By: Hans Themistode
Forget about Canelo Alvarez winning world titles in four different weight classes. It also doesn’t matter that he’s the consensus number one fighter in the world. According to a long list of fighters that include the likes of WBO middleweight titlist Demetrius Andrade and WBC belt holder Jermall Charlo, Alvarez is flat out avoiding them.
Those sentiments do nothing but make the unified super middleweight champion laugh. To Alvarez (54-1-2, 36 KOs), it doesn’t matter how many fighters he’s beaten and it also doesn’t matter how great they were. Regardless of how many he knocks down, new faces continue to rise to the front of the line and claim that he is avoiding them.
“All fighters always say the same thing,” said Alvarez during an interview with Fight Hub TV. “I beat one and another comes up. That’s how it is, it’s normal. It’s part of the game.”
Alvarez, 30, is currently watching the clock tick down as his mandatory title defense against Avni Yildirim this Saturday night draws closer. The pair are slated to face off at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Florida.
Despite being the overwhelming favorite, Alvarez says he’s giving Yildirim all of the respect in the world. If the super middleweight titlist does exactly what many are expecting, then his next contest is already locked in against WBO belt holder Billy Joe Saunders. Next up, provided he wins, would be a showdown against IBF champion Caleb Plant.
Not mentioned in any of his immediate plans is Charlo. The Houstonian has continued to call out Alvarez at every turn, even offering to agree to whatever weight class Alvarez chooses.
For the most part, the Mexican product has paid him no mind, but he knows good and well that at some point, both he and Charlo will have to meet up in the ring.
Simply put, it’s inevitable.
“Hopefully yes,” said Alvarez when asked if he expects to face Charlo. “Why not? A fight has to happen.”