Is this another five- to six-year saga in the making or simply just a case of a fighter exercising his rights?
This isn?t the end, or is it? Less than two weeks ago, Saul ?Canelo? Alvarez stood in the middle of the ring inside the shiny, new T-Mobile Arena on the glittery Las Vegas Strip. Much to our delight, the redheaded superstar from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, declared his full intentions to face Gennady ?GGG? Golovkin as soon as possible. He even went so far as to individually sanction a showdown that night, if need be. Of course, that was but a figure of speech, however what may have hit home with boxing fans worldwide who saw Canelo?s sixth round knockout win over Amir Khan was the assertion that he was ready for the Kazakhstani slugger at any time.
In his own words, he professed, ?I don?t f**k around.? Oh, what a universal relief such a statement was to us, the boxing fans. We further learned of the verbal concrete poured upon Alvarez?s seemingly solid guarantee that a September fight with Golovkin was down to just details and we could hope for good news in about two weeks? time. This seemed to be all we needed to hear, regardless of what the WBC officials threw at Canelo in terms of who he was expected to fight next. If he didn?t fight Golovkin, they attested, then they would strip him of his WBC title. The Mexico City based organization was the group of boxing bosses who, after all made sure Canelo was in place to win his first major world title five years ago.
Yes, after Manny Pacquiao pummeled Antonio Margarito in late 2010, the WBC super welterweight title was conveniently made available for Canelo to grab by way of an easy, walk in the park win over overmatched Matthew Hatton. This is the same sanctioning body which allowed Mexico?s other potential golden egg of the time, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., to grab the WBC middleweight title in June 2011 with a gift win over Sebastian Zbik. Saul held onto his particular crown until September 2013 when Floyd Mayweather Jr. thoroughly embarrassed him with a ?Boxing 101? lesson in a bout which was put on the forefront well before its maturity date.
Quickly, let?s ask ourselves, ?What is harder to stomach? A fight a few years too early or having to wait for one to evolve long after demanding it?? We went through the latter, of course in the long, agonizing and inexplicable lull leading up to Mayweather?s bout with Manny Pacquiao. Alas, we somewhat began to breathe a bit easier in the first two weeks of this month because we knew, we just knew that we?d get the fight we wanted on September 17, 2016. Canelo versus ?GGG? was all but a guarantee.
Think again, or at least think about thinking again. Wednesday afternoon, Alvarez as well as his handlers, namely Oscar De La Hoya?s Golden Boy Promotions issued statements which many will see as nothing more than typical promotional sludge.
?After much consideration, today, I instructed my team at Golden Boy Promotions to continue negotiating a fight with Gennady ?GGG? Golovkin and to finalize a deal as quickly as possible. I also informed the WBC that I will vacate its title,? said Alvarez.
?For the entirety of my career, I have taken the fights that no one wanted because I fear no man. Never has that been more true than today. I will fight ?GGG,? and I will beat ?GGG? but I will not be forced into the ring by artificial deadlines. I am hopeful that by putting aside this ticking clock, the two teams can now negotiate this fight, and ?GGG? and I can get in the ring as soon as possible and give the fans the fight they want to see.?
What are we to make of this? Is the mega fight of 2016 now in the can, as in the trash? Is there more to this? In the eyes of the fans, such a decision may feel like a giant sandbag to the face and one which feels all too familiar. De La Hoya himself chimed in as well.
?There is no denying that Canelo is the biggest star in the sport of boxing,? he commented.
?He is eager to get in the ring with ?GGG? to show the world that he is also the best pound for pound fighter in the sport, but we won?t negotiate under a forced deadline. Now that the WBC title is off the table, I am hopeful that ?GGG? and his promoter K2 Promotions will come to the table in good faith and get this deal done.?
Let the mudslinging begin, if that is what is to be. Is this another five- to six-year saga in the making or simply just a case of a fighter exercising his rights? Perhaps most importantly, what will the loyal fans of the land of the Tricolor think of this news? Mexico loves its futbol and its boxeo. The fans expect their champions to fight the best and not throw smoke bombs in between.
Would this ever have been accepted if executed by such Mexican greats as Julio Cesar Chavez, Ruben Olivares, Salvador Sanchez, Ricardo Lopez or even Juan Manuel Marquez? The time may soon be approaching to push back. Empty seats, anyone? Let the debate begin.
