A member of ‘regular’ world middleweight champion Ryota Murata’s team has made two astonishing claims regarding a rumored fight with Canelo.
Firstly, The Daily Sincho has quoted ‘a Murata Team Official’ stating the Japanese star was in talks to face Gennadiy Golovkin. Secondly, and more astounding, the same spokesperson is stating a deal has been agreed with Canelo instead.
The Golovkin story doesn’t make any sense due to the fact the Kazakh has been ordered to make a mandatory defense. Whilst the Canelo declaration seems too good to be true for Murata.
For one, Murata is a middleweight and has nothing to offer either fighter in terms of prestige. Two, Murata has lost to Rob Brant and Hassan N’Dam and therefore offers no resistance to a victory for either.
When previously addressing a potential third fight with Golovkin, Canelo had said his old enemy offered nothing in terms of a challenge.
This seems a highly strange move, if true. And one completely leftfield by both Canelo and Golden Boy.
Ditching his usual May 2 date in Las Vegas after Oscar De La Hoya had already confirmed it could point to further problems between the pair.
They disagreed publicly last year before reportedly ironing things out and staying largely out of each other’s way.
But this development has to be ratified to be believed as the ‘quotes from Murata’s team’ are digested.
They said: “In the beginning, Canelo was not on the cards, so it was initially planned to compete with former IBF world middleweight champion Golovkin, 37, who was a former pound for pound number one,” said a Murata team member, according to The Daily Sincho.
“But that decision changed to Canelo. The date and time (of the fight is set to be) May 24 on Sunday. In the United States, it will be broadcast live on prime time (early hours in Japan).”
“The first target venue of Murata’s fight was the Tokyo Dome. But it was not available. Now, it will be held at the Saitama Super Arena.
“The Arena seats up to 37,000 maximum persons. It will probably be the largest-ever box office revenue as a Japanese boxer,” they concluded.
EASY MONEY
Canelo vs Murata – I just cannot see it. But money talks, and if broadcasters DAZN want it to happen, and at the end of the day it’s an easy fight for the Mexican after two hard clashes in 2019, who’d bet against the pound for pound king accepting his thirty-odd million dollars and saying, ‘thank you very much’.
If it happens, it’s a shame for Canelo and Billy Joe Saunders who misses out yet again.
On the flip side, it opens the door for Floyd Mayweather to reclaim his May 2 date.
All will be revealed soon.
