Boxing’s Cinco de Mayo and Mexican Independence Day Headliners
For nearly two decades, three fighters have headlined boxing’s biggest Cinco de Mayo and Mexican Independence Day weekend events. They shared the ring and a bond – the responsibility to deliver thrilling Saturday night battles against the most deserving opponents.
Oscar De La Hoya first inherited this mantle, stopping Mexican legend Julio Cesar Chavez Sr. in their 1998 rematch. De La Hoya’s popular fight cards fueled the sport until 2007, when Floyd Mayweather Jr. narrowly defeated him and went on to participate in the four most lucrative bouts of all time.
Mayweather then defeated a young Canelo Alvarez in 2013 on Mexican Independence Day weekend. After Mayweather’s record-setting 2015 Cinco de Mayo triumph over Manny Pacquiao, Alvarez announced he was ready to control these prized dates.
Canelo Alvarez Defends Undisputed Title on Cinco de Mayo
This Saturday at T-Mobile Arena, the 33-year-old Canelo Alvarez (60-2-2, 39 KOs) headlines the Cinco de Mayo card again, defending his undisputed super-middleweight title. However, his selection of unbeaten countryman and former 154-pound champion Jaime Munguia (43-0, 34 KOs) over unbeaten former super-middleweight champion David Benavidez (28-0, 24 KOs) has rankled many fans and critics.
“He’s holding the belts hostage.” – Jose Benavidez Sr., father and trainer of David Benavidez
Alvarez hinted he may bypass Benavidez’s mandatory WBC title challenge in favor of facing his WBA mandatory, the less experienced Edgar Berlanga, in September. Benavidez’s father and trainer, Jose Benavidez Sr., called Alvarez’s opponent selection a “circus.”
Despite the controversy, Alvarez remained confident, predicting a knockout of Munguia before the eighth round. Leonard Ellerbe, Mayweather’s longtime promotional company president, praised the matchup, saying Munguia is the “perfect guy for Canelo.”
As Canelo Alvarez continues to dominate boxing’s premier holiday weekends, a growing group of rising stars, including Benavidez and Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis, are clamoring for their shot at the coveted dates. Alvarez, however, remains unfazed, stating, “I don’t need to prove anything to anybody. I just need to prove to myself that I’m the best.”
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