Random thoughts: Canelo isn't joking when he says he wants to face the best
Hearn gets the job done; my take on DAZN PPV; just one example of why being a boxing fan stinks sometimes; a look back at Brook-Khan; much more
Some random boxing thoughts…
Pound-for-pound king and undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez, the biggest star in the sport, obviously could have picked anyone to fight on May 7. As a promotional and broadcast free agent who brings his opponents the most money and potentially the most glory, he had all of the leverage.
In the end he opted for a two-fight deal with Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn and a return to DAZN to face light heavyweight titlist Dmitry Bivol on Cinco de Mayo weekend and then a third fight with rival Gennadiy Golovkin in September, assuming Canelo beats Bivol and GGG beats Ryota Murata on April 9.
Canelo went that in that direction instead of taking an offer from Al Haymon of Premier Boxing Champions to fight Jermall Charlo followed by David Benavidez on the same dates. But many devout Canelo haters love to rip him by spouting fantastical nonsense that he is ducking Charlo and Benavidez.
Here is the reality: In moving back up to light heavyweight, where Canelo boxed once in 2019 and spectacularly knocked out Sergey Kovalev to win a title, to fight Bivol next he is facing the most skilled opponent with the toughest style and best resume of the available fighters for May. And because Bivol is the opponent with the least name recognition and no serious fan base, it means he is facing the highest risk opponent for the smallest reward.
A quick glance at social media and you will find clueless fans claiming Canelo is “cherry picking” by facing Bivol, an undefeated guy with a world title and dominating wins over Joe Smith Jr., Jean Pascal and Sullivan Barrera, instead of Charlo, who doesn’t even have a big win at middleweight and has never fought at super middleweight, or Benavidez, whose resume is devoid of meaningful wins except maybe a knockout of Anthony Dirrell three years ago. I wish everyone “cherry picked” like Canelo. Bivol, based on the merit of his resume, at least deserves the fight with Canelo.