By Dan Ambrose: Vitor Belfort called out Canelo Alvarez and Jake Paul last Saturday night after his demolition job of 58-year-old boxing great Evander Holyfield in Hollywood, Florida.
Belfort is aiming high to get a popular fighter to face him after crushing Holyfield with a first round knockout at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.
For Belfort to bring in big numbers on Triller PPV, he needs a fighter like Canelo, or the YouTuber turned boxer Jake Paul. Thus far, neither of those guys has responded to the call-out by Belfort.
In Canelo’s case, he’s used to being called out by different fighters, so it’s not surprising that he’s not responded to Belfort.
Former MMA star Belfort, 44, and Triller Fight Club CEO Ryan Kavanaugh said there’s $30 million available for WBA/WBC/WBO super middleweight champion Canelo or YouTuber Jake Paul to get in a winner takes all fight.
“It felt great. It couldn’t have felt better to share the ring with the biggest heavyweight in history,” said Belfort to Fighthub about his fight with Holyfield.
“I’m a different breed. I make adjustments in how they come,” said Belfort when asked how difficult it was for him to adjust from training for Oscar De La Hoya to that of Holyfield.
“You can only focus on what you can control. What you cannot control is not my job. I just enjoy life. Everything that is a problem in my head is an opportunity. So every time you throw something to me that is a challenge, I see it as an opportunity,” said Belfort.
It’s not a big deal for Belfort to have adapted his training in the last two weeks from 48-year-old De La Hoya to that of the total shot Holyfield. Had Belfort had to adapt to fight a boxer in their prime, he might have had problems.
De La Hoya was lucky that he came down with COVID-19 and pulled out of the Belfort fight because he easily could have had the same thing happen to him as we saw with Holyfield.
“I want Canelo. We have Canelo. I asked Canelo, but Jake Paul is a guy that deserves a lesson,” said Belfort. “If you really want to fight guys, he cannot run away from me. If he wants somebody, just come fast.
“I’m not built for that. I’ll take it. Call me ‘Big Daddy’ now, and don’t fight me. No, not at all,” said Belfort when asked if Jake Paul is disrespecting the sport of boxing.
Canelo isn’t going to bother fighting Belfort because he would be criticized by boxing fans if he agreed to fight the 44-year-old.
If Canelo wants respect from the fans for taking on a bigger fighter, he can return to the 175-lb division and challenge IBF/WBC champion Artur Beterbiev or WBA champ Dmitry Bivol.
Those would be tough fights for Canelo, but he would be given respect from the fans, win or lose.
Against the much older Belfort, Canelo wouldn’t receive credit for beating him due to his age and the fact that he doesn’t come from a boxing background.
“He’s making a lot of money, taking a ride,” said Belfort about Jake Paul. “He’s doing his job. He’s training. There are levels. He’s not on my level, but I will give him the opportunity.
“We have thirty million dollars sitting here waiting for him. You don’t have to ask me. You know what’s going to happen. It’s just a matter of when. I’m at a different level. I’m not a wrestler. I’m a boxer.
“You seen what I did to Holyfield? Okay, that’s what’s going to be coming to him [Jake] in a bigger way. He’s 4-0 fighting who? You’re never defined by how many wins you have. It’s who you’re fighting,” said Belfort.
The performance by Belfort might have been a little too good against Holyfield because Jake isn’t going to want to fight someone like that. He’s already retired after struggling to beat 40-year-old Tyron Woodley recently.
We’re still waiting to see if Jake will regain his confidence to return to the ring for a rematch with Woodley.