Editor’s note: This article was originally published on DAZN.com.
***
Canelo Alvarez recently defended his and trainer Eddy Reynoso’s decision that a third fight with Gennadiy Golovkin would have to take place at 168 pounds, at which the Mexican star now competes.
Alvarez and Golovkin fought to a draw in 2017 before Alvarez took a majority decision in another close fight one year later. Both bouts took place at 160, at which Golovkin continues to fight. Alvarez defeated Callum Smith on Dec. 19 to become a unified titleholder at 168.
Reynoso recently said it would be 168 or bust for a possible third fight between Alvarez and his Kazakhstani rival. Alvarez said essentially the same thing in an interview with The Ring.
Alvarez added that the fight wouldn’t go the distance this time.
“I don’t have to prove anything to anyone,” he said. “I did my job already by beating him twice, and right now I want to stay at 168. … If [Golovkin] wants to move up, we’ll see what happens, if that’s what the fans really want.
“I’m at 168 and I don’t have to do any favors for anyone. I’m at 168 and our goal is to unify here. I feel good right now, I feel strong. I feel like I’m at my peak and I continue working hard.
“If a fight [with Golovkin] happens a third time, I feel so good that I could I most likely knock him out and do some serious damage.”
Golovkin is 38 and probably would be 39 by the time a third fight could be set up. Promoters Eddie Hearn and Oscar De La Hoya have expressed more interest in pairing Triple-G with elite middleweight rivals Demetrius Andrade and Jaime Munguia than a third fight with Alvarez.
[lawrence-related id=16976,16678,16673,16670,16592,16560]