By Jim Calfa: Former WBO light heavyweight champion Joe Smith Jr says Canelo Alvarez is hand-picking his opponents, facing guys he knows he can beat at this stage of his career.
Smith says he’d like to see Canelo fight WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol again or face David Benavidez. Those are two fighters that Smith (28-4, 22 KOs) feels Canelo should be facing, but he’s not.
It reflects badly on Canelo (59-2-2, 39 KOs) that he’s not trying to avenge his loss to Bivol. Some boxing fans feel that Canelo is exhibiting cowardice by not fighting Bivol again because the past greats always wanted to avenge their losses.
What makes Canelo look even worse is that he’s choosing to face Jermall Charlo next, a fighter that hasn’t fought in two years and looks shot.
It would be great to see Canelo turn over a new leave and abandon his plans to fight Jermall and instead fight Benavidez or Bivol next, but we know that’s not going to happen.
Alvarez signed a three-fight deal with PBC, which means he’ll fight Jermall in September followed likely by Errol Spence Jr in May of next year, and maybe a rematch with him if their contest is competitive. Benavidez likely won’t be one of the three, and neither will David Morrell Jr.
Canelo picking his opponents
“Honestly, I don’t pay much attention to what goes on with Canelo anymore because I feel that with most of his fight, they just get him a fight, really, using his name,” said Joe Smith Jr to Fighthype when asked about his view on Canelo Alvarez signing a three-fight deal with PBC.
“No, I don’t believe so. He’s picking his fights, fighting people that he believes he can beat. Yeah, definitely. He fought everybody and is one of the best fighters. I think he should give Bivol his rematch.
“The fight that is being talked about now [Canelo vs. Jermall Charlo] seems like a good fight, but I’d like to see him fight Benavidez.
“I’d like to get back in there. I just want the tough fights. I want to fight Beterbiev or Bivol. Those are the two guys I’m interested in.
“Yeah, I’d take that fight. Anthony Yarde put up a great fight with Beterbiev. He actually impressed me. I didn’t see much in him, but in that fight, he showed something else, and he looked great,” Smith Jr said.
Smith Jr wants Beterbiev rematch
“Benavidez, I’d be open to that fight too. I’m open to all the top fighters,” said Smith Jr. “I’ve never turned down any fight. If it came my way and it was the right opportunity, I’d take it.
“If you want to be a world champion, you’ve got to fight all the world champions and beat the best to be the best. That’s why after I won my world title, I called out Beterbiev. I wanted another one. The way things worked out, it wasn’t my night, but I believe on another night, I could have beat him.
“It just wasn’t my night. I got caught behind my ear with a shot, and I couldn’t recover from,” said Smith about his second round knockout loss to IBF, WBC & WBO light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev last year in June.
“I just had a lot going on leading up to the fight, but no excuses. He was the better man that night. Who knows? Maybe in the future, I’ll get another shot at him.
“Against Bivol, I caught him at the right time at the end of the round, so he was able to make it through it. But in my opinion, I felt Bivol was the tougher fight for me [than Beterbiev]. He’s an all-around fighter, but both fighters are very skilled.
“Beterbiev, he’s very accurate with his punches and hits you where he wants to. I would be looking forward to seeing the two of them fight. It’s a tough fight. Anything could happen. Beterbiev has that punch and that accuracy, but Bivol, he’s an all-around fighter. I’d like to see it.
“A speedy guy that is accurate and also skillful, but I got that one thing too that can change a fight at any moment. No, I don’t think that fight is ever going to happen. It’s just something they threw out there at one point, but it was never anything that was really in talk,” said Smith Jr about a fight against Daniel Jacobs.
“I’m looking forward to that one, but I’m going with Spence,” said Smith Jr when asked about his thoughts on the Errol Spence vs. Terence Crawford fight on July 29th.
“We’ll see what happens. I always liked him [Spence]. I feel like he’s a powerful, strong guy, confident, but we have to wait and see. I don’t know. It’s going to be great fight, It could go either way, really.
“They’re both very talented fighters, and they’re going to come out and give it the best.
