After undisputed super-middleweight world champion Canelo Álvarez recently signed a three-fight deal with PBC, kicking off against unbeaten middleweight titleholder Jermall Charlo in September, WBA light-heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol has been left in the lurch as far as his next plans are concerned.
Bivol: I’m ready for anyone in my weight class
- After months of Canelo rematch talk following his decisive decision win last May, first at 168lbs and then again at light-heavy, the undisputed super-middleweight king has ventured onto opponents elsewhere
- Dmitry Bivol (21-0, 11 KOs) has made ten WBA light-heavyweight title defences since being upgraded to full champion, including five after being elevated to Super titlist in 2019 and openly wants legacy bouts
- Bivol’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, is trying to make a deal for the Russian to fight European champion Dan Azeez next – however the 33-year-old is advanced in talks for a Joshua Buatsi showdown on Sky, August 19
Canelo Álvarez signed a multi-fight deal with Premier Boxing Champions (PBC), a move that has set tongues wagging as far as potential foes are concerned – top of the list is David Benavidez, after his career-best showing vs. Caleb Plant in March.
David Morell and Demetrius Andrade are among the other names linked with future fights against Canelo, who has almost exclusively boxed on DAZN under Eddie Hearn’s promotional banner post-lockdown in 2020.
First things first, Alvarez is expected to box middleweight champion Jermall Charlo on Sept. 16, with the 33-year-old ending a two-year layoff and moving up in weight for a considerable step-up in competition.
His best win since vacating the IBF light-middleweight title and moving up to 160lbs in 2017 remains Sergiy Derevyanchenko, who gave Jaime Munguía all he could handle during a surprisingly pulsating back-and-forth duel earlier this month.
Charlo, much like twin brother Jermell, hasn’t been active enough to justify his big ambitions. That could change, in a few months’ time if Canelo’s truly declining.
Bivol told FightHubTV that he’d be open to fighting Charlo, should he prove successful against Canelo – a matchup six years in the making.
“Yeah, if Charlo wins, I would like that fight. It’s not like, ‘oh, I want to fight against someone at 168′ – no. I prefer to fight at my weight class.’ If someone wants and we have a good offer to move down for a belt, I will do it but prefer to fight at my weight.
If September [was the proposed return timeline], I should have been given an offer a couple of weeks ago. October. I’m ready for anyone in my weight class, I’ll try to be ready for the top-10 fighters at light-heavyweight.”
Picture source: Getty Images
Mo and Sports 