R.L.'s Breakdown: Saul "Canelo" Alvarez vs. Alfredo "El Perro" Angulo

There are fights that are extremely hyped-up with manufactured electricity and artificial buzz.  A boxer can easily be billed as something they're not through creative marketing and promotional backing.  It's a blessing and curse for the sport, but as fans, we live with it and hope the final product lives up to the built up anticipation.

Fortunately for boxing fans, we don't have to worry about any of that when Saul "Canelo" Alvarez steps inside the squared circle to face Alfredo "El Perro" Angulo.  We know what type of fight it's going to be and the anticipation is organic.... This is war.

Here's my detailed breakdown and prediction:

POWER

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez – Canelo possesses heavy hands and walks into the ring with a 71% knockout ratio (% of wins by KO).  I like to measure a boxer’s power by what I call the “True KO Ratio” which is the ratio of actual 10 count KO’s per total knockouts.  Canelo’s “True KO Ratio” is 43% (13 out of 30).  He has really good power but not lethal power. 

Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo – very heavy hands, wears down opponents with strength, 82% ko ratio, 39% true ko ratio (7 out of 18), good power, not lethal

“El Perro” was blessed with extremely heavy hands and wears his opponents down with pure strength.  His 82% knockout ratio is impressive compared to Canelo, but his “True KO Ratio” is slightly lower at 39% (7 out of 18).  Like Canelo, he has a good amount of power, but not lethal power. 

Edge – Saul “Canelo” Alvarez

SPEED

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez – Canelo has decent hand speed, decent footwork but is flat footed.. He’s  fast enough to box with a boxer and quick enough to beat punchers to the punch. He doesn’t use much lateral movement.

Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo – Angulo is not a particularly fast fighter and is extremely flat footed, but does a decent job of cutting off the ring.  He has one speed and often gets beat to the punch. 

Edge -- Saul “Canelo” Alvarez

FIGHTING STYLE

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez – Canelo is a hard hitting fighter who can both brawl and box… A boxer puncher who fights well from a distance and can unleash vicious body punches when he chooses to.  When tired, he doesn’t throw many combinations and often leaves himself open when throwing power shots.  He’s not an overly aggressive fighter but fights better moving forward.

Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo – “El Perro” is the quintessential relentless brawler who constantly moves forward… An inside fighter who mixes his head and body punches well.  He gives opponents an easy target but is willing to take some to give some.  If he can take Canelo’s punches and doesn’t get cut or bludgeoned like he did against Lara, his style may give Canelo fits. 

Edge – Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo

CHIN/DEFENSE

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez – Canelo has only been hurt one time in his against Jose Cotto (Miguel’s older brother) and was almost knocked out, but didn’t go down.  He’s not a great defensive fighter by any means, but moves his head just enough to avoid getting hit flush.

Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo – Angulo can take a hell of a punch, better yet an abundance of punches and what’s most impressive is that he chooses to.  He has been stopped twice in his career (albeit once by massive swelling).  Defensively, he’s easy to hit flush and more susceptible to cuts. 

Edge -- Saul “Canelo” Alvarez

EXPERIENCE

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez – He made his pro debut in 2005 and has 44 fights with an amateur background.  His resume is highlighted by a dominating win over an “over the hill” Shane Mosley, a close quality win over Austin Trout and a loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr.  

Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo – His pro debut was in 2004 and has 25 career fights.  Overall has faced good competition but has three losses and two by knockout.  Angulo’s been thru the “ups and downs” of a prize fighter.  He knows how to recover from a loss. This is new territory for Canelo.

Edge –  Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo

INTANGIBLES

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez – Canelo has it all laid out in front of him.  He’s a young fighter with commercial appeal and a fan friendly fighting style.  He has something to prove after being thoroughly out-boxed by Floyd Mayweather Jr.  A loss here would not only derail Canelo’s fighting career, it would severely hamper his brand. 

Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo – Fighters only get so many opportunities to prove that they are one of the best.  For Alfredo Angulo, March 8^th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas is not only the biggest fight of his career… it very well may be his last shot at a major fight.

The difference is… Angulo can take a loss and his career will be on a similar path that it’s always been.  A good fighter that makes for exciting fights regardless of the victor.  Canelo has always been destined for stardom, so a loss is much more debilitating, putting the majority of pressure on the kid. 

Edge -- Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo

PREDICTION

I’m expecting a rough and rugged bout that will resemble a mixture of both bouts between Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito.  Canelo will use his superior boxing skills and do everything he can to keep Angulo on the end of his punches… But Angulo will never stop… and he will give Saul “Canelo” Alvarez physically the toughest fight of his career. 

In the end, I expect Canelo to slowly break Angulo down and stop “El Perro”. 

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez by 9^th rd TKO