Canelo Alvarez is drawing up a new 2024 plan that will frustrate the mandatory hopers and end with the Mexican superstar losing a title belt.
According to ESPN, the Pound for Pound star aims to face Jermall Charlo this May in a voluntary defense of his super middleweight crown.
The Jalisco fighter would then move on to Terence Crawford, allowing the Omaha man to go for glory. Crawford would be seeking to become a three-weight undisputed champion in September.
However, there’s a fatal flaw in this two-fight blueprint.
Should Canelo agree on a deal with Crawford, the WBC would have no choice but to hand the title to David Benavidez due to its stipulation.
The World Boxing Council ordered Benavidez to get his shot in 2024, leaving Canelo no choice but to defend his title against his compatriot.
Despite Benavidez never seemingly being part of Canelo’s thinking, any avoidance would cost Crawford his shot at a three-weight landmark achievement.
Canelo vs Crawford
Crawford would undoubtedly still accept the challenge without undisputed. Still, if the Benavidez clash could be put off for a few more months, that would be the preferred situation for all except the mandatory challenger.
Reaction to Canelo’s reported plan is mixed. There are obviously supporters of Canelo who are happy he’s eyeing up two undefeated world champions. But others say he’s cherry-picking fighters out of his weight class to prolong his Pay Per View career at the very top.
Either way, nobody gets the fight to decide the best 168-pound fighter on the planet. Benavidez has earned his chance as the ‘Mexican Monster’ continues to rip through the division.
Wins over Caleb Plant and Demetrius Andrade cemented the 27-year-old’s place as number one. The only thing missing is Canelo.
Cinco de Mayo
Jaime Munguia, also in contention, seems out of the running despite a knockout win against John Ryder at the weekend. Whether this performance had anything to do with Canelo’s decision is up in the air.
What we do know is that Canelo is back in action this May and September. Who will be in the opposite corner for Cinco de Mayo is usually announced at the end of January.
Canelo is back in training. The boxing fraternity now waits with bated breath to see who the sport’s number one Pay Per View seller will face in his next fight.
Phil Jay is an experienced boxing news writer and has been the Editor of World Boxing News since 2010.
