now. Will the man's reputation be able to survive this? I don't know, but I can't imagine this sort of stain washing off too easy.

Canelo has given up his title freely, after all, so that a man who wants to fight him can have it without a fight. What's more, this comes after Canelo literally knocked a pumped up welterweight senseless less than two weeks ago. It doesn't look good, my friends, It just doesn't look good at all.

Again, I don't know what's in Canelo's heart. I'm not criticizing Canelo's decision here, nor am I criticizing his team. I'm simply analyzing the public fallout from that decision. Needless to say, that fallout is fairly harsh.

Perhaps Canelo will end up fighting GGG in September. That could end up being a reputation savior. Indeed, it would pretty much be the only way to wipe out the memory of what's just transpired.

What If GGG Isn't Allowed To Unify The Middleweight Titles?

There's a lot of talk out there that a Canelo Alvarez-Gennady Golovkin fight won't happen this year. There's even talk that it won't ever happen at all. Yup, people are feeling that team Canelo wants absolutely nothing to do with GGG, at least not in his current, prime, menacing state. GGG's team seems to be suspicious of team Canelo as well, at this point, as it's been suggested that Golovkin would be willing to take Canelo's WBC title should Canelo not wish to face him.

Here's the thing, though:

Who's to say the WBC would EVER give Canelo's belt to Golovkin? Sure, the "rules" apparently make it clear that Canelo (or Amir Khan, should he beat Canelo) have to agree to fight GGG at a certain time or give up the belt, but since when did things like rules, sportsmanship and fairness have much of anything to do with the sport of boxing?

Here's something we all need to wrap our heads around - GGG may never unify the middleweight titles simply because the current champions will be allowed to avoid him. It's that simple, really. And no, it isn't cynical to think this way - it's realistic. I'm not saying GGG WON'T ever unify the titles, but I am saying there's a real chance he won't even be able to try to. Indeed,  the odds may be stacked against Golovkin getting the opportunities he desires in boxing's current landscape.

What, then, is GGG to do? Why, keep fighting the best out there who he's able to fight, of course. That's all the man CAN do. There's something we as fans can do, however, and that's stop caring about titles and championships. Look, I'm as drawn to official recognition as much as anyone else, but right now titles are seen as tools of corrupt individuals, and have therefore completely lost their value as anything other than marketing chips.

Ironically enough, the sooner we push titles out of the conversation, the sooner they may again gain value. And the sooner GGG will get the recognition he deserves as king of the middleweight division - provided, of course, that no other fighter of note wants to challenge him for that claim.

PS: I've always liked Canelo and am still holding out hope he does the right thing here, as the sportsman he's thus far proven himself to be.