Future of Canelo; Yildirim, Plant and Saunders in 2021
Editorial By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Canelo has held world titles between 160 and 175 pounds with versatility. As such, it is impossible to deduce which weight class direction he will fight in next after defeating 27-0 Callum Smith, who was the number one super middleweight in the world at 168 pounds.
Alvarez, 54-1-2 with 36 knockouts, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, has three mega bout challengers on the table. The three possible challengers, Avni Yildirim, Caleb Plant and Billy Jo Saunders, are on the shortlist of Canelo’s pending 2021 mega bouts.
Challenger Number One: Avni Yildirim, 21-2 with 12 knockouts, Turkey. ‘Mr. Robot’ is the mandatory WBC challenger. Canelo must fight him in 90 days. Yildirim last fought in February 2019, when he lost a technical decision in the tenth round to Anthony Dirrell.
Challenger Number Two: Caleb Plant, 20-0 with 12 knockouts, Las Vegas, Nevada, the International Boxing Federation World Super Middleweight champion, if he can successfully defend his title against IBF titleholder Caleb Truax on December 30, 2020.
Challenger Number Three: Billy Jo Saunders, 30-0 with 14 knockouts, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom, the World Boxing Organisation World Super Middleweight champion, Saunders scored a 12 round unanimous decision win over Martin Murray at Wembley Arena on December 4, 2020. Saunders also knocked out 29-0-1 Marcelo Esteban Caceres at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, in November 2019. Like his British compatriot Callum Smith, who fought last week at The Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, on December 19, 2020, against Canelo, Saunders will fight outside of Great Britain on the mainland United States with Canelo for the right purse money.
Challenger Number Four: Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez, 41-0 with 27 knockouts, Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico, Ramirez is the current NABF Light Heavyweight champion, and can fight Canelo anywhere between 168 and 175 pounds, or at a catchweight, in what would prove to be an All-Mexican pay-per-view Latino and worldwide extravaganza during the pandemic.
Challenger Number Five: David Benavidez, 23-0 with 20 knockouts, Phoenix, Arizona. ‘El Bandera Roja’ did not make the WBC Super-middleweight limit for his last title defense, a tenth round stoppage of Roamer Angulo in August 2020, losing his title on the scales. Benavidez is most likely to face Canelo at 175 pounds light heavyweight now.
Challenger Number Six: Demetrius ‘Boo-Boo’ Andrade, 20-0 with 12 knockouts, Providence, Rhode Island, the World Boxing Organisation World Middleweight champion.
Andrade shot his mouth off while providing commentary for Canelo versus Callum Smith before, during, and after the bout on pay-per-view. If Andrade wants to fight Canelo, not to worry, Canelo Alvarez will be happy to oblige Andrade at 160 pounds, 168 pounds, or any catchweight, with his, Andrade’s, or all three belts (Canelo holds the WBA and WBC Super-middleweight titles now) at stake. It can be worked out for 2021 if Andrade wants the bout. Canelo will fight anyone, anywhere, anyplace, at anytime. Talk is cheap, bro.
Challenger Number Seven: Jaime Munguia, 36-0 with 29 knockouts, Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico, the former WBO World Junior Middleweight and current WBO Inter-Continental Middleweight champion. This would be another great all-Mexican affair, with Munguia, who has fought between 147 and 160 pounds, fighting Canelo at a catchweight one division up. Canelo could even come down to fight Munguia. Bring the mariachi band.
Challenger Number Eight: Jermall ‘Hitman’ Charlo, 31-0 with 22 knockouts, Houston, Texas. World Boxing Council World Middleweight champion Charlo will find, if he faces Canelo at middleweight or super middleweight, or both, he is no Thomas ‘Hitman’ Hearns.
Challenger Number Nine: Chris Eubank Jr. 29-2 with 22 knockouts, Brighton, Sussex, United Kingdom, the interim World Boxing Association World Middleweight champion.
Canelo will come to Great Britain to fight Eubank or any other British fighter, so long as the money is on the table and the bout is promotable. Eubank last fought over a year ago when he stopped Matvey Korabov in two rounds at Barclays Center Brooklyn when Koroabov injured his left shoulder at 0:34 of the second round. So, really Eubank has not fought since decisioning James DeGale for the vacant International Boxing Organization World Super Middleweight title at 02 Arena in Greenwich in February 2019, nearly two years ago. Eubank could use some activity in 2021 before accepting this sort of megabout.
Challenger Number Ten: Ryota Murata, 16-2 with 13 knockouts, Tokyo, Japan. The World Boxing Association World Middleweight champion has not fought since stopping challenger Steven Butler in the fifth round of a title defense at Yokohama a year ago.
Challenger Number Eleven: Dmitry Bivol, 17-0, 12 knockouts, Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation, World Boxing Association World Light Heavyweight champion at 175 pounds.
Challenger Number Twelve: Artur Beterbiev, 15-0 with 15 knockouts, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, the World Boxing Council and International Boxing Federation World Light Heavyweight champion, could challenge Canelo, if he gets by German challenger Adam Deines at VTB Arena in Moscow, Russian Federation, on January 30, 2021.
Challenger Number 13: Jean Pascal, the former WBC and IBO World Light Heavyweight champion and current WBC Silver Light Heavyweight titleholder. Pascal, age 38, 35-6-1 with 20 knockouts, Laval, Quebec, Canada, has vast experience, and could offer Canelo an unexpected significant challenge.
Challenger Number 14: Gutsy German veteran Robin Krasniqi, who won the interim WBA and IBO World Light Heavyweight titles by knocking out Dominic Boesel in the third round at GETEC Arena in Magdeburg, October 10, 2020. Possible Canelo opponent.
Challenger Number 15: The winner of Long Island’s hard-hitting Joe Smith Jr. versus Russia’s durable Maxim Vlasov, who will fight for the vacant World Boxing Organisation World Light Heavyweight title on February 13, 2021, could fight Canelo with a WBO title.
COMMENTS
English