Canelo vs Callum Smith on Dec 19th

[Ron Swanson]

FFS..... what the hell happened to the champions who would fight anyone at ANY TIME, ANY PLACE, ANY HOW.

Who do you have in mind when you say that?

This idea that a fighter will go from best possible challenge onto best possible challenge is bordering on fantasy isn't it?

How about Bodou Jack for an example? Got his title vs
Anthony Dirrell then fought
George Groves
Lucian Bute
James DeGale

Then went to went to Light Heavyweight for title fights vs
Nathan Cleverly then
Adonis Stevenson then lost to
Marcus Browne and then lost to
Jean Pascal

A fine list of fighters no doubt. This is exactly what I'm talking about. I have no issue whatsoever with that level of opposition. But were they all the best of the best at the time? I wouldn't begrudge anyone winning a title against anyone. But Cleverly? Best possible challenge out there?

It was his first fight at a new weight, a title fight, a real title mind you.

No one be is disputing or arguing against that. Nothing wrong with it. But was Nathan Cleverly the biggest and best challenge out there. Were you on here or elsewhere saying THAT’S the fight I want to see.

Biggest and best challenge out there is relative. Yes, it was probably the biggest and best fight available to HIM

This is my thing, people should hold higher guys to higher standards because they have more options.

[Master]

Canelo Alvarez reportedly denied emotional Mexican homecoming against Avni Yildirim – but it could be perfect timing for Billy Joe Saunders

Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez reportedly looks set to miss out on his dream homecoming fight against Avni Yildirim in Mexico next month.

Instead, the pound-for-pound superstar’s mandatory defence of his newly acquired super-middleweight titles will take place in America on DAZN.

Canelo defeated Callum Smith last month to claim the WBA and WBC titles at 168lbs and move closer to his dream of becoming an undisputed world champion.

One of the conditions for contesting the WBC belt was that the winner of the bout would have to defend against mandatory challenger Yildirim within 90 days.

The original idea was for this bout to be a homecoming for Canelo, however, according to ESPN Deportes, the pandemic has made things too difficult and so Canelo will fight in the US once again.

The plan is to get Yildirim, a Turkish journeyman who lost his last fight in February 2019 to Anthony Dirrell, out of the way before fighting on Cinco de Mayo weekend in May against one of Billy Joe Saunders, Caleb Plant or Gennady Golovkin.

British star Saunders holds the WBO strap at 168lbs, but is yet to face the star name he has craved for so long since beating Andy Lee in December 2015 to become WBO middleweight champion.

Saunders, who is unbeaten from 30 fights, insists he is not content to wait much longer for the Mexican superstar and is considering a fight in February against Demetrius Andrade.

He told iFL TV: “I’m supremely confident of knocking him [Andeade] out cold, very confident.

“Me and him have swapped messages on social media. I would love to give him a hiding. Eddie Hearn, let’s make the fight.

“Let’s get it on, rock and roll. Vacate the WBO 160kbs title, move up, tell the WBO you’re moving up and we can get it on.

“I can make 160lbs, but why would I want to go back down to 160lbs when all the big money fights are at 168lbs, and all the big talents have come up to 168lbs?

“I don’t want to be sitting around. Let Canelo do his thing. If he’s fighting in February, I would love to fight him in May.

“But if he thinks I’m going to be sitting around until May twiddling my thumbs, he’s got another think coming.

“I’m not going to be doing that. I’m back in the gym, I’m in shape, let’s get it on. Let’s stop beating around the bush and waiting around.

“I’m going to get sick and tired of waiting around for one of these big fights. I’m getting to the stage that if a big fight doesn’t get made then, ‘Thank you very much, see you later’.

“I’m in it for the big fights to see how good I am. Andrade, if he moves up, he jumps in front of everyone.

“The winner of us gets Canelo. It’s a brilliant plan, isn’t it?”

https://talksport.com/sport/boxing/8...-joe-saunders/

[Master]

Canelo Alvarez vs Avni Yildirim is reportedly now a done deal for February 27, with Eddie Hearn set to promote the fight on DAZN.

The Mexican superstar will defend his WBA and WBC super-middleweight world titles against the Turkish WBC mandatory challenger, who many believe will be vastly overmatched in the bout.

According to The Athletic, the fight is set to take place on February 27 at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.

Negotiations are underway for Canelo to potentially face WBO champion Billy Joe Saunders after this.

The super-middleweights previously agreed terms to meet last May, but the pandemic ruined these plans.

They were unable to resurrect a deal for later in 2020 and so both men instead returned in separate fights in December.

Canelo secured his free agency and teamed up with Hearn for the Callum Smith fight, which he won to claim the WBA and WBC belts.

Two weeks prior, Saunders defended his WBO belt by defeating Martin Murray.

Now, the Mexican will make a quick return to get his WBC mandatory Yildirim out of the way on February 27, before pursuing the other belts in his weight division.

This puts Saunders firmly in the firing line, as well as IBF champion Caleb Plant.

The Saunders bout will only be finalised if Billy Joe agrees terms.

Regarding this, Hearn told The Athletic’s Pug and Copp Podcast: “The path is really clear for Billy Joe Saunders to fight Canelo Alvarez.

“We’ve just got to try and agree a deal with him to do that.

“We are at a stage now where we don’t have the guarantees of the major gates and a lot of fighters are taking less money.

“That’s not really a conversation that you enjoy having with Billy Joe Saunders.

“He feels that he can win the fight, but he also wants to be rewarded for the fight, I understand.

“So we’ve got to try and reach a deal with him, which we’re close to doing.

“He really needs that fight too, but he’s not just gonna take it by any means necessary.

“But if Billy believes he wins that fight, which I believe he thinks he does, and I think he’s got a great shot in the fight, then he needs to take the opportunity.

“Hopefully we can get him over the line for that fight on Cinco de Mayo weekend.”

https://talksport.com/sport/boxing/8...m-eddie-hearn/

[Spicoli]

Didn't Yildirimguy lose to Dirrell? Benavidez is listed as his mandatory best I can tell. I will say all in favor of the activity level but this is a blowout.

[TitoFan]

Didn't Yildirimguy lose to Dirrell? Benavidez is listed as his mandatory best I can tell. I will say all in favor of the activity level but this is a blowout.

It's a nothing fight. At least this time even they haven't tried to hype it as anything but that.

[TIC]

nice quick turn around for canelo. big knockout coming up then back to bigger things