Paulie Malignaggi knows the Canelo Alvarez matchmaking blueprint inside out. His belief that Osleys Iglesias is “too good and not popular enough” points to a familiar formula: target a credible foe with just enough flaws for Canelo to exploit.
Because of that, Malignaggi considers Lester Martinez a far more realistic candidate to be selected for Canelo’s next opponent in 2027. Martinez brings real grit to the table, yet his technical limits give Canelo’s corner a clear path to victory. Iglesias presents a far uglier package involving size, elite craft, plus power.
“I think at the moment [Iglesias] is probably too good and not popular enough,” Malignaggi explained to Boxing King Media.
Malignaggi drew a direct line between Iglesias and the way David Morrell missed out on Canelo during his undisputed championship run. As he sees it, Morrell and David Benavidez brought too much threat with too little commercial upside. Malignaggi views Iglesias through that exact lens, even if Canelo’s camp hasn’t formally turned down the Cuban.
The argument is simple. An elite boxer can easily earn a title shot on merit while packing enough danger to price himself out of the running. Martinez strikes a far more appealing balance for the Mexican superstar.
“He’s continued to win, but has looked a little bit flawed, just flawed enough to where you’re saying, you know what, that might be a guy we could pick off here,” Malignaggi noted.
Lester battled Christian Mbilli to a grueling draw last year, proving his durability over 10 hard rounds. Yet that contest revealed his limitations. He would make Canelo sweat, though an elite counterpuncher would find plenty of clean openings. Malignaggi pointed out that Martinez lacks a consistent jab, handing Canelo room to dictate terms.
Iglesias, meanwhile, possesses a powerful jab that spells trouble. His right hand could easily cause more headaches than Terence Crawford’s, purely through reach advantages. Iglesias leans on his pedigree in the Cuban amateur system to control range, making Canelo eat leather long before he enters punching distance.
Slipping into the pocket is just as risky. Iglesias hides a vicious right hook that travels on an unorthodox arc courtesy of his long frame, catching opponents blind as they surge in. Factor in his southpaw stance alongside genuine power in both fists, and Canelo faces a nightmare puzzle.
Martinez delivers some name recognition with hardcore fans, along with clear technical flaws. Iglesias brings pure stylistic poison with minimal mainstream buzz. Martinez would come to fight, but his flaws make him beatable for the aging Canelo. Iglesias has the exact skillset that keeps his phone silent.
