Canelo Álvarez is having a brilliant start to 2021. After returning to the ring against Callum Smith last December and winning both the vacant WBC and WBA (Super) super-middleweight titles, the Mexican marked his first successful title defense against Avni Yıldırım, thrashing the mandatory challenger in just three rounds this Saturday at the Hard Rock Stadium.
Looking forward to this year, Canelo has a lot to come on his plate. His upcoming fight has been confirmed to take place 0n 8th May, against WBO super-middleweight champion Billy Joe Saunders for a unification bout.
Subsequently, considering all things move as planned for Canelo, he will earn an opportunity to become undisputed at 168 in September against IBF titleholder Caleb Plant.
Amidst his rise to the throne of the super-middleweight, the number one pound-for-pound pugilist in the world still has one challenge left, that is, a trilogy fight with Gennady Golovkin.
Canelo vs GGG: a trilogy waiting to happen
Canelo Álvarez first sparred against the Kazakhstani in September 2017 in the middleweight division, for the WBA and WBC belts, which ended in a draw. The two had the rematch exactly a year later, this time, Canelo walked out as the winner.
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A trilogy fight with GGG is something that has become a highly anticipated fixture in the boxing fandom, but Eddie Hearn believes that Canelo’s focus right now is on soaring to the top of super-middleweight.
Hearn says Canelo Álvarez is focused on the 168 throne while naming Golovkin’s likely opponents this year
Speaking to ESPN Deportes, the Matchroom MD insisted that Canelo Álvarez is focused on creating ‘history and legacy’ in his career, which the 30-year-old Mexican himself had addressed in February.
“The fight with Golovkin remains there as one great fight, but right now Canelo has history and legacy on his mind and that is being the undisputed champion in his division,” Hearn said.
Golovkin, who currently holds the IBF and IBO titles, was last seen in action against Kamil Szeremeta in December last year, winning the bout in 7 round.
While a trilogy right with Canelo may not be on the card for GGG considering this year, Hearn does imply that Golovkin may square off against Jaime Munguía to defend his IBF crown. Moreover, a subsequent unification bout against WBA (Super) middleweight titleholder Ryōta Murata in December is also in the mind of the British promoter.
“Golovkin-Munguia would be a great fight, Golovkin and Murata could be at the end of the year, in December, so Munguia with Golovkin would be full of action, it would be a very big fight, but maybe not in May,” added Hearn. (H/T BoxingScene)
