Via Dan Ambrose: Coach/manager Eddy Reynoso says WBC cruiser champion Ilunga Makabu could be the December opponent Canelo Alvarez faces this year if he successfully beats Dmitry Bivol and Gennady Golovkin in two First game of this year.
Reynoso, who personally picked all of Canelo’s opponents, liked the idea of Alvarez taking on Makabu (29-2, 25 KOs) in December because he was holding the WBC cruiser belt, and they wanted to try for the title. 5th world champion.
It’s unclear if DAZN would let Canelo & Reynoso pick Makabu although US boxing fans are unfamiliar with him and have no need for such a fight.
While it’s great that Canelo wants to add to his legacy by winning the fifth-place world championship, DAZN needs new entrants and a fight between him and little-known WBC heavyweight champion Makabu won’t do much for the streaming giant.
Again, if DAZN gave Canelo & Reynoso complete freedom to choose ANYONE they wanted regardless of the fan’s wishes, Makabu would get picked and as a result would likely be far fewer new subscribers to DAZN much more than if a famous boxer was chosen.
Fans to watch Canelo fight these guys:
- David Benavidez
- Jermall Charlo
- Demetrius Andrade
- Artur Betterbiev
- Joe Smith Jr
“Canelo deserves to fight in his hometown. We would love to fight in England, but his priority is to fight in Guadalajara,” Reynoso told. iFL TV where Canelo’s third fight in 2022 will be held.
“It could be Makabu because he is the WBC champion. Whatever happens in these first two games, we will decide in December. We have a disciplined fighter, a strong fighter. Those are the only champions who can go up and down the tournaments.
“Roy Jones did it, Sugar Ray Leonard did it,” Reynoso said of the former greats who gained weight to win world titles, albeit against lesser champions.
“Every boxer is different with a different metabolism,” Reynoso said, saying that Roy Jones Jr was never the same after he went up to heavyweight and then back to light heavyweight.
“Saul is a strong fighter and doesn’t have the height of a middleweight. Makabu was already a cruiser class champion. We’re talking about a well-done boxer with discipline,” Reynoso said of why Canelo won’t be negatively affected by going to cruiser and back to 168.
Canelo wants to KO Dmitry Bivol
“I’ll try to be sure,” Canelo told iFL TV when asked if he plans to take out WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol on May 7.
“Bivol is a very good boxer and a different weight for me, but we’ll see. I will try my best.
“I don’t care what they feel,“Canelo said when saying that Mike Tyson felt David Benavidez was the best fighter for him. “It makes no sense to me. They have nothing to offer me. Yes, maybe,An agitated-looking Canelo said when asked if he would fight Benavidez before retiring.
It was interesting that Canelo worked a bit when told that Mike Tyson wanted to see him fight David Benavidez. Instead of strident comment, Canelo scoffed, saying, “I don’t care how they feel.”
I mean, why is Canelo so upset when he’s told that Mike Tyson wants to see him fight Benavidez? Tyson, who has faced the best of his boxing career, doesn’t understand why Canelo hasn’t fought Benavidez yet.
Why does Canelo prefer fighting the likes of Bivol, Avni Yildirim, and Caleb Plant over Benavidez?
“I think that’s the best pick this year, fighting Bivol and then another battle,” Canelo said when asked what was the deciding factor for him to sign Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing this year.
“For me, it was a really good test between these two games. It was the best deal for me. The most important thing is to win this war [Bivol]and another war [Gennadiy Golovkin]I don’t know what will happen.
“I need to win this war, and then we will meet. Just kidding,” Canelo said when told by Oscar De La Hoya that he might have Ryan Garcia fight in the future.
