Last fall, Golden Boy Promotions planned to showcase star fighter Canelo Alvarez (44-1-1, 32KOs) three times in 2014 with each bout presumably being broadcast on pay-per-view (PPV) via Showtime.
The bouts were scheduled for March 8, July 26 and November 22.
And while Alvarez’s first two fights happened according to planned, details for his November bout suggest something different. “We met with people of Golden Boy Promotions in their offices, with Oscar de la Hoya, with Eric Gomez and Roberto Diaz.”
What is a fact is that [Canelo’s next] fight will not be on pay-per-view,” chimed manager Jose ‘Chepo’ Reynoso via BoxingScene.
“We made two fights this year in that mode and we want people to take a rest [from spending money], at least for the next fight.”
And not only is there a possibility Alvarez may fight in December (instead of November), Canelo’s return to HBO is not out of the question, according to Reynoso.
A former jr middleweight champion and one of the biggest names in boxing, Alvarez has fought in the main event in each of his last three bouts which were all PPV broadcasts. Perhaps PPV numbers for Alvarez’s July bout with the highly-ranked, well-respected Erislandy Lara were weak after all? More than four weeks after the bout, there has still been no official announcement on that bout’s PPV numbers.
According to sources, Alvarez’s March bout against Alfredo Angulo drew a respectable 350,000 buys.
So who’s next for Canelo?
The three opponents being considered are James Kirkland, the experienced Joshua Clottey and WBO champion Demetrius Andrade.
Demetrius Andrade (20-0, 13 KO) One of the most celebrated amateurs in modern United States amateur boxing history and a slick southpaw, Demetrius Andrade owns the WBO Light Middleweight title and is undefeated as a pro. A towering 6’1,” this former 2008 Olympian is one of boxing’s hidden treasures.
Extremely tactful, Andrade is not easy to hit and would be, minus Floyd Mayweather and Lara, the most polished opponent in prime form Canelo has faced to date. And yes, that includes Austin Trout.
James Kirkland (32-1, 28 KO) This 29 year old Texan is a faster, more explosive version of Alfredo Angulo. Moreover, Kirkland is also a knockout artist who fights with unbridled grit and determination.
Kirkland came back from the brink of destruction to stop Angulo – with minimal controversy – in Fall 2011 in what became a ‘Fight of the Year’ candidate. Round 1 was Hagler vs Hearns-esque… It was that good.
James is without a major world title but has been showcased on boxing’s biggest stage multiple times. He looks destructive in highlight reels and, like Angulo, he can be smacked around a bit.
Joshua Clottey (38-4, 22 KO) After losing to Miguel Cotto and Manny Pacquiao in back-to-back bouts, the now resurgent Joshua Clottey took over a year off and then proceeded to win three in a row.
Earlier this year, Clottey defeated Anthony Mundine in the latter’s homeland of Australia, winning a wide decision. The 36 year old Clottey knocked down Mundine, who was ranked No. 3 in the light middleweight division by the World Boxing Association, once in round 3, twice in round six, once in round eight, and once in round 10.
Clottey also owns wins over Diego Corrales and Zab Judah, and, according to PunchStats, outlanded Miguel Cotto 222-179 en route to dropping a split decision in their 2009 affair.
