Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez has chosen the next couple of challenges through which he will seek to remain at the top of world boxing.
And as usual for the Mexican star, he has defined his fights taking into account the legacy to leave.
Álvarez, the undisputed super middleweight champion and considered by many to be the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, will move up to the light heavyweight division for the second time on May 7, to face the World Boxing Association champion in Las Vegas. Boxing (WBA) Dmitry Bivol (19-0 with 11 knockouts).
If the victory goes to “Canelo” (57-1-2 with 39 knockouts) and if Gennady Golovkin defeats Ryota Murata in Japan in April, the Mexican and the Kazakh will complete a trilogy whose first two chapters were exciting.
The third episode would take place in late summer or early fall.
“For me it’s to continue making history and it’s a good challenge, isn’t it?” Álvarez said Wednesday, opening the promo for his contest against Bivol, which will take place at the T-Mobile Arena. “I like these kinds of challenges. I was interested in the idea of going up to 175 pounds to fight the second best, a champion.
“Canelo” also intends to make a third fight in December, probably against a cruiser monarch or a challenger forced by the super middleweight belt. All of which would result in another busy year for boxing’s most profitable star, whose work ethic hasn’t been tarnished by fame and fortune.
“I like to be busy,” said Alvarez, who fought four times over 11 months and won all four 168-pound belts last year. “I feel like I’m at my best. I feel more confident in everything, stronger, so I don’t know if it’s because I’m more active or not, but I like being in the ring.”
The fighter from Guadalajara will be at a significant disadvantage in height and reach against Bivol. But that is often part of the challenge for Alvarez, who defeated Sergey Kovalev in his previous fight in the light heavyweight division, in 2019.
After beating all the 168-pound champions last year, “Canelo” decided not to seek another super middleweight bout against opponents like Mexican-American David Benavídez, a two-time champion, or middleweight star Jermall Charlo, a who would have loved to get the guaranteed bag for getting in the ring with Álvarez.
“I know I am the best fighter, but I faced the best fighters in the division and I beat them all at 168,” Alvarez said. “You still say: ‘No, but you need to fight… (against Charlo or Benavídez)’ Why? I do not understand that. But right now, I can do whatever I want, and I only do the best things and I fight the best, the champions… (Bivol) has something to offer me. He is a world champion at 175. He is a better fighter.”
The Mexican will drop to 168 pounds to face Golovkin. The two came to a draw in their first fight, before Álvarez won a split decision in the second.
Alvarez had been reluctant to accept a third fight with the Kazakh star of the middleweight division. But the streaming service DAZN has been eager to arrange a commercially attractive matchup for both fighters.