Saul ‘Canelo’ Álvarez could be challenging for a world title in a fifth weight class soon.
The Mexican great is currently undisputed at super middleweight, but has previously ventured as far as light heavyweight to beat Sergey Kovalev for the WBO world title.
His second attempt at 175lbs wasn’t as successful – a loss to Dmitry Bivol last year saw him taste defeat for only the second time in a 63 fight career.
He’s keen to run it back with the Russian, but disputes on the terms have it looking unlikely. Instead, Canelo could go one further to cruiserweight.
WBC Champion, Badou Jack, is willing to give the Mexican a shot at his title, and talks have begun between the teams.
Amer Abdallah of Skill Chalenge Promotions handles Jack’s affairs, and told Boxing King Media that the intention is to make the fight.
“I have been dealing directly with Canelo’s team … Skill Challenge Promotions is the lead here. We’re talking to Canelo directly and of course we promote, we manage and we oversee Badou.”
“There is the intention to have the fight. I believe out of the five or six terms that are there, I think we’re agreed on the majority of them.”
Canelo is keen to jump around the divisions to add to his already substantial legacy, so it’s no surprise that the weight is the sticking point. It would appear he wants to meet Jack somewhere in the middle.
“Canelo’s a living legend. He’s an icon in the sport. He’s arguably the face of boxing … the financial terms are agreed upon, the date is agreed upon, everything is there it’s just that the weight is where the sticking point is.
If you want to come up to cruiserweight, then you have to fight at cruiserweight, and I think that’s where the hesitation is. I get it, Canelo’s a super middleweight. Badou was a super middleweight. You can’t ask a guy that walks around at 205, 210, fights at 200, to come in at super middleweight or light heavyweight, or slightly above that.”
Asked if the 200lbs belt would be on the line at an agreed catchweight, Abdallah said it was something that they would check with the WBC – although again clarified that he’d rather the bout at cruiser full stop.
“I would love for that fight to be made for everybody’s interest, and we have 90% of the terms agreed to. It’s just the remaining one or two items, and I think the weight is going to be issue here.”
With Saudi Arabia’s increasing eagerness to be a part of boxing’s biggest nights, things should move quickly on this one if there is room for negotiation.