Boxing’s current number one box office draw Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez has spent some time fighting under the banners of various promotions throughout his career and when he signed a three fight deal last year with Al Haymon’s PBC outfit, most felt it was very likely that the Mexican could once again fly the nest once the agreed term was up. What most could not have foreseen is Canelo leaving PBC after just one fight together, that being the hugely disappointing spectacle against Jermell Charlo. Speculation was rife last week that Canelo was going to face Jermell’s twin brother, Jermall, in his second contracted bout with the Haymon’s company but alas, that will not be the case. PBC’s migration from Showtime to streaming platform Amazon Prime have reportedly led to issues surrounding Canelo’s $35m guarantee leading to a split between the parties. Despite prematurely ending his PBC journey, the undisputed super middleweight champion of the world still has plenty of options for his Cinco De Mayo fight date. Let’s take a look at them:
Canelo Alvarez (Photo courtesy of DAZN)
Edgar Berlanga
With Canelo now once more a promotional free agent he’s naturally going to look to each stable and assess whether they have good fights for him and how easy these fights will be to make. Canelo has worked with Matchroom in the past and has had a good working relationship with them Berlanga is currently signed to Eddie Hearn’s outfit and is also the WBA mandatory challenger at super-middleweight. Fans won’t be happy with this fight, believing that Berlanga has not earned the right to face Canelo yet, especially not before David Benavidez or, to a lesser extent, Jaime Munguia. While it’s not the fight that fans want to see, smart money would be to bet on this one happening next given Hearn’s relationship with Canelo and Berlanga’s position with the WBA.
Likelihood of happening next: 8/10
Jaime Munguia
Canelo’s compatriot is only 27 years old but seems to have been around for an eternity at this point. Munguia is undefeated in forty-three fights as a professional and fights with a gung-ho style that always entertains fans and the prospect of two Mexican boxers facing off in a Cinco De Mayo blockbuster makes the prospect of this fight more exciting. While Berlanga would be a promotional doddle, Munguia may not be as easy to negotiate as he is with Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotion, Canelo’s former stable and bad blood still seems to exist since their acrimonious split. But if it makes money, it makes sense, and De La Hoya has stated that he wants to talk to Canelo about making the fight.
Likelihood of happening next: 7/10
David Benavidez
This is the fight that everyone wants but aren’t going to get. The fight had most chance of happening while Canelo was still with PBC as Benavidez still has one fight with Haymon and co. so the Mexican’s departure has all but extinguished any chance of us seeing that fight next. The only conceivable way would be if Benavidez gets through his contracted fight with PBC and Canelo sits out his May date and waits until September to fight. Don’t expect this to happen.
Likelihood to happen next: 2/10
Chris Eubank Jnr
Boxing is a funny old sport, and you truly never know what curve ball it may throw at you sometimes. Canelo will most likely take the Berlanga or Munguia option for his May date but if in the possible if not probable vent that no promoter is able to offer him anywhere near the $35m guarantee that he had in his previous deal, he may opt to explore a left field option and fulfill a career long dream of fighting in the UK by choosing Eubank Jnr. The Englishman would not be expected to cause Canelo problems and has campaigned at most of his career at middle weight. Canelo may see this as an opportunity to let the US promoters get their check books open or else he’s going to take that long awaited working holiday across the pond.
Likelihood of happening: 3/10