Although it shocked quite a few people when it was announced how Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez is looking at going up to cruiserweight in search of a historic fifth world title in as many weight divisions, there is now talk that Canelo could even go all the way to heavyweight!
Though he stands either 5’7” or 5’8” depending on which stat you choose to believe, some experts feel Canelo could actually win a major title at heavyweight if he fought the right guy; as in not a colossus like a Tyson Fury, but a “small” heavyweight like an Oleksandr Usyk.
First up, Canelo must win his talk of, likely to take place next fight with WBC cruiserweight champ Ilunga Makabu, but Eddie Hearn is talking about a possible move to heavyweight after that.
It really is amazing to think Canelo, who won his first world title at 154 pounds, could go up to the land of the giants, but maybe, just maybe, he can and will do so.
“I think with Canelo and Eddy Reynoso, they want challenges,” Hearn said to IFL TV. “They want to dare to be great which is tremendous for the sport.
The Makabu fight is a cruiserweight fight that would give him another world championship victory, would get a lot of people talking, and I think it’s a good option for him. I think it’s a dangerous fight – I was talking to Tony Bellew – and he said Makabu is a huge puncher, huge puncher and very strong.
Listen, he could move up and fight at heavyweight. I mean, Usyk’s not a massive heavyweight, Trevor Bryan’s a world champion as well. Can he compete against those guys?”
Again, it really would be something huge, something not seen in the modern era since Roy Jones Jr fought John Ruiz, if Canelo did try his hand at heavyweight. We would literally be watching boxing history unfold right before our eyes. As Hearn also said, Canelo is “not interested in having normal, boring fights.”
“Saul and Eddy are interested in making history,” Hearn said.
First things first and that cruiserweight title assault. It goes without saying that, if Canelo came a cropper against Makabu all talk of a move to heavyweight would be swiftly forgotten. But if Canelo can bulk up to, say, around 190 pounds and if he can defeat Makabu, then we just might get to see Canelo go for the ultimate. If he could do it, if he could win SIX world titles at different weights, with a belt won at heavyweight being the icing on the cake of cakes, Canelo would without a doubt become known the world over as the greatest Mexican fighter ever.
As Hearn mentioned, Canelo is daring to be great. And isn’t it a great thing that he is doing so!