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After other options fell by the wayside, Canelo Alvarez was down to Alfredo Angulo and IBF junior middleweight titlist Carlos Molina for his return options on March 8. Alvarez chose Angulo to headline against as he rebounds from his first pro loss to Floyd Mayweather, and Molina says he never expected Alvarez would actually face him, and that he chose the easy fight.
"Canelo selected the easiest and least dangerous option between myself, Lara and Angulo. I knew that Canelo would do that. He never wanted the fight, he never wanted to give me the opportunity. All I can do is to keep on fighting and keep on winning," Molina said.
Molina (22-5-2, 6 KO) doesn't have a dangerous-looking record on paper, but close followers of the sport know that Molina's record doesn't reflect his ability, and that he could have potentially been a nightmare matchup for Alvarez's return. He doesn't have a fan friendly style, but he's savvy, smart, and incredibly awkward for opponents of all styles. He's given fits to the likes of Erislandy Lara, James Kirkland, Mike Alvarado, and a young Julio Cesar Chavez Jr in his career, losing or drawing with all of them under debatable circumstances.
Angulo (22-3, 18 KO) is more popular, more action-first, and far less of a puzzle to solve. In terms of BUSINESS! it was the right move in basically every way. But if you're thinking sport, Molina was definitely the better opponent.