Canelo Alvarez's Next Fight: Potential Opponents for Next Bout
This just in: It's good to be Canelo Alvarez.
And while the interpersonal rewards of being a famous, fit and exceedingly wealthy 25-year-old speak for themselves, it’s not so bad for the guy on the boxing side of the equation either.
The flagship fighter of Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions returned to the pay-per-view marquee Saturday in Las Vegas, and the performance he put on while out-grinding veteran Miguel Cotto was precisely the type that’s lifted him to must-see status on all levels of pay TV.
Lest anyone forget, Alvarez rode shotgun to Floyd Mayweather Jr. on history’s second-most lucrative PPV show, and the response he got—both during a 10-city tour to hype that fight and from the more than 30,000 on hand at Minute Maid Park when he fought James Kirkland in May—shows his star is still among the sport’s brightest.
"Sure, he reminds me of myself a little bit, except for the red hair," De La Hoya told CBS Sports. "He's got everything you need to be a superstar. He's young. He's handsome. And the best thing about it from our perspective right now, it's not just about that. He's a real fighter, too."
The defeat of Cotto in an exciting match reintroduced Alvarez to HBO PPV viewers, and it opened the doors to a variety of interesting possibilities for the young Mexican to pursue at either 154 or 160 pounds.
We took a post-fight look at what we think could be some intriguing next steps—some more feasible than others—and as always, we invite you to make a suggestion or two of your own in the comments section.
5. Tureano Johnson
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Into every big-name list, a pedestrian—by comparison—must fall.
But while Tureano Johnson might not measure up with the high-profile marquee names, it doesn't at all mean he can't fight.
He was an Olympian representing the Bahamas in 2008 before turning pro in 2010, and the 31-year-old has won 19 of 20 fights since, with the only misfire coming via last-round stoppage to former middleweight title challenger Curtis Stevens.
Johnson has won five straight since then, however, and elevated himself to No. 1 IBF contender status with a punishing 12-round beatdown of Eamonn O'Kane on the Gennady Golovkin-David Lemieux undercard last month in midtown Manhattan.
His alliance with Golden Boy Promotions surely gets him close to Alvarez, and if Oscar De La Hoya and Co. decide to keep their superstar in the 160-pound ranks, they've got intermediate fodder for him to work with. And if Johnson is able to get to IBF champ Gennady Golovkin and score a generational-style upset first, he'll be the one answering the Canelo-centric calls rather than placing them.
4. Floyd Mayweather Jr.
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No, we don't really think it'll happen either. Still, it remains fun to consider.
Many a boxing expert will tell you that the first element in considering a rematch—particularly if the first fight was one-sided—is convincing people there's a chance an encore may look different.
As it turns out, nearly everything Alvarez has done in the two-plus years since losing to Floyd Mayweather Jr. has helped change the perception that he'd forever be Money's whipping boy.
The Saturday night performance helped immensely on the competition side.
And the fact that the winner picked up a valuable enticement—a WBC middleweight title belt—could lure Mayweather to fight No. 50 with a chance at a sixth weight class title.
Maybe that's the real reason Alvarez's promoter, Oscar De La Hoya, wanted to bury the hatchet with his longtime rival.
3. Manny Pacquiao
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The "No, Really, Freddie Thinks His Guy Can Win This Time" World Tour continues.
While it's true Manny Pacquiao's oft-stated preference is welterweight, or even 140 pounds, the prospect that he could face Alvarez in yet another register-smashing bonanza might matter a bit, too.
Roach himself considered the possibility earlier this year, before Alvarez punched the taste from James Kirkland's mouth in Houston.
“Canelo is a thought at 152,” Roach said, via ThaBoxingVoice. “I think that’s a great fight.”
The remark didn't gain a lot of traction immediately, but the concept revved up again just before Saturday night—according to The Boxing Tribune—when no less an authority than Bob Arum apparently told Lance Pugmire of the Los Angeles Times that Pacquiao "may be on the table" for Alvarez.
Pugmire relayed said info to Alvarez, who said, “Yes, of course, it’s a fight that could happen in the future.”
To which we say, "Yes. Yes. Yes."
2. Timothy Bradley
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As any anonymous fighter would surely concur, it’s good to have name recognition.
And though two-division world champion Timothy Bradley has had precisely zero professional fights beyond the 147-pound weight limit, he’s been mentioned by no less an authority than Oscar De La Hoya as a potential foil for Alvarez if and when Desert Storm decides to step to the next rung beyond welterweight.
Bradley told BoxingScene.com, too, that his amateur experience at 152 pounds—where he fought current super middleweight pros Anthony and Andre Dirrell—would serve him well in a big showdown.
Presuming he doesn't win the springtime 2016 Manny Pacquiao lottery, it's not a bad consolation.
“A lot of people think I’m crazy that I’m going to 154 because I’m a small guy,” Bradley said. “But let me tell you, I fought many years as an amateur at 152 pounds against guys that were 6'0", 6'2", 5'11".”
1. Gennady Golovkin
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No, he’s not the man who beat the man.
But yes, Gennady Golovkin is the people’s choice.
The Kazakhstan native hasn’t lost a fight as a pro and hasn’t allowed a foe to reach the final bell since 2008. Slowly but surely, the IBF/IBO/WBA middleweight champion has established himself as the 160-pound commodity with whom fans want to match other fighters who want to claim middleweight glory.
This is the case for promoters, too, especially Oscar De La Hoya. Just maybe not next week.
“He's eventually going to fight Golovkin, and the question is at what point do we let him loose?” the Golden Boy told CBSSports.com. “The time will come. And at the right time, people will see that fight."
“Golovkin has to fight somebody at 168. Golovkin keeps calling out fighters who are 154. He has to call out somebody at 168 and challenge a big name, like Andre Ward for instance. If he has that type of signature win, then he can maybe become a pay-per-view fighter.”
Then again, if you ask Alvarez himself, it could be today.
“If you want me to fight him right now, put the gloves on and I’ll fight him right now,” he told HBO's Max Kellerman in the ring after the Cotto win. “I respect he’s a great champion, but right now I’ll put the gloves on against him.”
