Malignaggi: "Imagine if Ali Acted Like Canelo"

On Deep Waters on Pro Box TV, expert Paul Malignaggi compared the undisputed world champion in the super middleweight division (up to 76.2 kg) Saul "Canelo" Alvarez (60-2-2, 39 KOs) with boxing legend Muhammad Ali. The Italian insists that Canelo has a responsibility towards boxing.

"It's Canelo's fault because he needs to do the right thing. He's an athlete. The hamster wheel has to keep spinning. If you jam it, you create a bad precedent for everyone else. That's why we have a generation that hasn't fought anyone.

Imagine if Muhammad Ali behaved like Canelo. Muhammad Ali fought everyone in their prime, and that's why boxing became so big. In the 80s, boxing was all over network television, with strong ratings. Why?

Because in the previous generation, Ali did what he did. He didn't win every fight, but he took on every tough opponent – the biggest risk he could find. George Foreman, Ken Norton. The path he took is the path of a champion. He wasn't bigger than the sport. He didn't act like it.

Everyone looks at Ali as the greatest boxer of all time for several reasons. You have a responsibility when you're at that level. Not, 'You're at this level, exploit it,'" said Malignaggi. Canelo Alvarez's next fight will be against Jaime Munguia (43-0, 34 KOs) on May 4th in Las Vegas, USA.