- Boxing. Canelo confirms that not everything is training and applies extravagant gold mask on the face
- Boxing. Canelo defends himself against criticism: "My opponents only go up to survive the 12 rounds"
Saul "Canelo" Alvarez generated excitement on Wednesday by not showing up for the public workout organized in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as part of the pre-fight events against Cuban William Scull. The absence of the unified super middleweight champion took media and fans by surprise, who expected to see him in action along with the rest of the fighters on the May 3 card.
Although there was no official explanation from Canelo's team, versions reported by TUDN and the DAZN broadcast suggest that the Mexican chose to focus fully on his physical and mental preparation for the weigh-in ceremony. "Canelo would have had a conflict with his training," it was mentioned without further details during the television coverage.
An absence that follows his personal line
This decision, however, is not new in Alvarez's career. The Mexican has avoided public workouts on more than one occasion in the past, arguing that he prefers to keep his strategy private and reduce distractions. On this occasion, it seems that he kept to that line to preserve his focus, especially because of the logistical challenges he has faced in adapting to the schedules and conditions of Saudi Arabia.
"For the past four days I have felt more acclimatized," Canelo commented days before, acknowledging that the time change was a major challenge. In contrast, figures such as Jaime Munguia, Marco Verde and William Scull did participate without setbacks in the event, which sought to bring the fighters closer to fans and international media.
Canelo reappears publicly this Thursday at the press conference
Despite his absence on Wednesday, Canelo is expected to reappear publicly at the press conference scheduled for Thursday, where he will share space with his rival and the rest of the star boxers. It will be there that he could personally clarify the reasons behind his decision and dispel any speculation about his physical condition.
For now, his team, led by Eddy Reynoso, continues to work hard in camp in Saudi Arabia, fine-tuning details for the fight. Alvarez will look to cement his status as one of the greats of modern boxing in a fight that will begin at 6:00 a.m. local time in Riyadh, and has generated worldwide expectation.