Months ago, a poignant video touched the boxing world. It told the story of 14-year-old Alejandro Merino from Arizona, who suffered from cystic fibrosis. Despite the serious illness, the youngster, with the heart of a lion, put on the gloves, chasing his dream of becoming a boxer. He wanted to follow in the footsteps of the fighter who inspired him most: Canelo Alvarez. Through the ‘My Wish’ program, Alejandro’s dream came true as he met his boxing idol face-to-face. The heartwarming story is yet another example of how boxing can be a catalyst for changing the lives of young people.
In modern boxing, perhaps no other boxer has inspired more people than Canelo Alvarez. From active professionals to aspiring amateurs, many have cited the super middleweight king as the reason they first laced up a pair of gloves. The proof, as the saying goes, is in the pudding. To see the extent of Canelo’s influence, one only has to watch the latest video shared by Elie Seckbach. A ring girl lit up with excitement during playful banter about joining the undercard for Canelo’s showdown with Terence Crawford!
Elie Seckbach and a ring girl named Amber Juliana joined several others in watching British fighter Ezra ‘The Cannon’ Taylor train with his coach. A few minutes after Juliana shared her social media handle, Seckbach brought another person, named Mark, into the conversation. He playfully suggested that Juliana could even fight on the card. “She wants to be on the cards. What would be a good fight for her?” Seckbach asked. Juliana chimed in, “Match-make right now.” Mark appeared caught off guard, seemingly thinking Seckbach was talking about the Canelo–Crawford undercard.
September 13, 2024, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA: SAUL CANELO ALVAREZ 61-2-2-39KOs of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico weighed in at a thin-looking 166.8 while the challenger EDGAR BERLANGA 22-0-17KOs of Brooklyn, NY came in at 167.7 both fighters ready for their headliner tomorrow night boxing fight on PBC on Prime boxing at the T Mobile Arena in Las Vegas Las Vegas USA – ZUMAo117 20240913_zsp_o117_019 Copyright: xMikaelxOnax
Then, realizing the playful tone, he asked in surprise, “What? She wants to be on the undercard?” before finally catching on to the joke. “Oh, she wants to fight somebody?” “She picked Canelo (to win vs. Crawford),” Seckbach noted, adding, “Canelo is the reason she got into boxing.” Once Mark fully grasped the joke, he immediately pointed toward another ring girl standing across the corner. Amber Juliana seemed to agree with the proposed matchup. “Yeah, we should do blonde versus brunette; I think that’s good,” she said with a smile.
The exchange took place at Los Angeles’ Brickhouse Boxing Club. Amber Juliana’s social media profile indicates an association with Golden Boy Promotions. When Seckbach asked if she trained for boxing, she laughed and replied, “I’m a lover, not a fighter. You know, I hit the gym and do a lot of Pilates. I do a little bit of weight lifting.”
The lighthearted banter continued. Mark joked that if the ring girls actually fought, people might as well ignore the rest of the bouts.
From young dreamers to seasoned pros, Canelo Alvarez inspires all
It was nothing more than a playful exchange, yet it underscored how icons like Canelo Alvarez continue to influence and inspire. One is often reminded of Muhammad Ali’s immortal words: “I wanted to use my fame and this face that everyone knows so well to help uplift and inspire people around the world.”
June 29, 2022, Jersey, NJ, United States: Canelo Alvarez attends the Icons Series press conference, PK, Pressekonferenz in Liberty National Golf Club, Jersey City. Jersey United States – ZUMAs197 0161810633st Copyright: xEfrenxLandaosx
Young, upcoming prospects like Emiliano Vargas have also spoken about how Canelo inspired them to push forward and forge their own identities. With his upcoming showdown against Terence Crawford, the Mexican superstar will aim to further cement his legacy. Potentially placing the final piece in a Jenga tower that has so far remained unshakable.
Canelo has already secured a Hall of Fame career. But if he defeats Crawford, one of the greatest pound-for-pound boxers of this era, his name will almost certainly enter the conversation about the all-time greats.
Which boxing inspirational story is your favorite? Share it with us in the comments below.
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