Will it be either Callum Smith or John Ryder?
Eric Gomez, president of Golden Boy Promotions, told Sky Sports that there’s a “very good chance” Canelo Alvarez will face a British fighter when he returns to the ring in September, meaning either Smith or Ryder.
However, Gomez also said, “We are not discarding any of the top guys.” And he added that it would be easier for Alvarez to face an American opponent because of coronavirus-related visa restrictions.
In other words, the search goes on.
Sky Sports asked Gomez specifically whether he could face Smith or Ryder. He responded by saying, “There is a very good chance. There are a couple of guys we are looking at as a possibility.”
Then he got into the visa issues, saying the selection of an American opponent would be less complicated.
“We don’t have to deal with any visa restrictions that have been imposed by the government,” he said. “If there is someone already here in the U.S.? That helps. It is more difficult now because of the restrictions.
“The borders are not all open so it isn’t easy to bring some fighters to the U.S. It all depends on the negotiations. We are not living in the world that we lived in last year. Canelo will be taking a significant pay cut. It depends on the negotiations.
“Anybody willing to come to the table and be reasonable, he will fight. We are not discarding any of the top guys.”
Sergiy Derevyanchenko (13-2, 10 KOs) of Ukraine, David Lemieux (41-4, 34 KOs) of Canada and Anthony Dirrell (33-2-1, 24 KOs) of Flint, Michigan, also have been mentioned as potential opponents for Alvarez (53-1-2, 36 KOs).
Smith (27-0, 19 KOs) is a super middleweight titleholder who would afford Alvarez an opportunity to win a major belt in a fourth weight class. Ryder (28-5, 16 KOs) lost to Smith in a competitive fight in November, the last time both fighters were in the ring.
Alvarez was scheduled to face 168-pound titleholder Billy Joe Saunders in May but that fight was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic and the two couldn’t come to terms for a meeting in September.
That news prompted Smith’s trainer, Joe Gallagher, to say, “It’s supposed to have been a two-horse race, wasn’t it? Now he’s pulling himself out of it, Canelo has got no excuse now, but to fight Callum Smith.
“If that date and opportunity is put to Callum Smith, he’s ready to go.”
Ryder told Sky Sports: “There’s a few names in the hat. Hopefully my name is at the top and it gets picked out. Listen, he’s looking for an opponent, and I know the money is not there for these big shows. It’s a chance in a lifetime, I’m up for it.”