Oscar De La Hoya was a guest on “First Take” last night – and guess what the topic of conversation was? Yes, that still in-the-works super-fight all of boxing wants to see: Gennady Golovkin Vs. Canelo Alvarez. And, in response to being asked if the fight will happen in 2017, the Golden Boy head gave us his word no less that, yes, it will happen in September of next year.
“Canelo truly is a ’54-pounder. I mean, he is,” De La Hoya said. “He can make the weight no problem, and Canelo and I and the team have that for 2017 he will move up to middleweight, full-fledged middleweight, and fight the middleweight champions of the world, and that’s including Triple-G. At 160, that’s it. You have my word, and Canelo is not afraid of Triple-G. September, we’re hoping he signs the contract and it will happen.”
Fans everywhere hope it will happen. And in being optimistic, there is no reason it will not happen as long as the deal world champ Golovkin is presented with is one he can agree to. De La Hoya has said before how Canelo is the “A-side” in this fight, even though he is the challenger. Will GGG and his team agree and accept a less than 50-50 cash offer? If not, there is the risk of the fight not going ahead. Let’s hope both sides can and will be reasonable with their negotiations.
Before next September and this hoped-for mega-fight, will come Golovkin’s next defence and Canelo’s ring return following injury. GGG is expected to face Danny Jacobs in what is an interesting fight, while the word now regarding Canelo is how he could fight countryman Julio Cesar Chavez Junior (who returned to action at 168-pounds and won this past Saturday) in May.
Speaking with Eric Gomez of Golden Boy, Lance Pugmire of The Los Angeles Times was told the following:
“We’ve been talking, it’s a real possibility and we hope we can get it done,” Gomez said. “There’s interest on both sides. I know it’ll be an explosive fight. As a Mexican American, I’m proud because it’s the two biggest names in Mexico – the two best fighters from Mexico at the moment – and whenever the two top Mexicans fight each other, it’s a huge event.”
There seems no doubt Canelo-Chavez would be a big event, and possibly a good fight (even though Canelo would likely enter as a huge favourite to win) – and maybe this bout, along with Golovkin-Jacobs in New York, will be the perfect appetiser before the main event of GGG-Canelo in September.