Notebook: On second thought, Canelo not so sure Bivol rematch will be his next fight

Ryan Garcia-Isaac Cruz next?; exclusive Garcia interview; Ennis aims to make statement vs. Clayton; Berlanga, Zayas doubleheader set; Quick hits; Show and tell

May 11, 2022

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LAS VEGAS — Immediately after Dmitry Bivol was declared the 115-113 winner on all three scorecards to retain his light heavyweight world title against Canelo Alvarez on Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena, the now-deposed pound-for-pound king said he planned to invoke his contractual right to an immediate rematch.

A short time later Alvarez, who had moved up to light heavyweight for the second time seeking a second title in the division, reiterated that stance in the early part of his post-fight news conference. But later in during the question and answer session he declined to commit to facing Bivol again in his next fight.

Had Mexico’s Alvarez won, his next fight was scheduled to be on Sept. 17 — Mexican Independence Day weekend — in a third meeting with rival Gennadiy Golovkin, the unified middleweight titlist, who would move up to challenge Alvarez for his undisputed super middleweight title. Alvarez is 1-0-1 against GGG in a pair of middleweight title fights that both ended in a storm of controversy over the scoring.

But with Alvarez losing to heavy underdog Bivol, who he will face next — and if he will even fight on Sept. 17 — is up in the air.

“We’re gonna go to see what’s next, to talk about it and we’ll let you know,” Alvarez, wearing dark glasses to hide his facial bruising, said at the news conference.

Gently pressed for a more clear answer about when and who he would next fight, Alvarez declined to be specific as he had been in the ring.

“We’ll see what happens in the future,” he said. “But we’ll just have to wait and see what’s gonna happen.”

Despite his uncertainty of when and who will next face, Alvarez said he does want to face Bivol again.

“Yes, we want it,” he said of a rematch. “We want the rematch and well do much better in the rematch.”

Eddy Reynoso, Alvarez’s trainer and manager, also indicated they want face Bivol (20-0, 11 KOs), 31, of Russia, again.

“There’s no doubt about that,” Reynoso said when asked if the rematch was the biggest fight Alvarez could have. “And we want that rematch. We felt that we didn’t lose the fight, just some rounds. We want that rematch to see what we can do better. Have to give good credit to Bivol and what he did. Saul is a winner and he will come back stronger.”

Alvarez echoed Reynoso’s sentiment.

“I’m a very competitive person,” Alvarez said. “I’ve got many years ahead of me. I’m gonna come back stronger.”

Alvarez also added that he thought he won the fight, which few would agree with it. He was ahead 4-0 in rounds on all three scorecards — generous scoring in the view of most — after which he only won a single round the rest of the fight.

“Often judges score things that perhaps they shouldn’t. For example, I was blocking shots and I was rolling punches and that is where the (judges’) mistake may have been made,” Alvarez said. “You have to give the credit to Bivol. He’s a very difficult fighter to hit around the head area. I thought I won, so there’s no shame. I’m proud of what I’ve achieved. I thought maybe I lost four or five rounds but I definitely didn’t lose the fight.”

Alvarez (57-2-2, 39 KOs), 31, the reigning fighter of the year and a four-division champion, had not lost since a decision to Floyd Mayweather in a junior middleweight championship fight in 2013 and had gone 15-0-1 since. He said he was proud of himself for taking on the toughest challenge available to him for the May date.

“I’ve gone and fought at 175 out of my comfort zone to a weight that is not mine and there’s no shame in that,” Alvarez said, adding that he was fatigued late in the fight, perhaps because he was heavier than he was used to. “I’m looking for challenges that others would be scared to take on because they might lose. Nobody wants to see fights where they know who’s going to win. It’s about those 50-50 fights that people want to see.

“I feel like I can come out of this fight with my head held high because I gave the best of me in a different weight class. I’m looking for challenges, challenges in my career that take me out of my comfort zone, so I’m proud and I’m feeling good. We’ll see what’s next. I don’t feel like I lost the fight.”

WBC orders Ryan Garcia-Cruz

Before their most recent fights there had been much discussion about a possible match between lightweight contenders Ryan Garcia and Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz. It did not come to pass for a variety of reasons and each man went on to defeat other opponents one week apart in April.

But now the fight has a much better chance of happening because the WBC on Tuesday sent both camps a letter ordering them to begin negotiating a world title final elimination fight. If Garcia promoter Golden Boy and Cruz’s team at Mayweather Promotions cannot make a deal the WBC said there will be a purse bid on June 14.

The purse split would be 50-50 and the WBC said the winner would be the organization’s next 135-pound mandatory challenger, putting the winner in line for a shot against the winner of the unification fight for the undisputed title between three-belt champion George Kambosos Jr. and WBC titlist Devin Haney.

I spoke to Garcia about the order, when and where he hopes the fight will take place and his thoughts on how the fight will go. Please read the story on the Big Fight Weekend here: https://bigfightweekend.com/news/ryan-garcia-excited-wbc-orders-isaac-cruz-final-lightweight-eliminator/

Garcia exclusive interview

Shortly after the WBC ordered the Garcia-Cruz final lightweight eliminator, I spoke to Garcia for a special edition of the Fight Freaks Unite podcast. Not only did we discuss the WBC’s order and his excitement and take on the potential fight, we also talked about his view of next month’s undisputed championship fight between George Kambosos Jr. and Devin Haney as well as his rather pointed comments about Canelo Alvarez, Garcia’s former big brother figure and training partner, losing to Dmitry Bivol this past Saturday and what he thinks might happen if Alvarez opts for the a rematch he is contractually entitled to. Please like, subscribe and listen to the exclusive interview here:

Ennis aims to impress

Welterweight Jaron Ennis, the 2020 prospect of the year, has been hailed by many as a can’t-miss future star and he aims to make a statement to show those folks are not wrong when he meets Custio Clayton (19-0-1, 12 KOs), 34, of Montreal, in an IBF title eliminator in the co-feature of the Jermell Charlo-Brian Castano rematch for the undisputed junior middleweight championship on Saturday (Showtime, 9 p.m. ET) at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.

“I’m looking to make a big statement,” Ennis said. “I’m coming to win in dominating fashion and get the knockout. I’m ready to take over this division.”

The Ennis-Clayton winner will become the mandatory challenger for one of the three belts held by Errol Spence Jr.

Ennis (28-0, 26 KOs), 24, of Philadelphia, sparred with junior middleweight up-and-comer and 2016 U.S. Olympian Charles Conwell and welterweight Paul Kroll, who was also an amateur standout, to prepare for the fight. He is aiming to follow up on an impressive 2021 in which knocked out former junior welterweight titlist Sergey Lipinets in the sixth round in April and perennial contender Thomas Dulorme in the first round in October.

“I feel like I’m getting better at taking my time and being more relaxed in the ring,” Ennis said. “I believe that the better the competition I face, the better I’m going to be. We’ve been working on jabbing more and being even more alert and sharper.

“This fight is everything to me. This is a big stage and it’s time for me to shine. From here on out, it’s only getting bigger and better. After I do my thing on (Saturday), we’re just going to keep going up and up. I’m looking to show everyone everything that I’m capable of. My speed, power, defense, ring IQ and footwork. At the end of the night, I’m coming for the knockout. That’s what the fans are coming to see. I’m going to show them what I can do and close the show with a knockout.”

Eventually, Ennis would like to test himself against Spence or titlist Terence Crawford.

“It doesn’t matter to me if Spence and Crawford decide to stay in the division and face me,” Ennis said. “I’d love to take the belts away from the champion, but if I have to fight for a vacant belt, I’ll see Spence and Crawford at 154 pounds. They can’t go too far.”

Puerto Rican Parade card

Two of boxing’s top Puerto Rican up-and-comers, super middleweight Edgar Berlanga and junior middleweight Xander Zayas, will share the spotlight on the Top Rank card that will take place at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York on June 11 (ESPN/ESPN Deportes/ESPN+, 10:30 p.m. ET).

“Boxing events at Madison Square Garden on the eve of the Puerto Rican Day Parade are always special, and we have sensational young talents in Edgar Berlanga and Xander Zayas topping the bill,” Top Rank chairman Bob Arum said. “They are each stepping up in class, and I expect them to perform in a big way in front of a raucous, sold-out arena.”

Berlanga (19-0, 16 KOs), 24, of Brooklyn, will, face former title challenger Roamer Alexis Angulo (27-2, 23 KOs), 38, of Colombia, in a 10-rounder that has been expected.

The fight will be Berlanga’s second straight main event at the Theater, having outpointed Steve Rolls on March 19 before a sellout crowd of 5,158. Angulo’s only losses were in super middleweight title fights, via points challenging Gilberto Ramirez in 2018 and by 10th-round TKO to David Benavidez for a vacant belt in 2020.

“I'm so pumped to be headlining my second main event at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden. Get ready for another sold-out crowd,” Berlanga said. “This one will be special because this will be my first main event during the festivities of the Puerto Rican Day Parade weekend, just like my idols Felix ‘Tito’ Trinidad and Miguel Cotto did. I'm following in the footsteps of greatness, but also continuing the legacy of bringing my people together on a beautiful weekend.

“For this fight, we decided to do the training camp on my Island, and it has been a great decision. It has been a great training camp in Puerto Rico. At the beginning of training camp, I met with ‘Tito’ Trinidad, and he gave me some very encouraging and motivating advice. He is my hero! I've been working very hard and I can’t wait to fight on June 11 to show what I'm made off. I will raise the Puerto Rican flag up high and represent for all my Boricuas around the world.”

Zayas (13-0, 9 KOs), 19, of Sunrise, Florida, will face Las Vegas-based Uzbekistan native Ravshan Hudaynazarov (19-5, 14 KOs), 37, in the eight-round co-feature.

Zayas won a shutout eight-round decision over Quincy LaVallais in his last fight, which was the Berlanga-Rolls co-feature.

“For me, fighting at Madison Square Garden is always a great opportunity. It fills me with emotion because the fans always bring very positive and motivating energy,” Zayas said. “This coming June 11, I know it will not be the exception, as this will be my first fight on the weekend of the Puerto Rican Day Parade. I assure you that this will be the first of many. I want to continue bringing glory to Puerto Rico and Madison Square Garden, and I will continue to work hard to write my name in the history books as Cotto and Trinidad did.”

The undercard will feature several Puerto Rican fighters against opponents to be announced, including junior lightweight Henry Lebron (15-0, 10 KOs), junior featherweight Carlos Caraballo (15-1, 14 KOs), junior welterweight Josue Vargas (20-2, 9 KOs), lightweight Armani Almestica (5-0, 5 KOs), featherweight Orlando Gonzalez (17-1, 10 KOs), junior welterweight Omar Rosario (6-0, 2 KOs), junior lightweight Frevian Gonzalez and female flyweight Christina Cruz (2-0, 0 KOs).

Quick hit

ProBox TV announced that former featherweight titlist Xu Can (18-3, 3 KOs), 28, of China, has suffered an undisclosed injury and his 10-rounder against Mexico’s Brandon Benitez (18-2, 7 KOs), scheduled as the co-feature for a card May 20 at the company headquarters in Plant City, Florida, is off. In the main event, light heavyweight contender Meng Fanlong meets former champion Jean Pascal. Also on the card are the quarterfinals of ProBox’s “Last Chance Tournament” at 140 pounds. The eight-round bouts: China’s Zhiming Wang (11-3, 3 KOs) vs. Mexico’s Francisco Armenta (12-1, 4 KOs); Sam Antonio’s Kendo Castaneda (17-5, 8 KOs) vs. Toledo, Ohio’s Sonny Frederickson (21-5, 14 KOs); Midland, Texas’ Michael Dutchover (15-2, 10 KOs) vs. Saint Petersburg, Florida’s Clarence Booth (21-4, 13 KOs); and Mexico’s Antonio Moran (26-5-1, 19 KOs) vs. Philadelphia’s Jeffrey Torres (10-1, 6 KOs).

Show and tell

Eight months after the great Felix Trinidad got knocked out by fellow Hall of Famer Bernard Hopkins in the 12th round of their historic showdown for the undisputed middleweight championship in what was Trinidad’s first career defeat, he returned to action in a Puerto Rico homecoming fight to face former middleweight titleholder Hacine Cherifi. Trinidad dominated. He dropped big underdog Cherifi in the third round and twice more in the fourth round to secure the knockout win. After the fight, Trinidad retired before making a comeback 2½ years later. The rousing knockout of Cherifi before an adoring crowd in San Juan was on May 11, 2002 — 20 years ago on Wednesday. Here is a very scarce site poster from the fight in my collection.

Canelo photo: Melina Pizano/Matchroom Boxing; Garcia photo: Tom Hogan/Golden Boy; Ennis photo: Esther Lin/Showtime

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