What’s Next for Canelo Alvarez?
This past weekend, Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez was handed his first professional loss since he fought Floyd Mayweather in 2013. ‘Canelo’ attempted to capture Dmitry Bivol’s WBA light heavyweight world title, and was heavily favored by the bookmakers to come out on top.
However, it was not to be, as Bivol sprung the upset in a bout that will no doubt be remembered for years to come. Bivol had a weight and size advantage over Alvarez, and despite not possessing the star power of his opponent, anyone who has been following the young champion knew that he was much better than what the odds predicted.
With that being said, Canelo remains the best Pound-for-Pound active boxer in the world right now. He is also boxing’s biggest draw, with numerous potential matchups awaiting him. So, what’s next for the 31-year-old Mexican prodigy?
A Rematch With Dmitry Bivol
The most likely next step for ‘Canelo’ Alvarez is a rematch with Bivol. Despite very few giving the young Russian a chance, there was a rematch clause inserted into the fight contract. Alvarez has already stated that the rematch is what he wants next, and Bivol has revealed he is happy to take it.
Considering the result of the first fight, the odds will likely be considerably closer this time round, with there being a distinct possibility that ‘Canelo’ enters the fight as an underdog. If you’d like to try your hand at this bet, then you can check one of the online sportsbooks listed here.
Gennadiy Golovkin Trilogy Bout
Eddie Hearn has been vocal about his hopes to book a trilogy fight between ‘Canelo’ and Golovkin. September had been tentatively thrown out as a potential date for a PPV event headlined by the two elite boxers. However, with GGG’s lackluster performance against Murata back in April, and now Alvarez’s loss to Bivol, interest in the fight has significantly dropped.
David Benavidez
The young rising star from Colombia has been calling for a fight with ‘the face of boxing’ ever since the two trained together in Big Bear. If the rumors about their sparring sessions are true, the undefeated prospect might be one of the biggest challenges for Alvarez south of 175. This is a fight that could bring two major fan bases together and will be a huge draw. Unfortunately, Benavidez’s latest comments have thrown cold water on the matchup.
Jermall Charlo
There’s also the opportunity of fighting Jermall Charlo either at middleweight or at a catchweight. This is the last one on our list both because Canelo doesn’t seem interested in this fight at all, and Charlo still lacks much of the star power to be booked in such a fight. This would be the highest risk/lowest reward fight for Canelo, as it makes very little financial sense for him to take at the moment.
We can expect to see more from Alvarez as this defeat was still a very respectable one. There is still lots of demand for him and interesting fights to be made; it’s up to Alvarez’s team to know what’s best for him and boxing fans.
