Saul "Canelo" Alvarez has long been seen as boxing’s fighting champion, but the saga of his latest career move serves as a stark reminder that he is, above all else, a prizefighter. Every major boxer before him, from Floyd Mayweather to Muhammad Ali, has, at one time or another, prioritized financial gain over any romantic notion of "saving" the sport. "Canelo" is no different — he’s just finally making it obvious.
This past week, over a span of 72 hours, Alvarez went from negotiating a potential showdown with Terence Crawford to considering a crossover spectacle against Jake Paul before ultimately signing a lucrative four-fight deal with Turki Alalshikh's Riyadh Season, the latter of which includes a September bout with Crawford.