By Sean Jones: Showtime President Stephen Espinoza wants Canelo Alvarez to come over and fight on his network to finish out his career against Caleb Plant, David Benavidez, Jermall Charlo, and Errol Spence Jr.
Espinoza has three to four big fights for Canelo, a network-free agent, and he’d like those to be on Showtime.
Canelo (56-1-2, 38 KOs) is now negotiating to fight IBF 168-lb champion Plant on FOX pay-per-view on September 18th. Last week, Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing said that Canelo doesn’t want to sign a three-fight deal with PBC.
With that said, PBC on Showtime or FOX has some really fights available to WBA/WBC/WBO super middleweight champion Canelo that he won’t be able to find on DAZN.
If Canelo chooses not to agree to a deal with PBC and Showtime, he’ll likely return to DAZN and fight WBA 175-lb champion Dimitry Bivol or IBF/WBC 175-lb champion Artur Beterbiev.
Canelo doesn’t seem interested in fighting middleweight champions Gennadiy Golovkin or Demetrius Andrade, even though those fighters are with DAZN.
If Canelo returns to DAZN, he’s likely looking at moving up to 175 to battle Beterbiev and Bivol. Those are both hard fights for Canelo.
Espinoza has 4 fights for Canelo on Showtime
“Look, Canelo is the top dog in terms of business and leverage in the sport, so he can do whatever he wants,” said Showtime President of Sports Stephen Espinoza to Behind The Gloves.
“There are a series of fights with us over at PBC. There’s Plant, the obvious one, but you’ve also got Jermall Charlo and David Benavidez.”
As you can see, Showtime president Espinoza has a gauntlet that he wants Canelo to run through by facing Charlo, Benavidez, and Plant.
As long as Canelo isn’t resistant to fight Benavidez, which some boxing fans think he is, it’s not to see him agreeing to a deal with Showtime.
“So that’s a series of fights. There’s also been talk that maybe eventually Errol Spence moves up and fights him,” said Espinoza.
“The one thing we know about Canelo is, he doesn’t hesitate to take tough fights.”
Fighting Errol Spence Jr would be a massive fight for Canelo, especially if he unifies the 147-lb division by beating Terence Crawford and Yordenis Ugas.
“He’s been collecting belts, and they haven’t been the toughest, most entertaining fights, but we know he’s not afraid to take tough fights,” said Espinoza.
It’s a huge understatement on Espinoza’s part by saying that Canelo’s recent world title fights haven’t been the most entertaining. It’s like grenade fishing.
Canelo’s blowout wins over paper 168-lb champions Billy Joe Saunders, Callum Smith, and Rocky Fielding looked unsporting.
Alvarez can finish out his career
This writer always viewed those three champions as weak and vulnerable and just begging to be beaten. With Canelo’s popularity, he was able to get fights against them all in a short period.
If it was David Benavidez trying to get fights against those same flawed champions, it’s fair to say he would be frozen out and ignored by those former champions’ promoters.
“Finishing off this last piece of his career with Charlo, Benavidez, and Plant. I think those are fights that fans want to see,” said Espinoza.
Some of those guys that Espinoza wants Canelo to fight could beat him, and maybe he won’t want to continue through the entire four-person list of fighters on Showtime.
If Canelo fights Benavidez, that’s a loss. With Jermall and his brother Jermell, they potentially have the ability to beat Canelo. It depends on how well-prepared the Charlo brothers are for Canelo.
If the money is right, it’s hard for Canelo not to agree to sign a deal with Showtime. Look at the amazing fights Canelo can get on Showtime:
- Errol Spence Jr
- David Benavidez
- Caleb Plant
- Jermall Charlo
- Jermell Charlo
If Charlo’s twin brother Jermell moves up to 160, he’ll be close enough to 168 for him to move up for a fight with Canelo. It would be interesting to watch Canelo fight both Charlo brothers.
Mike Tyson: Plant will get slaughtered by Alvarez
“Caleb Plant ain’t lasting the distance,” said Mike Tyson to Hotboxin in predicting a stoppage win for Canelo. “Caleb Plant, I saw this guy fight.
“He’s going to get slaughtered. Listen, he’s going to get clocked. He’s going to get so f**** up. Anything is possible with two people,” said Mike Tyson.
The Caleb Plant that we saw struggle to beat Jose Uzcategui in 2019; he’ll get knocked out by Canelo. Plant gassed out after six rounds against Uzcategui, and he took a beating in the last half of the fight.
Plant won’t be an easy mark, though, because he’s got skills, size, and speed. Canelo will struggle initially with Plant’s boxing ability. But once Canelo figures Plant out, he will go on the attack and look to finish him.
“He’s [Plant] your friend, then you’re going to his funeral. He looks like Floyd Mayweather,” said Tyson.
“He’s going to get f*** up. Wait until he starts hitting that body when Alvarez starts hitting the body. He’s going to get f*** up,” Tyson said.
It sounds like Mike Tyson watched Plant’s fight with Uzcategui because if you’ve seen that contest, you’ll have seen how Caleb was hurt numerous times.
Plant will be on his bicycle the whole time against Canelo, and he won’t make it easy for him.
“Anything is possible, but I’m telling you, man,” said Tyson in expressing doubt that Plant can win.
“Why doesn’t he fight Benavidez? I like Benavidez. He doesn’t have any finesse. He’s a brute,” said Tyson about Plant.
Plant wants nothing to do with fighting Benavidez. If he wanted that fight, he would have taken it years ago.
“He’s a killer. He don’t got any finesse. This guy [Plant] is in constant perpetual motion. He’s not going to stop,” said Tyson.
“He’s [Plant] got the complexion for the protection, but he’s going to be in for some s*** with this Mexican,” said Tyson.
“He doesn’t have the experience, but I believe he’s got the right style, though,” said Badou Jack about Caleb Plant.
