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‘The Face of Boxing, Brit Basher’ - The many nicknames of Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez
Saúl Álvarez is one of the biggest names in boxing; even if he does not always go by that moniker.
In fact, so entrenched is the Mexican fighter’s nickname into the boxing landscape that he is often referred by just 'Canelo'.
As one of the top stars in the sport, fans and the media have come up with many different names for Álvarez over the years.
Following on from his latest victory over William Scull to set up a super-bout with Terence Crawford this September, here is the story behind his famed monikers.
Canelo, Canelitas, Canelito
There is no better place to start with than Álvarez’s most-well known nickname, 'Canelo'. Simply the Spanish word for 'cinnamon', it is commonly used in Hispanic countries to refer to redheads, in much the same way English-speaking places use the nickname ginger.
Of course, Canelo has been ginger his whole life, and as such, has long lived with the nickname – or some variation of it.
With family, he was called 'Canelitas ' , likening his ginger hair to the cinnamon biscuits popular in Mexico. His trainer José ‘Chepo’ Reynoso referred to him with a similar diminutive, 'Canelito', meaning 'little cinnamon' in English. When Álvarez grew in size as a boxer, so did his nickname.
Santitos
Canelo was not Álvarez’s first nickname from his family. Although referred to as Saúl Álvarez, Canelo’s first name is actually Santos. That was also the name of his father, so in the Álvarez family home he had to go by another nickname.
As Canelo was the younger Santos in the house, he became little Santos – 'Santitos ' in Spanish. However, the nickname was hardly used outside Canelo’s direct family.
Leigh Dawney/Queensberry
Jícama con Chile
Álvarez’s neighbours had other terms to describe the young boxer, including another food-related nickname.
Jícama is a root vegetable found in Mexico, commonly cut up into strips and dusted with chili powder. The pale food dusted with red flecks was compared to Canelo’s complexion and freckles, leading to Álvarez being christened 'Jícama con Chile ' .
Other nicknames were not as imaginative, with 'Pecas ' – freckles – another label 'Canelo' was given. Referring to his red features and fiery temperament, ' Entomatado ' (literally “tomatoed”) and 'Enchilado ' (seasoned with chili, spicy) were also used.
These harsh terms were part of the reasoning behind Álvarez’s trainer and manager, Chepo Reynoso, finding the new nickname of 'Canelito' for his charge.
Reynoso told the LA Times in 2012: “I wanted it to be something softer, nicer, because he was being called such harsh things.”
Brit Basher
Melina Pizano/Matchroom
‘The Face of Boxing, Brit Basher’ - the many nicknames of Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez
Canelo Álvarez is a feared opponent around the world, but British boxers should be warier than most of the Mexican. That is because Canelo boasts a perfect record against fighters from the UK, with eight wins from eight bouts – five by stoppage.
Even when Canelo failed to get a stoppage against Callum Smith, Matthew Hatton, and John Ryder, he still won by unanimous decisions in each bout.
Most of the Brits Canelo has vanquished were no slouches; Liam Smith and his brother Callum, Amir Khan, and Billy Joe Saunders were all world champions.
Canelo’s dominant performances against UK fighters has led to sections of the British press to label the Mexican 'Brit Basher ' .
It is a moniker Canelo is proud of, recently telling The Sun : "I'm sorry to say that, but I'm gonna continue to do it if somebody pays me!"
The Face of Boxing
Many fighters have been labelled, or proclaim themselves, as the 'Face of Boxing'. Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis is a recent example, but Canelo has been boxing’s biggest star.
After becoming a household name in his native Mexico, Canelo has gone on to become one of the most recognisable names in the sweet science.
Canelo’s CV is filled with star names from all over the globe, with fights against Dimtry Bivol, Floyd Mayweather, Gennady Golovkin, capturing the attention of millions across the world.
A big attraction no matter where he fights, Canelo is often included in Forbes’ list of highest-paid athletes, highlighting his ability to sell pay-per-views and attracting sponsorship.
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