Fans have no doubt read the news that says Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez has been in talks with two reigning world champions for his next fight, these two champs being WBC middleweight champion Jermall Charlo and WBC cruiserweight ruler Badou Jack. Mike Coppinger reported how Canelo, 59-2-2(39) has been in talks with both guys.
If Canelo, who holds all the belts at super middleweight, does fight Charlo or Jack next, it would leave WBA light heavyweight ruler Dmitry Bivol without an obvious next fight. It was thought Canelo, who was soundly beaten on points by Bivol last May, would go for revenge, yet the two sides have been unable to reach an agreement on what weight the sequel would be fought at – Canelo says he wants it to be at 175 pounds again, Bivol says he’s already been there, done that, and he wants to fight for Canelo’s 168 pound belts.
So, Canelo is now looking at Charlo and Jack, with that Bivol rematch on the back-burner for the time being. Bivol’s team said the focus for them now is a unification clash with countryman Artur Beterbiev, but Bob Arum recently said that that fight is not happening any time soon. So, where Bivol goes next if he doesn’t get the Canelo rematch (and again, it’s looking unlikely) is pretty much unclear.
But if Canelo does pick either Charlo or Jack, how does the flame-haired one get on? Charlo is unbeaten at 32-0(22) but he hasn’t fought in a long time, his last fight taking place in June of 2021. If this fight happens, it’s almost certain that Charlo would move up to 168. Charlo is a bigger name than Jack, and he is younger and an all-round better fighter. The rust he will carry with him into his next fight aside, Charlo is a bigger threat to Canelo than the somewhat worn Jack is.
Jack, aged 39 and a former super middleweight champion himself, won the WBC cruiserweight belt in an at times exciting, at times sloppy affair with Ilunga Makabu in February, Makabu being the cruiserweight champ Canelo was close to fighting a couple of years or so ago. In all honesty, and with no disrespect intended, Jack, 28-3-3(17) looks like a winnable fight for Canelo, especially if it takes place at a catch weight which is likely.
But which of these two fights would YOU prefer to see? If you’re a Canelo fan and you like the idea of seeing him pick up yet another belt, maybe you prefer the Jack fight. If you want to see Canelo face a sterner test (maybe, it’s been such a long time since we saw Charlo fight, we just don’t know how good he is these days), maybe you prefer the Charlo fight.
If it is Jack for 32 year old Canelo, it’s possible the fight could take place in the Middle East.