By Jim Calfa: Trainer Andre Rozier is warning Canelo Alvarez NOT to take the rematch with Dmitry Bivol because he can’t win that fight. Rozier says Canelo needs to return to the 168-lb division, and face Gennadiy Golovkin.
Canelo (57-2-2, 39 KOs) hasn’t activated his rematch with WBA light heavyweight champion Bivol (20-0, 11 KOs), so it’s possible he may be reconsidering the idea of fighting him again.
Of course, the alternatives for Canelo aren’t great, as he would have to face Gennadiy Golovkin in September. Golovkin obviously watched Bivol’s masterclas win last Saturday night, and he’ll have taken detailed notes on how to defeat Canelo.
Losing to the much bigger Bivol gave Canelo an excuse to tell his fans, but he wouldn’t be able to get a free pass if he loses to the 40-year-old Golovkin.
Canelo would have to face the facts that he wasn’t good enough, which would reinforce the view in the minds of fans that he never was as good as Golovkin. In other words, Canelo should have been given defeats in his first two fights against Golovkin.
“Bivol has been boxing elegantly for many, many years now. He may not get you out of there, but he’ll certainly put the skill set moves on you,” said Andre Rozier to Fighthype about why he knew Dmitry Bivol would defeat Canelo Alvarez.
“I said Canelo is one of my favorite fighters, but this man [Bivol] is controlling the light heavyweight division,” said Rozier about Bivol. “Hands down [Bivol beats Artur Beterbiev and Joe Smith Jr.].
“Yeah, he’s [Beterbiev] has been stopping everybody because they’ve been meeting him there. If he has to earn it and get close enough to do it, it’s going to be a big difference.
“Bivol has the technical prowess to control the environment of the ring better than any of the light heavyweights I’ve seen. So, I don’t see Beterbiev winning that fight. I see Bivol doing what he always does. Boxes his way to a decision.
“No,” said Rozier when asked if a rematch between Bivol and Canelo plays out any differently. “No, don’t take that rematch. Go after Golovkin, go back to 168. Forget about the light heavyweights; forget about the cruiserweight. Forget about the prosperous, ‘I can fight Usyk,'” said Rozier.
Canelo talking about wanting to challenge unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk for his titles was beyond silly. However, it shows how Canelo’s ego had become out of control, making him believe things that he had no chance of achieving.
“Listen, a lot of people were brought out of the clouds with this fight [Canelo vs. Bivol],” said Rozier. “He’s [Canelo] got to close the distance, and he can’t be on Bivol’s beck & call.
“He can’t be at the end of his right hands and his hooks. He can’t be there, and if you can’t close the distance, you’re not going to win. There’s no special science about this one,” said Rozier.
