Canelo Alvarez – Page 2 – Syndication Server

Edgar Berlanga puts Padraig McCrory away in sixth, calls out Canelo Alvarez

Edgar Berlanga put Padraig McCrory away with a single shot in the sixth round and then called out Canelo Alvarez.

Edgar Berlanga got back to being a knockout artist on Saturday in Orlando, Florida.

The 168-pound contender, who stopped his first 15 opponents in the first round and outpointed his next five, stopped Padraig McCrory with one punch in the sixth round at Caribe Royale Orlando.

Berlanga (21-0, 16 KOs) is now the No. 1 contender for undisputed champion Canelo Alvarez’s WBA title.

DOWN GOES MCCRORY AND IT'S OVER 🔥🔥🔥

Sixth round KO 💣#BerlangaMcCrory | @DAZNBoxing pic.twitter.com/ywvdpFoSE9

— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) February 25, 2024

“I want him now,” Berlanga said in the ring afterward. “We want Canelo next. Look at [promoter] Eddie [Hearn] right there. He’s going to make it happen.”

McCrory (18-1, 9 KOs) fought Berlanga on roughly even terms the first few rounds. However, by Round 3, Berlanga had initiated the process of breaking down his Irish opponent.

He was battering McCrory in Round 6 with an overhand right put him down and hurt him. McCrory was able to get to his feet but was in no condition to continue, prompting both his corner and referee to indicate that enough was enough.

The official time of the stoppage was 2:44 of Round 6.

“I knew already I was breaking him down little by little,” Berlanga said. “I didn’t want to go crazy until I knew I had him hurt and that’s exactly what I did.”

Alvarez is expected to fight next on May 4 but he hasn’t announced an opponent, although fellow Mexican Jaime Munguia now seems to be the favorite to get lucrative opportunity.

Berlanga has said he’s willing to take that fight on relatively short notice if Alvarez decides to choose him.

Eddy Reynoso: No offer made for Canelo Alvarez to face David Benavidez

Eddy Reynoso: No offer was made for Canelo Alvarez to fight David Benavidez. Also, the Mexican star isn’t afraid of his rival.

Canelo Alvarez’s manager/trainer is setting the record straight.

Eddy Reynoso told ESPN Deportes in Spanish that he did not receive a $55 million offer for Alvarez to face David Benavidez, as Benavidez’s promoter Samson Lewkowicz reportedly suggested. And he dismissed the notion that the undisputed 168-pound champion is afraid of Benavidez as being “in very bad taste.”

Alvarez is expected to fight on May 4 but has not announced an opponent. And Benavidez reportedly is in talks to face 175-pounder Oleksandr Gvozdyk in late spring or the summer.

“The reality is that none of the big promoters, not Al Haymon from Premier Boxing Champions, not Eddie Hearn from Matchroom, not Bob Arum from Top Rank and not even Oscar De La Hoya from Golden Boy have given me an offer to fight Benavidez … and certainly not …Terence Crawford,” Reynoso said.

He went on: “Canelo Team has a direct line with Al Haymon and I really doubt that anyone from PBC will come out to support what [Lewkowicz] is saying for wanting to save the way he has handled his fighter. It is not our fault that Benavidez has not had the opportunities that they shout so much about. Our job is for Canelo to shine and continue to shine as he has until now.”

And he doesn’t understand how anyone could question Alvarez’s courage given his deep resume.

“I find it in very bad taste that they say that Canelo is afraid of him,” Reynoso said. “I don’t know how they dare to classify as fearful a fighter who did not hesitate to take the opportunity against Floyd Mayweather, who has been the best boxer of the last 20 years, a fighter who faced the fearsome Gennadiy Golovkin who was about to set a new mark [for knockouts], of defenses at middleweight and had knocked out half the world, a fighter who rose to light heavyweight risking everything to face Dmitry Bivol, who faced Miguel Cotto, who beat the best super middleweights of his time to make history.”

Reynoso reportedly has said that Alvarez’s opponent will be announced within a week. Jermall Charlo had been rumored to be the leading candidate but now fellow Mexican Jaime Munguia is in the mix.

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Eddy Reynoso: No offer made for Canelo Alvarez to face David Benavidez

Eddy Reynoso: No offer was made for Canelo Alvarez to fight David Benavidez. Also, the Mexican star isn’t afraid of his rival.

Canelo Alvarez’s manager/trainer is setting the record straight.

Alvarez is expected to fight on May 4 but has not announced an opponent. And Benavidez reportedly is in talks to face 175-pounder Oleksandr Gvozdyk in late spring or the summer.

And he doesn’t understand how anyone could question Alvarez’s courage given his deep resume.

Reynoso reportedly has said that Alvarez’s opponent will be announced within a week. Jermall Charlo had been rumored to be the leading candidate but now fellow Mexican Jaime Munguia is in the mix.

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David Benavidez vs. Oleksandr Gvozdyk reportedly in works at 175 pounds

A fight between David Benavidez and Oleksandr Gvozdyk for a secondary 175-pound title reportedly is in the works.

David Benavidez evidently is moving on, at least for now.

The 168-pound contender, who has coveted a showdown with Canelo Alvarez, reportedly has agreed to face 175-pound contender Oleksandr Gvozdyk for the “interim” WBC title in late spring or the summer, although the deal has not been finalized.

WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman confirmed on X that he has approved the matchup.

Benavidez (28-0, 24 KOs) presumably would not sign to fight Gvozdyk if Alvarez chooses to defend the undisputed 168-pound championship against his WBC mandatory challenger on May 4.

Samson Lewkowicz, Benavidez’s promoter, reportedly said that Premier Boxing Champions has indicated it would guarantee Alvarez $55 million to fight Benavidez, but so far the Mexican star hasn’t accepted the offer.

Gvozdyk (20-1, 16 KOs) appears to be a fall back opponent, although it would be an important matchup for Benavidez.

A victory over the 36-year-old Ukrainian would make Benavidez a mandatory challenger in two divisions, meaning he should be first in line to face Alvarez and in a good position to face the winner of the Dmitry Bivol-Artur Beterbiev fight for the undisputed 175-pound championship.

Benavidez would seem to be an ideal opponent for Alvarez in September, when the champion typically fights. Mexican Independence Day is Sept. 16.

Gvozdyk suffered his only loss against Beterbiev, a 10th-round knockout that cost him the WBC 175-pound belt in October 2019. He has defeated three journeymen since the setback.

He’s ranked No. 2 by the WBC, behind champion Beterbiev and No. 1 Joshua Buatsi.

Benavidez is one of the hottest fighters in the world, with consecutive victories over Caleb Plant (UD) and Demetrius Andrade (TKO 6) in his last two fights. He’s a former two-time 168-pound beltholder.

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David Benavidez vs. Oleksandr Gvozdyk reportedly in works at 175 pounds

A fight between David Benavidez and Oleksandr Gvozdyk for a secondary 175-pound title reportedly is in the works.

David Benavidez evidently is moving on, at least for now.

WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman confirmed on X that he has approved the matchup.

Benavidez (28-0, 24 KOs) presumably would not sign to fight Gvozdyk if Alvarez chooses to defend the undisputed 168-pound championship against his WBC mandatory challenger on May 4.

Gvozdyk (20-1, 16 KOs) appears to be a fall back opponent, although it would be an important matchup for Benavidez.

Benavidez would seem to be an ideal opponent for Alvarez in September, when the champion typically fights. Mexican Independence Day is Sept. 16.

Gvozdyk suffered his only loss against Beterbiev, a 10th-round knockout that cost him the WBC 175-pound belt in October 2019. He has defeated three journeymen since the setback.

He’s ranked No. 2 by the WBC, behind champion Beterbiev and No. 1 Joshua Buatsi.

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David Benavidez’s promoter: Canelo Alvarez damaging legacy by avoiding top contender

David Benavidez’s promoter: Canelo Alvarez is damaging his legacy by avoiding the top contender.

David Benavidez’s handlers say undisputed 168-pound champion Canelo Alvarez is only hurting himself by avoiding the top contender.

WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman on Monday told Boxing Social that Alvarez has been ordered to defend the WBC title against mandatory challenger Benavidez this year or he’ll risk losing the belt. Alvarez is free to fight anyone he wants on May 4, which presumably means Sulaiman is thinking September for the showdown.

However, Sampson Lewkowicz, Benavidez’s promoter, said that he doesn’t expect his client to face Alvarez at any time this year. He and Alvarez’s handlers evidently have not had serious negotiations.

“Canelo Alvarez will make his legacy and his legacy will be stained because he did not fight the best at this time, which is Benavidez,” Lewkowicz told ProBox TV. “I think the children, maybe the grandchildren one day, will ask him why he did not fight Benavidez because [Canelo] says he wants the best fights, but that’s the best fight.

“Now he says he’s going to fight an American [on May 4]. At one moment … it was [Jermall] Charlo. Now we don’t know who the American might be. We have an idea of who it might be, but since I’m not involved in those negotiations, I can’t say who it is because I don’t know. … I do know that Canelo’s legacy will be tarnished.”

Lewkowicz went on: “Now if he fights [Benavidez], it doesn’t matter if he wins or loses. The legacy of him is going to be the best for me in the history of Mexican boxing because he went to fight the best, like [Julio Cesar] Chavez did, like Juan Manuel Marquez did, like [Marco Antonio] Barrera did, like so many top boxers did that have achieved glory.”

Alvarez said last Tuesday that he plans to fight an American on Cinco de Mayo weekend in Las Vegas but provided no further information.

Charlo is rumored to be the leading candidate but the 160-pound titleholder has been cagey when making reference to Alvarez, first saying that he hasn’t talked to manager Al Haymon since he outpointed Jose Benavidez Jr. (David’s brother) in November and then saying “nothing is official,” which seems to imply that he’s Alvarez’s choice.

Alvarez ruled out a potential fight with 147-pound champion Terence Crawford because of the weight difference.

The only other viable potential opponent from the United States would seem to be unbeaten Edgar Berlanga. The unbeaten New Yorker, who is scheduled to fight Padraig McCrory on Saturday, hopes to face Alvarez in May but Alvarez hasn’t indicated he’s interested in the matchup.

An announcement should come soon: May 4 is only 2½ months away.

David Benavidez’s promoter: Canelo Alvarez damaging legacy by avoiding top contender

David Benavidez’s promoter: Canelo Alvarez is damaging his legacy by avoiding the top contender.

David Benavidez’s handlers say undisputed 168-pound champion Canelo Alvarez is only hurting himself by avoiding the top contender.

Alvarez said last Tuesday that he plans to fight an American on Cinco de Mayo weekend in Las Vegas but provided no further information.

Alvarez ruled out a potential fight with 147-pound champion Terence Crawford because of the weight difference.

An announcement should come soon: May 4 is only 2½ months away.

Canelo Alvarez is smart to avoid a fight with Terence Crawford

Canelo Alvarez is smart to avoid a fight with the smaller — and more talented — Terence Crawford.

Canelo Alvarez made a wise move.

The undisputed 168-pound champion has dismissed talk of a meeting with 147-pound champ and pound-for-pound king Terence Crawford, who was rumored to be a potential opponent.

Alvarez was asked during an interview with Box Azteca whether Crawford was a viable option.

“No,” Canelo responded. “… I have everything to lose and nothing to gain because if I win, they’ll say, ‘Oh, he was too small, and everything.’”

He’s right. Alvarez was criticized when he fought respected 154-pound champ Jermell Charlo, who moved up two divisions for his one-sided decision loss in September.

Crawford would be moving up three weight classes, which many would perceive as a bridge too far even for a fighter of Crawford’s ability.

There’s no doubt that persistent critics would pounce on the day of the fight announcement and never let up, even long after the fact. “That’s it. They love it,” Alvarez said.

And what if he loses to Crawford?

First, a Crawford victory is a realistic possibility even though he would be the underdog. He’s a better all-around fighter than Alvarez. And, more often than not, the better fighter wins.

Alvarez’s size advantage would be significant, perhaps too significant for Crawford to overcome. No one would be surprised by an Alvarez victory.

I would probably pick Alvarez to win that fight but it’s only about a 55-45 fight in his advantage, in my estimation. That means it would essentially be a toss up.

The point is that great fighters like Crawford sometimes do great things. Consider what Ray Leonard did against Marvin Hagler in their 1987 super fight between two future Hall of Famers. “Sugar Ray” made history by outpointing his much bigger rival even though he was coming off a three-year layoff.

I don’t think Alvarez believes for a second that Crawford would defeat him. Boxers in general don’t think that way. At the same time, he knows the risk.

Yes, if he wins, he won’t receive the credit he might deserve. And if he loses, his legacy will have taken an enormous hit. A super middleweight losing to a welterweight? Disgraceful.

Again, Alvarez is smart to avoid Crawford.

Who will he fight on May 4? No announcement has been made, but it appears that 160-pound champion Jermall Charlo — Jermell’s twin brother — is the leading candidate.

Charlo also will be moving up in weight but only one division. And it seems clear that he’s naturally as big as Alvarez, who is a relatively small super middleweight.

Alvarez would still face criticism if he opts to fight Charlo — perhaps because he will not have chosen 168-pound contender David Benavidez, the fans’ choice for his next opponent — but it won’t be because of a prohibitive size advantage.

The Mexican star could live with that. He’s well aware that critics will always find something to complain about.

And he could also announce after the fight — assuming he wins — that Benavidez will be his next opponent. That also would be a smart move by a smart man.

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Canelo Alvarez is smart to avoid a fight with Terence Crawford

Canelo Alvarez is smart to avoid a fight with the smaller — and more talented — Terence Crawford.

Canelo Alvarez made a wise move.

The undisputed 168-pound champion has dismissed talk of a meeting with 147-pound champ and pound-for-pound king Terence Crawford, who was rumored to be a potential opponent.

Alvarez was asked during an interview with Box Azteca whether Crawford was a viable option.

“No,” Canelo responded. “… I have everything to lose and nothing to gain because if I win, they’ll say, ‘Oh, he was too small, and everything.’”

He’s right. Alvarez was criticized when he fought respected 154-pound champ Jermell Charlo, who moved up two divisions for his one-sided decision loss in September.

Crawford would be moving up three weight classes, which many would perceive as a bridge too far even for a fighter of Crawford’s ability.

There’s no doubt that persistent critics would pounce on the day of the fight announcement and never let up, even long after the fact. “That’s it. They love it,” Alvarez said.

And what if he loses to Crawford?

First, a Crawford victory is a realistic possibility even though he would be the underdog. He’s a better all-around fighter than Alvarez. And, more often than not, the better fighter wins.

Alvarez’s size advantage would be significant, perhaps too significant for Crawford to overcome. No one would be surprised by an Alvarez victory.

I would probably pick Alvarez to win that fight but it’s only about a 55-45 fight in his advantage, in my estimation. That means it would essentially be a toss up.

I don’t think Alvarez believes for a second that Crawford would defeat him. Boxers in general don’t think that way. At the same time, he knows the risk.

Yes, if he wins, he won’t receive the credit he might deserve. And if he loses, his legacy will have taken an enormous hit. A super middleweight losing to a welterweight? Disgraceful.

Again, Alvarez is smart to avoid Crawford.

Who will he fight on May 4? No announcement has been made, but it appears that 160-pound champion Jermall Charlo — Jermell’s twin brother — is the leading candidate.

Charlo also will be moving up in weight but only one division. And it seems clear that he’s naturally as big as Alvarez, who is a relatively small super middleweight.

The Mexican star could live with that. He’s well aware that critics will always find something to complain about.

And he could also announce after the fight — assuming he wins — that Benavidez will be his next opponent. That also would be a smart move by a smart man.

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Canelo Alvarez announces he’ll fight American on May 4, but who?

Canelo Alvarez on Tuesday announced that he’ll fight an American on May 4, but he didn’t reveal who it is?

Who is Canelo Alvarez going to fight on May 4? You can keep guessing, although now you have a clue.

Alvarez confirmed Tuesday on TV Azteca that he will return to the ring on Cinco de Mayo weekend, when he has typically fought. He didn’t reveal his opponent, saying only that he will be fighting an American.

That could mean that he’ll defend his undisputed 168-pound championship against 160-pound beltholder Jermall Charlo, who reportedly has been the leading candidate for some time.

It could also mean that 168-pound contender David Benavidez — the opponent most fans seem to be backing — or 147-pound champ Terence Crawford remain in the running to win boxing’s version of the lottery, although they appear to be longshots.

Alvarez hasn’t shown much interest in facing Benavidez, who many believe is his most significant threat in the division. And it seems unlikely that Crawford, who is No. 1 pound-for-pound, will move up three divisions to face one of the best fighters of the era.

Jermell Charlo, Jermall’s twin brother, jumped two divisions to face Alvarez and was overmatched in a unanimous-decision loss in September.

Alvarez and all three of the aforementioned potential opponents work with the managerial company Premier Boxing Champions, which limits obstacles in negotiations.

Alvarez’s comments also evidently mean that fellow Mexican Jaime Munguia, another top 168-pound contender, is out as a potential opponent for now.

Jermall Charlo (33-0, 22 KOs) returned from a 2½-year layoff on Nov. 25, when he defeated Jose Benavidez Jr. by a one-sided decision in Las Vegas.

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