By Dan Ambrose: Canelo Alvarez is STILL the WBA ‘regular’ super middleweight champion, according to his trainer Eddy Reynoso AND the World Boxing Association website. There were reports last week that Canelo (53-1-2, 36 KOs) had vacated his WBA secondary 168-lb strap that he won last year in beating Rocky Fielding, but that’s obviously not the case.
Alvarez wants to hold onto his secondary WBA title
Canelo, 29, is holding onto his WBA 168lb title for some reason. Whether it to use it as leverage tool in negotiations with WBO super middleweight champion Billy Joe Saunders or to impress casual boxing fans is unknown. The title does nothing for Canelo though, as Callum Smith is considered the REAL champion in the eyes of knowledgable fans. Canelo picked up the WBA strap in beating Fielding instead of Callum, and he’s thus far not defended the title in 12 months. The WBA has chosen to let Canelo sit on their title without defending it, and only they know why.
Since the belt is a secondary strap BELOW the WBA Super World title held by Callum Smith, it makes little sense for Canelo to hold onto it. If Canelo is the best fighter in boxing, then it seems strange that he would want to hold onto the WBA’s lesser title rather than getting rid of it.
Canelo’s viewing numbers are down from his last fight against Kovalev, and they could continue to plunge if he chooses to cherry-pick opposition. It was a mistake on Canelo’s part to fight Kovalev, as he should have picked light heavyweight champions Artur Beterbiev or Dmitry Bivol if he wanted to capture a world title at 175.
Canelo took the easy mark in 36-year-old Kovalev, and the fans weren’t interested in high numbers. This was yet another Rocky Fielding type of fight for Canelo, and the fans are tired of the mismatches against soft fighters.
Canelo signed a multi-million 11-fight deal with DAZN not long ago, and since then he’s fought these fighters: Daniel Jacobs and Sergey Kovalev. DAZN wants Canelo to face Gennadiy Golovkin in a trilogy match, but he says it’s no challenge.
Canelo also says that he would take the fight with GGG if it makes business sense. It’s unclear why Canelo is saying this, because he’s already been given a $365 million contract by DAZN. Does Canelo want extra money from DAZN to fight GGG? If so, why?
Reynoso says Canelo never vacated WBA super middleweight belt
“We were never contacted by the WBA. And we consider ourselves champions at 160, 169 and 175 pounds. We never gave up or vacated the title,” said Reynoso.
Canelo will be moving down in weight to middleweight or super middleweight for his next fight in May, and it’s predictable who he’ll be facing. It won’t Gennadiy Golovkin, who he said he’ll never fight again.
The fighter that boxing fans overwhelmingly see Canelo fighting next is WBO super middleweight champion Billy Joe Saunders in May. That’s not because Saunders (29-0, 14 KOs) is highly rated by boxing fans. It’s more of a case because of how horrible Saunders looked in defending his WBO belt against fringe contender Marcelo Esteban Coceres last month on November 9.
Canelo is expected in Arabia to support Andy Ruiz
The four division world champion Canelo is expected to be at ringside this Saturday in Saudi Arabia for the Anthony Joshua vs. Andy Ruiz Jr. 2 rematch at the Diriyah Arena. Canelo wants to give support to IBF/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion Ruiz for his important second fight against former champion Joshua (22-1, 21 KOs).
Being at ringside will give Canelo the opportunity to have the cameras from the worldwide media to be aimed at him.
Gennadiy Golovkin is missing out on a chance to get some cheap publicity as well if he doesn’t show up at the Joshua-Ruiz 2 contest.
Canelo is coming off of an 11th round knockout win over WBO light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev on November 2 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Although Alvarez won the fight, the reaction from fans was less than positive.
Boxing fans didn’t like the way the match played out with Kovalev fighting at one-quarter power, and seemingly not putting any effort into his punches. When Canelo did finally stop Kovalev in the 11th, a lot of fans were already turned off. Many of them saw the fight as being similar to a professional wrestling match.