Canelo Alvarez will take his time before going into his rematch with Dmitry Bivol, the WBA light-heavyweight champion who shocked many fans with his wide (it should have been wider than it was on the official cards) decision victory over the Mexican superstar in May.
Speaking with ESPN when in Mexico to promote a new drink, Canelo said he will box a “tune-up” in May, this to see how his surgically repaired left wrist feels in a fight.
Assuming all goes well, Canelo said, he will then look to get the return fight with Bivol in September.
“My plan right now is to return in May. I’m going to start training in January and see how I feel after that,” Canelo said. “The idea is to return in May with a tune-up fight to see how I feel and then get the rematch with Bivol. That’s the only thing I want for my career right now.”
There has been some suggestion that the Bivol-Canelo rematch could be fought down at 168 pounds, and Bivol has said in the past that he would be open to such a fight. In the meantime, it will be interesting to see who Canelo fights in May. As huge a star as he is, Canelo cannot fight just anybody, it has to be a good, ranked fighter, even in a tune-up.
Bivol-Canelo II is one of the biggest fights that can be made in the sport today, and fans are very much interested to see if Canelo can possibly beat the superbly skilled Russian fighter who looked excellent yet again against Gilberto Ramirez in his last fight. We fans also very much want to see Bivol fight a unification fight with countryman Artur Beterbiev; in fact, it’s down to personal choice as far as which of these two fights is the most exciting.
Who knows, we may get to see both fights next year. If Bivol has to wait until September of 2023 to get the Canelo return, who might he fight in the meantime?
Canelo also has his eye on the upcoming fight between David Benavidez (who has been extremely vocal in calling Canelo out) and his former KO victim Caleb Plant.
“Let’s see how that fight goes,” Canelo said of the agreed Benavidez-Plant fight. “It’s a very competitive fight and to me, I see Benavidez winning, but my focus is on the Bivol rematch.”