Saul ‘Canelo‘ Alvarez is expected to return to the ring in September. Who he fights is yet to be confirmed, but options are dwindling and he has a choice to make between mega fights or the duties of a champion.
With news that the undisputed super-middleweight champion’s deal with IBF mandatory challenger William Scull may be for the Cuban to step-aside rather than get the next fight, it looks like Team Canelo has other plans. He currently has a string of contenders waiting for a shot, and the likelihood is it will be one of them filling the opposite corner later this year.
William Scull – IBF
Scull (22-0, 9 KOs) was next in the rotation and the IBF called a negotiation period. The Cuban’s team, just nine days in, requested purse bids after failed talks. The date for bidding was twice delayed until June 18, but the sides managed to strike a last-minute deal. Initially thought to be for the fight to take place in September, reports later emerged that it may be for Scull to sit out and continue to wait in return for a payment.
Diego Pacheco – WBO
Diego Pacheco (21-0, 7 KOs) is now number one with the WBO after Canelo’s victory over previously top-ranked contender Jaime Munguia. Pacheco recently defeated Shawn McCalman over the ten-round distance. His bout before that – a KO of Marcelo Coceres – was his first and only twelve rounder. He won’t be high on the list for Alvarez at this stage despite his favourable ranking.
Edgar Berlanga / David Morrell – WBA
Puerto Rico’s Edgar Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) is the most likely opponent for September. The national rivalry adds a bit of spice to the affair and it would tick off a mandatory for Canelo should he come through with the win. Berlanga had a string of average performances before knocking out Padraig McCrory in his last bout. He is currently number one with the WBA.
Largely considered the boogeyman of 168, Cuba’s David Morrell Jr (10-0, 9 KOs) is an extremely destructive puncher, so much so that he presents more risk than reward at this stage of his career. He is the current WBA Regular Champion, but his next bout is a light-heavyweight debut against Radivoje Kalajdzic in August for the same belt in that division, ruling him out of the September bout. Should he return to super-middle thereafter, there’s little doubt the 26-year-old becomes champion some day soon – whether that’s against Canelo is another question entirely.
David Benavidez – WBC
David Benavidez (29-0, 24 KOs), in the minds of fans, fighters and pundits, is far and away the most deserving of the Canelo fight. He is a former two-time champion at 168 and remains undefeated having lost the belt once on the scales and the second time for testing positive for cocaine. Since then he has battered his way the Interim Champion spot with the WBC, but the sanctioning body has been frustratingly slow in ordering Canelo’s defence. So much so that, as with Morrell, he recently stepped up to 175 and became the Interim Champion there with a win over Oleksandr Gvozdyk. Post-fight, he confirmed he would continue to chase Alvarez.
Terence Crawford
Undisputed at welterweight until recently, Terence Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs) has made no secret that he wants a legacy-defining bout against Canelo. Despite the Mexican’s initial dismissal, Saudi Arabia’s Turki Alalshikh has shown interest and has the money to back that up, so fans won’t be surprised if it does indeed happen. ‘Bud’ Crawford makes the first step in the three-weight jump by moving to 154 on August 3 to challenge champion Israil Madrimov. If Alalshikh is serious about making it happen soon, he may try and delay Canelo’s return until December and make the Crawford bout next.
Canelo’s Dilemma
The Mexican is being pulled in two different directions – one as the biggest star in the sport of boxing, the other as a four-belt champion with relevant duties. The problem with clearing out a large majority of the top names in the super-middleweight ranks on his way to the top – Benavidez a notable exception – is that, should he want to keep the belts, he may have to sacrifice the scale of event he’s accustomed to.
In recent times he had his Mexican homecoming against John Ryder, the grudge trilogy match with Gennady Golovkin and unification fights against the likes of Billy Joe Saunders and Caleb Plant. His jump up to light-heavyweight for a second time to face Dmitry Bivol, although not going his way, was another mega show. If not Benavidez or welcoming Crawford up to 168, the fights on offer simply don’t move the needle like those above. Other match-ups like one against France’s Christian Mbilli are appealing to hardcore fans, but not so much the larger audience he regularly pulls in. How long will it be before the sanctioning bodies take proper action? It looks like the IBF has been appeased for now.
A trip to Saudi Arabia is likely to be on the cards soon. In the meantime and off the back of the Scull deal, Canelo’s team are expected to make an announcement soon as to his next opponent.
