One of the great sportsmen that Mexico has had is Saul Alvarez, one of the most successful pound-for-pound boxers, but his reign has an expiration date. Canelo’s successes include the undisputed super middleweight world championship, which was taken away from him last September by Terence Crawford, who with this achievement retired from professional boxing, so the “rematch” has been ruled out.
However, the Guadalajara boxer’s career has been marked by great success, such as being a four-division champion:
- Super Middleweight
- Super welter
- Medium
- Light Heavyweight
Canelo Alvarez currently has a record of 63 wins, (39 by knockout), three losses and two draws. His notable victories have been against opponents such as Gennady Golovkin, John Ryder, Caleb Plant, Billy Joe Saunders and Sergey Kovalev, where he has established himself as a stellar figure in boxing in Mexico and around the world. His defeats have been at the hands of great gladiators such as Floyd Mayweather Jr, Dmitry Bivol and the aforementioned against Crawford. However, leaving aside the controversy of the type of opponents in recent years, the Mexican’s light has shone in the ring, but it is time to pass the baton to a new prospect to be a boxing idol in Mexico.
Marco Verde aims to be the next boxing idol in Mexico
As the saying goes: “The King is dead, long live the new King!” but who is up to the task of making Mexican fans vibrate once again? One of the main candidates is the young pugilist Marco Verde. The native of Mazatlan, Sinaloa has in his record to be an Olympic silver medalist at the Paris 2024 Games (the first for a Mexican in 40 years). With a special appearance, he started promisingly in professional boxing and will close 2025 with an undefeated record (4-0). He is considered one of the great promises due to his technique and speed, with the potential to be the next boxing idol in Mexico.
The Sinaloan is even a member of the “Canelo Team”, where Eddie Reynoso is the promoter and manager for his upcoming fights. The young boxer’s great achievements also date back to the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, where he won the gold medal. In the 2023 Central American and Caribbean Games in San Salvador, he also won the gold medal, while his amateur record was 38 wins in 44 fights, showing great skill and strength.
There is no doubt that Marco Verde is seen as a future star of Mexican boxing, with a clear path to the top following his impressive achievements in the amateur ranks and his solid transition to the professional ranks. We will soon see him again in the most important rings in Mexico and around the world.
Which other boxers will seek to be Mexico’s new idols?
Jaime Munguia has also raised his fist. He is an established boxer who has earned respect by facing great rivals and currently competes in the super middleweight division. His track record suggests that he could soon secure an absolute world championship to consolidate his status as a leading figure with an impressive record of 45 wins (35 by KO) and only two defeats, one of them against the great Canelo Alvarez. His successes include multiple titles in different categories:
- WBO World Super Welterweight Champion
- WBC Latin Super Welterweight Champion
- WBO Intercontinental Middleweight Champion
- WBC Silver Super Middleweight Champion
Another of the pugilists who wants to take the crown from King is Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz: The current WBC interim super lightweight champion is known for his aggressive style and great punching power. He is one of the most outstanding active Mexican champions and a fan favorite. He will close 2025 with a record of 28 wins (18 by knockout), three losses and two draws. Among his achievements and notable fights are:
- WBA Super Lightweight World Championship: The greatest success of his career occurred on March 30, 2024, when he defeated Rolando “Rolly” Romero by TKO
- WBC Interim Super Lightweight Title in July 2025 and retained it against Lamont Roach Jr. in December 2025
It is worth noting that his fight against Gervonta Davis in 2021 was one of the highlights of his career. Despite losing, he earned the respect of the fans for the intensity with which it was fought over the 12 rounds.
Finally, David Benavidez is an American boxer, but he fights with the Mexican flag held high. His parents are of Mexican descent, but he was born in San Antonio, Texas. He is known as “The Mexican Monster” and has an undefeated record with 31 wins and 25 by KO. He has won world championships in two weight classes, and is the youngest super middleweight champion in history. His last fight was against Anthony Yarde in November and we just have to wait and see if the Mexican fans can adopt him as one of their own to become the new idol of Mexico.
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