Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez vs. Ilunga Makabu - WBC Approved

[Counter-puncher]

even though he'd be moving up, im kinda on board with canelo by stoppage. makabus chin is not too reliable and ive seen him do jigs from seemingly inoccous looking shots.

my worry for him would be how hittable he is I absolutely think Canelo would find that chin, I'd go Canelo by stoppage

[Ruthless-RKO]

Ilunga Makabu Embraces a Title Defense Against Canelo Alvarez

“I want to say to all Africans that when I face Canelo, I will bring home the victory. This fight will be a great battle and we will show [the fans] an excellent fight," Makabu told You Can't Play Boxing.

“I accepted [this fight] because I am sure that I will fight against the best [fighter] on the planet, and I always like to fight against the best. I will come for Canelo, I am waiting for him to come to me too. Mexican boxing is tough, but we know where we come from, Africa is also a great jungle. I accepted the fight with Canelo and I want to say: 'Good luck Canelo and welcome to the Junior Makabu challenge."

[polecateddy]

It’s clever match making. Canelo can look a million dollars stopping him.

[jamesmcdonnell]

I still think Canelo will look for the fight.

I agree with all the comments- even though they contradict!

After winning the cruiser then he will deffo want to go for heavyweight - fighting a 6 foot 9 Fury is surely not an option and he therefore goes for the smallest champion - although I think that Usyk would beat him (because he is a smaller heavyweight with skills and mobility- it won't be like Haye fighting that 8 foot giant who moved at 1 mile an hour)

i think Canelo - Usyk would be a fkin great match

i may be in the minority there? anyone?

Canelo would be a big underdog (except that all the mexican americans would bet large amounts of him) - but so what - he would be making history even by fighting for the titles, as nobody has ever moved from titles at 154 to fighting for title at heavy.

[polecateddy]

I agree with all the comments- even though they contradict!

After winning the cruiser then he will deffo want to go for heavyweight - fighting a 6 foot 9 Fury is surely not an option and he therefore goes for the smallest champion - although I think that Usyk would beat him (because he is a smaller heavyweight with skills and mobility- it won't be like Haye fighting that 8 foot giant who moved at 1 mile an hour)

i think Canelo - Usyk would be a fkin great match

i may be in the minority there? anyone?

Canelo would be a big underdog (except that all the mexican americans would bet large amounts of him) - but so what - he would be making history even by fighting for the titles, as nobody has ever moved from titles at 154 to fighting for title at heavy.

Ironically I’d make Canelo a sizeable underdog against a peak form Guillermo Jones at cruiserweight. Guillermo of course drew in a WBA light-middle fight before shooting up in weight.

[Counter-puncher]

I agree with all the comments- even though they contradict!

After winning the cruiser then he will deffo want to go for heavyweight - fighting a 6 foot 9 Fury is surely not an option and he therefore goes for the smallest champion - although I think that Usyk would beat him (because he is a smaller heavyweight with skills and mobility- it won't be like Haye fighting that 8 foot giant who moved at 1 mile an hour)

i think Canelo - Usyk would be a fkin great match

i may be in the minority there? anyone?

Canelo would be a big underdog (except that all the mexican americans would bet large amounts of him) - but so what - he would be making history even by fighting for the titles, as nobody has ever moved from titles at 154 to fighting for title at heavy.

exactly. i would look forward to Usyk-Canelo absolutely rabidly.

[tonyevs]

but he might be competitive as Usyk wasn't a big puncher even at cruiser, and let's face it, Canelo has one hell of a chin

The same Usyk who KOd Bellew, got Chisora's attention and wobbled Joshua at times?

It would never happen. Usyk has very good boxing skills .. and would simply be too big and strong for any guy naturally 168lb or less.
Canelo wears guys down - that would not happen against Usyk .. or Beterbiev, hence the other swerve.

I still think Canelo will look for the fight.

I guess we will have to wait and see.

My own opinion is that Canelo would never look at Fighting the current version of Usyk; if Canelo is not looking at Beterbiev .. he definitely won't be looking at Usyk.

Canelo's greatness is already cemented, and his bank balance full. He doesn't need to put himself in a position where he gets bashed up.

[skanksta]

Makubu is past his best, not great and a small cruiserweight - it's skilled cherry-picking.
But still..... A CRUISERWEIGHT !

He picked Makabu like he picked Kovalev, acknowledging that it's the most vulnerable champion at his weight.

Totally, but….

A CRUISERWEIGHT !!

Terrible Cherry-Picking, but it IS still pretty cool.

[jamesmcdonnell]

The same Usyk who KOd Bellew, got Chisora's attention and wobbled Joshua at times?

It would never happen. Usyk has very good boxing skills .. and would simply be too big and strong for any guy naturally 168lb or less.
Canelo wears guys down - that would not happen against Usyk .. or Beterbiev, hence the other swerve.

I still think Canelo will look for the fight.

I guess we will have to wait and see.

My own opinion is that Canelo would never look at Fighting the current version of Usyk; if Canelo is not looking at Beterbiev .. he definitely won't be looking at Usyk.

Canelo's greatness is already cemented, and his bank balance full. He doesn't need to put himself in a position where he gets bashed up.

Well, he clearly wants as many belts as he can and if you're willing to go to cruiser, why not a former cruiserweight?

[Foggy]

Which up and comer in the cruiserweight division (no world title holder or ex world champ) could give Canelo problems !

[Foggy]

?

[jamesmcdonnell]

Which up and comer in the cruiserweight division (no world title holder or ex world champ) could give Canelo problems !

I've not followed boxing closely enough to answer that with any surety, but I would imagine there's a few.

As good and experienced as Canelo is, there's going to be some big rangy bastards at that weight, who stylistically would be a nightmare for him.

There's quite a few guys in the 6'2 to 6'4 range in that division, who can bang, and for Canelo that's going to be tricky against a man who come fight night will outweight him by 20+ pounds.

There's a reason he has picked the fighter and the belt he has.

[tonyevs]

I still think Canelo will look for the fight.

I guess we will have to wait and see.

My own opinion is that Canelo would never look at Fighting the current version of Usyk; if Canelo is not looking at Beterbiev .. he definitely won't be looking at Usyk.

Canelo's greatness is already cemented, and his bank balance full. He doesn't need to put himself in a position where he gets bashed up.

Well, he clearly wants as many belts as he can and if you're willing to go to cruiser, why not a former cruiserweight?

I agree that he wants as many belts as he can; although it's telling that he has cleared out the 168lb belt holders, but has not mentioned the one guy who most anticipate being able to give him the toughest test there.
And whilst he moved up previously to fight a good name at Lt-heavy .. he did so when the guy was clearly on the decline; and also timed it to perfection.

Canelo has been one of my favourites for a good few years now; and in my opinion a true great already. However we cannot overlook what he is doing. Beterbiev is still relatively untested - but Canelo still wants nothing to do with him.

Cherry picking at Lt-heavy, and now possibly at cruiserweight is one thing, and most seem to agree Canelo would likely start as a favourite. And I agree Canelo would very likely look at a heavyweight title fight if there was a very weak belt holder there .. but Usyk is not that.

Canelo is not a big puncher even at 168lb, and we have seen him outboxed for quite some early rounds recently .. but he is very strong, and busts up and wears guys down; his punches would not be able to do that to Usyk, so Canelo would need to try and outbox him; that just wouldn't work against a very smart and bigger guy like Usyk.

[Autobarn]

Canelo will look weird at cruiserweight & will likely have the shortest legs at that weight class ever. Thinking this could be ungainly as in spite of his exquisite technique & mastery of pacing, he does have wooden legs and fights at a slow pace.

Thinking he’ll come in a little light, then if all goes well we might see him at light heavy?

Anyone notice how he will go up a weight then come down a weight? 164 Chavez Jr then back down to 160 for Golovkin. Light heavy Kovalev then down to dominate super middleweight.

I do see a pattern and wonder of a KO at a higher weight buys him confidence in his physical presence when he settles in the weight beneath.

[tonyevs]

He has the class and skills to beat the washed up/limited world title belt holders at a higher weight as we have seen.
Although he has people around him that recognise the limits his 5'9" frames will stretch to.
I personally feel 168 is that limit if he is challenging the best at that weight.

[margaret thatcher]

i think he's more like 5'7 tbh! floyd was taller than him

i think he'd have a good chance of being the best at 175 , but not cw, though i'd pick him to beat makabu., but i think briedies, okolie, dorticos -- too much

[tonyevs]

He was advertised as 5'8 for many years .. it seems most say he is 5'9 now; I don't doubt you being right that he is closer to 5'7 though

[margaret thatcher]

showtime had him at 5'7.5 vs plant. seems about right. he is short but a tank

[Dioufy]

If Canelo beats Makabu then that’s a great win. Ffs limited or not, Makabu is a genuine 200lb fighter and he has that awkward style. I personally don’t see how Canelo can have it easy. I’d be tempted to have Ilunga as slight favourite.
Usyk v Canelo September 2021.

[tonyevs]

Yep. Depending what source you read .. his height is given as anywhere between 171 and 175cm

[margaret thatcher]

anyone pick canelo over usyk?

[Dioufy]

anyone pick canelo over usyk?

Behave mate.

[jamesmcdonnell]

No . I think he gets beat easy.

[margaret thatcher]

f@ck it, we always gotta have at least 1 nutjob going for an upset, i say canelo does it, dude is a beast!

[DrDuke]

If Usyk beats Joshua, while Canelo beats Makabu (and they'll do it), their matchup can be possible. But I guess, since Canelo-Makabu is for the WBC, Sulaiman will suggest Canelo to make history in the great bridgerweight division.