Hatton: Defeat to Mbilli would tarnish Canelo's legacy
Former Canelo Alvarez opponent Matthew Hatton says the Mexican boxer should retire. Alvarez fights Christian Mbilli for the WBC super-middleweight title in Riyadh on Saturday.
Matthew Hatton, a former European champion who faced Mexican boxer Canelo Alvarez in 2011 in Alvarez's first world title fight, has urged him to retire. On Saturday in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, Alvarez is due to fight Christian Mbilli for the WBC (World Boxing Council) super-middleweight title. It is his return after a defeat to Terence Crawford.
Hatton is the brother of British boxing legend Ricky Hatton and was himself a world-level contender. Speaking on the Toe2Toe podcast, he recalled that Alvarez was billed as the next big star of world boxing before their fight. He admitted he may have underestimated such a young opponent, praising his shot selection, punch variety and boxing IQ. He described Alvarez's record and the number of top-level fights as incredible, and called him a modern-day great.
Call to retire
Hatton said he personally would like to see Alvarez stop, given his fantastic career and legacy, and that it is a shame when fighters carry on too long. He believes Alvarez still has enough to beat Mbilli and called the fight interesting. However, in his view, losing to Mbilli would tarnish the legacy slightly, although others see it differently.
Fight goes ahead amid tension
The bout is going ahead in Saudi Arabia as conflict escalates in the region. Houthi attacks have targeted Saudi airports, including Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport, while security concerns have led to other sporting events in the kingdom being postponed or cancelled.
Alvarez has said fighting in Saudi Arabia is special for him and that he will do whatever it takes to become a world champion again. He said he is a fighter, wants to achieve more in boxing and loves the sport.
