Kermit "The Killer" Cintron(r) with WBC president Jose Suliman to promote Saturday's title fight. Photo: Pepe Rodriguez/Alma Montiel
THIS Saturday, November 26 at Monumental Plaza Mexico in Mexico City, undefeated WBC Super Welterweight World Champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez 38-0-1 (28) will take on former world champion Kermit “The Killer” Cintron 33-4-1 (28). The bout will take place at Plaza Mexico in Mexico City, and will air live on HBO’s Boxing After Dark.
To many boxing fans, Cintron has done nothing of late to warrant this shot at Canelo’s 154 pound title, near what appears to be the tail end the Puerto Rican’s career. Cintron hasn’t had a win over Top 10 opposition since outboxing a then undefeated Alfredo Angulo 20-2 (17) to a 12-round decision in 2009, in a WBC light middleweight title eliminator. Since then, Cintron is 2-2, dropping a technical decision to Paul Williams 40-2 (27) (after “falling” out of the ring) and being thoroughly dominated by the up-and-coming Carlos Molina 19-4-2 (6). The Houston resident followed that sub-par performance with a 10-round unanimous decision victory over little known Antwone Smith 21-3-1 (12) just 34 days later. Fast-forward three months, and now Cintron will be facing one of the hottest fighters in the sport, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez.
“Canelo” has been criticized by some boxing fans for being “given” his title. Not many names stand out on his resume other than a faded Carlos Baldomir 48-13-6 (14), and his most recent victim Alfonzo Gomez 23-5-2 (12). Alvarez pummeled Matthew Hatton eight months ago to win the vacant WBC super welterweight title. Hatton (riding the success of his brother, former 2-division champion Ricky Hatton) was given the gift of fighting for the title, despite having accomplished little in the division and probably should have never been in the fight to begin with. As expected he was easily dispatched and has since went back down to the welterweight division. It appears that Golden Boy will continue to put Alvarez in fights that he is supposed to win as he hasn’t been in with a real treat since winning the title.
In any fight, Cintron will be a threat due to his punching power, but he looks to be on the slide, and most don’t give him more than a puncher’s chance this weekend. Alvarez is younger, faster, stronger, and will have the home field advantage, so Cintron’s work is certainly cut out for him.
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