Despite the win and the undisputed championship, Canelo Alvarez had to deal with a barrage of criticism. The fight with William Scull reportedly witnessed the least number of punches thrown in a 12-round fight. However, as he fought in the ring, Scull managed to evade the scrutiny, leaving. Thus, Canelo became a target of widespread censure. With the Crawford fight in sight, perhaps fans expected a statement win on May 3.

Canelo still remains a favorite. However, with many now preferring to put their money on Terence Crawford, the oddsmakers’ book seems to have witnessed a shift in opinion. But still, there are some who believe the Mexican superstar, whose last KO win came four years ago, still has it in him to defeat a maverick like Crawford and etch his name in boxing history forever. Manny Pacquiao is one of those who continue to stand for the beleaguered super middleweight king. As he prepares himself for the hotly debated return on July 19, the former world champion spoke about Canelo.

Canelo Alvarez: The one everyone looks up to

Along with his son Emanuel ‘Jimuel’ Pacquiao Jr. and the whole entourage, Manny Pacquiao, who arrived in the US a few days ago, was training in a park when Elie Seckbach probed, “Who do you think is more popular in Mexico or Barrios?” Now that was a tough ask. So Pacquiao just smiled and said, “I don’t know.” So changing track, Seckbach recalled, “A while back your son was in the gym with Canelo. Canelo showed him a lot of love…he’s a good person too.”

This time, Pacquiao, who was walking fast, took a breather and acknowledged, “He’s a role model, you know; he’s one of the role models in boxing.” Fair enough. What about the September clash? Which way does PacMan’s heart lean? Manny Pacquiao laid it bare the moment he arrived in LA.

Seckbach had joined a posse of reporters to get a quick update from the boxing great. So when one of the reporters asked, “Manny, what do you think about Canelo versus Crawford? Crawford is moving like 20 pounds and everything,” Pacquiao responded, “Good. Good for Canelo,” before reflecting on a few measures that he felt Crawford could undertake to improve his chances.

Now, keeping aside Pacquiao’s motivational words, the question still beckons.

There’s more than meets the eye

Did Canelo really squander his chances after letting William Scull go scot-free? Remember what Tim Bradley remarked. “Canelo couldn’t catch that chicken he was up against. How the hell do you think he’s going to catch Crawford, one of the best and most skillful fighters in the game?” said the former two-division champion who famously fought a trilogy with Pacquiao.

But one shouldn’t forget, the Scull fight follows Canelo’s title defense against Edgar Berlanga in September. Ahead of a big match, there’s a possibility he wanted to take things easy. After all, one of the primary reasons he opted for this match was to reclaim the undisputed status that he incidentally lost following his failure to fight then-IBF mandatory challenger William Scull.

So with some four months left before he meets Crawford, there’s basically no need for Canelo to enter a rough melee and risk an injury. Perhaps he knows Crawford is not Scull. The Nebraskan will come for a fight. Hence, he has to be supremely fit and ready for the big battle.

Who is your role model among Mexican boxing greats?