Canelo Alvarez's Manager Keen on Manny Pacquiao Fight After Amir Khan
Jose Reynoso, the manager of Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, wants to see his man take on Manny Pacquiao, should the 25-year-old beat Amir Khan in his upcoming bout.
The Mexican fighter is set to go up against the Brit on May 7 in Las Vegas in one of the biggest fights of the year so far, while Pacquiao will face Timothy Bradley on Saturday for the third time in his career.
Should they both win, Reynoso thinks a showdown between the two illustrious fighters could be on the cards, although he’s not looking past Khan yet, per ESPN Deportes (h/t Miguel Rivera of BoxingScene.com):
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"Obviously we would be interested in a big fight like that with Pacquiao. He's been one of the best fighters of recent times, and it would be a big fight, but as always we will not disrespect [Khan] by [looking to the future with Pacquiao]. Our first priority is [Khan] and that's the fighter we are preparing for.
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Alvarez is one of the biggest names in boxing at the moment, and after winning against Miguel Cotto in his last bout, he is set for some massive fights this year. The announcement of a showdown with Khan came as a surprise, although it’s a spectacle that has captured the imagination of many, even if Canelo is a big favourite for victory.
It’s been anticipated that he would fight middleweight king Gennady Golovkin, should he get past the Bolton puncher, although it’s clear the prospect of Pacquiao is something they’re interested in, too.
The FightNights.com Twitter feed thinks Pacquiao has what it takes to cause the Mexican superstar problems:
Of course, plenty needs to come off for this fight to happen, and perhaps it’s something we’ll hear more about should these two get through their respective battles in the weeks to come. The difference in styles, with Canelo’s power and durability up against Pacquiao’s hand speed and work rate, would make for an intriguing fight.
However, it seems unlikely. Pacquiao has stated that this fight with Bradley—in which he’ll be seeking to take a 2-1 advantage in the trilogy—is likely to be his last, per Rivera. Still, as James Robson of the Manchester Evening News noted, he’s still a man in demand:
Key figures have suggested the chance for a Canelo-Pacquiao showdown has passed, too. “I heard Bob Arum wanted to talk to me about making Pacquiao-Canelo, but hey, I think that train has already left the station,” said Golden Boy promoter Oscar De La Hoya recently, per Carlos Boogs of BoxingScene.com.
Pacquiao has had a wonderful career, and while another fight with Bradley is considered by some to be an underwhelming end to it, few would begrudge the 37-year-old for hanging up the gloves. However, he’s battled back from surgery on his shoulder for this upcoming bout, and you wonder whether he would have done so with just one fight against a familiar opponent in mind.
A showdown with Canelo would be a massive occasion and a fascinating bout. But the youngster is a man who seems to be on a collision course with Golovkin, and that's a fight that’d appeal to the boxing stratosphere just as much. As De la Hoya suggested, it seems as though the time for these two fighters to go toe-to-toe may have come and gone.
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