Canelo Alvarez has big decision to make for May 7th

By Boxing News - 01/27/2022 - Comments

By Jim Calfa: Canelo Alvarez has a big decision to make involving the two offers made to him from Matchroom Boxing and PBC for his next fight on May 7th. Eddie Hearn has offered Canelo a two-fight deal, and he’s hoping to get an answer from the Mexican star next week.

Hearn is offering Canelo (57-1-2, 39 KOs) to move up to 175 to challenge WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol (19-0, 11 KOs) on May 7th and Gennadiy Golovkin (41-0-1, 36 KOs) later this year on September 17th.

Jermall Charlo = Great option for Canelo

PBC’s offer is a simple single-fight for Canelo against Jermall Charlo (32-0, 22 KOs). That’s a fight that would resonate with the U.S boxing fans, who are well-familiar with the popular Charlo and would be ecstatic to see Canelo taking him on.

Super middleweight David Benavidez will likely be unhappy if Charlo moves up to 168 and takes a fight that he’s been trying to get for years. Charlo has been waiting for years as well, and he’s been passed over many times by Canelo.

Usually, one would say that Jermall is a shoo-in to get the fight against Canelo, but the Mexican star is close with Eddie Hearn. Canelo’s friendship with Hearn may prove to be enough for him to accept his two-fight offer of fighting Bivol and Golovkin.

The third option for Canelo is the one that his well-meaning trainer/manager Eddy Reynoso has for him to move up to cruiserweight to take on WBC champion Ilunga Makabu for his title.

There won’t be as much of an upside for Canelo fighting Makabu, but there’s the possibility of winning a fifth division world title and facing a guy that has very little chance of beating him.

There’s minimal risk for Canelo fighting Makabu, but on the flip side, he won’t get credit for beating him. Unfortunately, casual boxing fans have never heard of Makabu, and the hardcore fans aren’t impressed with him.

Bivol will be a risky fight for Canelo

Image: Canelo Alvarez has big decision to make for May 7th

Tim Bradley believes that Bivol will be a brutal fight for Canelo and could beat him. Due to the risk involved in fighting Bivol, Canelo must carefully consider whether he’s ready to face a fighter with his talent.

The last four years for Canelo have been virtually risk-free, thanks to him strategically picking the lower hanging fruit to pad his resume. If Canelo decides to take the two-fight deal that Hearn’s Matchroom company offers, he’ll be facing Bivol next in May, followed by Golovkin in September.

“Bivol might be a problem for Alvarez,” said Tim Bradley to ESPN. “Alvarez likes to face opponents who stand in front of him, and he has his unique way of getting them to overdo it early and gas out.

“But you can make Alvarez miss, and if you can make him pay for every miss, you have a chance. Bivol is a fighter that I believe can do that.

“Bivol is bigger and longer than Alvarez. He has displayed great fundamentals, a great jab, footwork, great positioning, and he counters often enough to get respect.

There’s no doubt in my mind that Bivol would give Alvarez a run for his money,” said Bradley.