Via Dan Ambrose: Eddie Hearn said Canelo Alvarez will decide if he wants a rematch with Dmitry Bivol soon.
The popular Mexican star has been strangely quiet so far since Bivol (21-0, 11 KOs) successfully defended his WBA lightweight title last weekend against Gilberto Ramirez .
We still don’t know if the sparking master class that Bivol put up against Ramirez could scare off Canelo, causing him to change his mind about wanting a chance at redemption by avenging his loss. from six months ago.
Hearn said that if Canelo (58-2-2, 39 KOs) chooses to enter the rematch, he also has to decide at what weight to face Bivol. The picks are 168 and 175. If Canelo takes on Bivol at 175, he has a good chance of winning his 175-lb WBA title.
Hearn isn’t sure if Canelo wants a rematch with Bivol at 168 as it looks like he’s trying to get the edge. Of course, it would only be fair since Canelo gave Bivol the advantage in the first match by facing him at 175 in his weight class.
It’s only fair that Bivol reciprocates the favor by going down to 168 to face Canelo where he feels most comfortable.
If Canelo chooses to fight Bivol at 168, he will defend his undisputed super-middleweight championship, and if he loses, all four belts will be lost. It won’t be the end of the world for Canelo, though, as Bivol will certainly immediately skip the four 168-lb belts and go back to the 175-lb.
Canelo could go after one of the fragmented super-middleweight titles against any of the highly ranked contenders for individual belts.
It’s a tough position Canelo is in right now because if he chooses not to go into the rematch with Bivol, he will return to the 168-lb team, where David Benavidez, David Morrell and Caleb Plant will be waiting. he.
In the case of Benavidez and Morrell, it will be tough fights for Canelo like a rematch with Bivol, and there will be no excuse for him to give to the boxing world if he loses those matches. that person.
Holding 175th place after facing Bivol would put Canelo well positioned to become one of the league’s top players in terms of contenders. He beat Callum Smith in 202o, and he can beat most other opponents, except perhaps Joshua Buatsi.
If you’re Canelo and you don’t want to face the criticism that will arise if he loses to Morrell or Benavidez, he’d better stay at 175, where he’ll always have an excuse for side fights ready. out of her natural weight class and up against the bigger guys.
“There is still a lot of negotiation that needs to take place before we decide if either of those wars are possible, and sometimes in that case, if there is even a possible negotiation. happens and it can be signed, you’re almost better off jumping into that fight and getting it done because we know what boxing can do sometimes,” Eddie Hearn told DAZN Boxing Show on whether the rematch Canelo Alvarez vs. Dmitry Bivol will take place at 168 or 175.
“I think Dmitry Bivol is in a great position. His last four fights were in Abu Dhabi, Las Vegas, Russia and England. He is really becoming [a star]. You only see it on social networks. I think there is a new love and respect for Dmitry Bivol from the fans of the fight.
“Obviously, when you beat Canelo Alvarez, your record goes through the roof anyway. I just feel like he’s a real fan favorite, this guy, and I think boxing fans are really enjoying where the career can go because right now, he looks really cool. very good.
“I think Bivol is so good,” Hearn said when asked if Gilberto Ramirez wasn’t that good or if Bivol was simply too talented last Saturday night for the WBA’s mandatory Zurdo.
“After winning Canelo, sometimes confidence and beating a fighter like that can take you to the next level, and that’s what I’ve seen from Dmitry. It’s almost like a little swag from him.
“It was just the belief that he was a great person. I thought he was unbelievable. Ramirez is a good boxer, but he’s just confused by the footwork and the distance.
“I was sitting there with AJ watching the battle, and I was talking about the fight with Usyk. It’s very similar. People say, ‘You have to jump all over him, be aggressive.’ You see, Ramirez tried to be aggressive, but when he got there, Bivol was out of range.
“It was a great performance, honestly. I just saw another Dmitry Bivol. A little more defiance, a little more excitement, but it’s that excitement and that belief. He believes he’s #1.
“He may not have told you that to the media, but I know he’s starting to believe it that way, and I’ll tell you what. I was watching that game thinking, ‘I think he might be right.’ There are levels above Ramirez still in that division, but really just.
“I mean, you have Callum Smith, you have Buatsi, and the big challenge is Beterbiev, but he solved that. I really didn’t let him lose many rounds, to be honest with you. I think sometimes the rounds are close, and the judges will give one or two here or there, but I think it was a completely dominant performance.
“First, it doesn’t matter what the best fight is for me. He is [Canelo] will make a decision. I have work to do for Canelo Alvarez, and I have work to do for Dmitry Bivol.
“There is so much to consider. #1, Dmitry Bivol is definitely about legacy. Beterbiev vs. Bivol is incredible. It was probably the best fight in boxing. Two unbelievable world champions. Currently, that is [Errol Spence Jr vs. Terence Crawford] is unattainable.
“But you have to look at the timing. Beterbiev will play Yarde, I think in late January or early February. Right after that was the month of Ramadan for Beterbiev. That should come in April or something like that.
“He won’t actually be available until the end of the summer to fight Bivol, so Bivol had a choice. Do you expect that without question, or do you jump in with Canelo Alvarez?
“Canelo Alvarez is also about to have surgery. I believe he might be fine to punch by the end of the year, but what if not? In an ideal world, if you asked Bivol, his choice would be Beterbiev because he wants to be free of controversy,” Hearn said.
