The way Oscar De La Hoya tells it, he would never have allowed Canelo Alvarez to fight Dmitry Bivol. Speaking with USA Today, De La Hoya, who of course worked with and guided Canelo for many months, had another dig at Eddie Hearn. De La Hoya went as far as to say Hearn putting Canelo in with Bivol was “the dumbest move in boxing history.” This of course is a strong statement, and it is also one that forgets to mention that Canelo himself wanted the fight, and asked for the fight; with Canelo pretty much calling his own shots.
In any case, Canelo can’t go back, the fight with Bivol came and went with a defeat, and now the Mexican star has to come back. But Oscar does not advice Canelo going back in with Bivol.
“I would never have allowed Canelo to fight Bivol,” De La Hoya told Lance Pugmire. “Look at exactly what happened. Canelo’s on top of the world. He’s the king. Why fight a guy that if Canelo fights 10 times, he loses 10 times? And he has nothing to gain. Nothing to win. Nobody knew Bivol.”
But Canelo did have something to gain: a second world title at 175 pounds. And Canelo, pushing himself with fights that would see him “make history” has been roundly applauded for, as the saying goes, daring to be great. De La Hoya, however, is having none of it. So what would Oscar have his former fighter do next?
“The next move, if I were his promoter, is to go back to 168 where you’re the champion, have GGG move up to 168, knock him out and be on top of the world again,” De La Hoya said.
But Canelo the proud fighter seems to be heading to a return fight with Bivol. Heaven knows what De La Hoya will say, how he will judge the move, if Canelo is beaten a second time by the same guy!
Fans await Canelo’s next move with great interest. Is Oscar right, should Canelo fight the third fight with Golovkin next? Or should Canelo, daring again to be great, try and get revenge over Bivol? Both fights are massively interesting match-ups and now is the time for Canelo to do some serious thinking. As for Hearn, he will go along with whatever decision Canelo makes. Despite De La Hoya’s belief, Canelo does call the shots on his career, not Hearn.