By Dan Ambrose: Eddie Hearn says Canelo Alvarez could fight in London on December 17th against John Ryder or the winner between Craig Richards and Joshua Buatsi.
Canelo (57-1-2, 39 KOs) wants to fight in London. He could be doing that as early as December if he gets through his fights against WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol this Saturday, May 7th, and Gennadiy Golovkin on September 17th.
It’s understandable why the Matchroom Boxing boss Hearn is excited about Canelo potentially fighting in London on December 17th against his WBA 168-lb mandatory Ryder (31-5, 17 KOs) or the winner of the May 21st WBA light heavyweight title eliminator between Buatsi (15-0, 13 KOs) and Richards (17-2-1, 10 KOs).
“Well, we have the two mandatories,” Eddie Hearn said to Fighthype on Thursday about Canelo Alvarez. “Like if he fights in England, which he wants to do, we have the two mandatories in the two divisions that he holds belts in. So, John Ryder at super middle and [Joshua] Buatsi fighting Craig Richards for an eliminator in the WBA.”
If Canelo defeats WBA 175-lb champion Bivol (19-0, 11 KOs) this Saturday night in Las Vegas, he would need to defend against the winner of the Buatsi vs. Richards fight at some point, as their battle on May 1st is a title eliminator for the World Boxing Association 175-lb strap.
U.S boxing fans would prefer Canelo fight a more talented recognizable foe in December, such as David Benavidez, Demetrius Andrade, or Artur Beterbiev, but that’s too much to hope for.
American fans sat through most of 2021, watching Canelo easily beat a crew of beatable belt holders of marginal ability. They want to see the Mexican star focus on fighting quality opposition like Benavidez, Andrade, or Beterbiev.
Ryder edged the shopworn 35-year-old former IBF/WBA middleweight champion Danny Jacobs earlier this year on February 12th in a fight that many boxing fans felt should have gone to the American.
“So, he [Canelo] could fight John Ryder, or he could fight Buatsi or Craig Richards, whoever wins that fight. Or, he could go to Mexico and have a huge fight in December,” Hearn said.
Hearn ruled out a fight between Canelo and the winner of the June 18th light heavyweight unification fight between IBF/WBC champion Artur Beterbiev and WBO champion Joe Smith Jr. for December 17th.
In explaining why Canelo won’t fight Beterbiev, Hearn points out that the Mexican star would be jumping straight back into training camp only a week after the September 17th fight against Gennadiy Golovkin.
“I don’t think that the December fight would be like a Beterbiev,” said Hearn about Canelo unlikely to fight the dangerous unbeaten IBF/WBC light heavyweight champion Beterbiev (17-0, 17 KOs).
“When you go into a GGG fight on September 17th and talk about fighting December, it’s quite incredible,” Hearn continued about Canelo. “You’d have to basically have a week off and start camp again after a GGG fight.”
