By Sean Jones: Canelo Alvarez is waiting on the outcome of the November 5th fight between WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol and Gilbero’ Zurdo’ Ramirez before he decides who he’ll fight next May.
Canelo (58-2-2, 39 KOs) lost to Bivol last May in Las Vegas, but after the Mexican star initially said he wanted an immediate rematch to try and get revenge for the loss, he later changed his mind, deciding to fight Gennadiy Golovkin.
Now, Canelo is saying that for Bivol to get a rematch, he must defeat his WBA mandatory Zurdo Ramirez (44-0, 30 KOs) on November 5th. If Bivol loses, he can forget about the rematch with Canelo.
It’s as if Canelo has turned things upside down as if Bivol needs to earn the fight against him for some odd reason.
Canelo originally wanted to fight Bivol immediately to avenge his loss, but now he’s changed things around.
The impression that this writer has is Canelo really doesn’t want the rematch with Bivol and is just looking for an excuse not to have to fight him again. Hence, Canelo is rooting for Zurdo Ramirez to beat him on November 5th.
“I’ve talked to Eddy Reynoso a few times. The key is November 5th. One of the best fights of the year, Bivol-Ramirez,” said Eddie Hearn to DAZN Boxing Show when asked about who Canelo Alvarez will be fighting next.
If it were really about Canelo wanting to avenge his loss, it wouldn’t matter if Bivol lost his fight with Ramirez. Canelo would still fight Bivol anyway to erase the image burned into the eyes of the boxing public if him getting schooled by him.
The only way Canelo will prove that his loss to Bivol was a fluke thing is to fight him again, regardless of what happens on November 5th.
“It’s going to be an amazing fight in Abu Dhabi, a great card,” continued Hearn. “Canelo will want Ramirez to win, his fellow Mexican, but I also guess deep inside that he’s hoping Bivol will win so they can get the rematch.
“That’s a huge fight for the division and a huge fight for boxing. I’ll be able to tell you a lot more following that fight. I believe so. Subject to his wrist, but I believe so,” said Hearn when asked if it’s like Canelo will fight in May.