Manager and trainer Joe Gallagher believes his fighter Callum Smith is the natural opponent for Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez after Billy Joe Saunders ruled himself out of the running.
WBO super-middleweight title-holder Saunders had been on course to face Canelo in May before the intervention of the Covid-19 pandemic, apparently winning a lucrative, two-horse race with WBA Super 168lbs champion Smith.
With Saunders stating he does not have sufficient preparation time for a rearranged date in September, Gallagher believes his man is the obvious choice to fill the vacancy.
“It’s supposed to have been a two-horse race wasn’t it?” Gallagher told Sky Sports. “Now he’s pulling himself out of it, Canelo has got no excuse now, but to fight Callum Smith.
“Callum is in the gym, he is training, he’s been back a couple of weeks now, and if that date and opportunity is put to Callum Smith, he’s ready to go. He’ll take that and I can’t see no reason why Canelo – when they said all along it was between the two of them – Billy Joe Saunders is out. Let’s do Callum.
“Callum is the No 1 at 168. He’s the Ring [magazine] champ, Canelo is the superstar. Let’s just go ahead and do it.
“Callum was looking at fighting September sometime anyway. He was looking at the back end of September, so if it’s Canelo it would be brilliant,” added Gallagher.
“That’s what the fans want to see, proper fights. I’ve heard Canelo was looking at the likes of [Anthony] Dirrell and people like that, but I don’t think that’s going to wash.”