"Some will say Beterbiev is too big and powerful. Others will say Canelo is special and can handle everybody," Bob Arum says the Russian could collide with the Mexican star if he defeats Marcus Browne on Sky Sports
Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez may switch his attention to the fearsome Artur Beterbiev for his next fight, says promoter Bob Arum.
Undefeated Beterbiev will put his WBC and IBF light-heavyweight titles, and his 100 per cent knockout ratio, at stake against Marcus Browne, live on Sky Sports from 1am on Saturday morning.
He could become a target for Canelo, the pound-for-pound superstar who is rising through the weight divisions in search of more audacious challenges.
Top Rank promoter Arum, who represents Beterbiev, insisted that Canelo has shown interest: "Yes. I know that he would.
"Eddy Reynoso is a great trainer and is very close to Canelo.
"I know Canelo pretty well, since he was a young man.
"He has expressed interest to me about fighting Beterbiev or Joe Smith Jr.
"I would look forward to May or September, the two dates that Canelo likes to fight, that he would fight one of those light-heavyweights."
Canelo is already a four-weight world champion and has been given permission by the WBC to enter a fifth division to challenge cruiserweight champion Ilunga Makabu.
But with Makabu also due to make a mandatory WBC title defence against Thabiso Mchunu, Arum has raised doubts about whether Canelo can go ahead with a problematic bout.
"I think they will have to abandon it," he said.
Canelo has already entered the light-heavyweight division to knock out Sergey Kovalev and capture a WBO belt.
But taking on Beterbiev, who is in his prime and has knocked out every opponent he has ever met, is an altogether more daunting task.
Beterbiev demonstrated his threat by stopping Oleksandr Gvozdyk who was also an undefeated world champion at the time.
"Canelo is a risk-taker and that makes him so popular," said Arum.
"It would be a massive fight because the betting action would go both ways.
"Some will way Beterbiev is too big and powerful. Others will say Canelo is special and can handle everybody.
Makabu wouldn't say no to 5 million dollars probably not even to half that ammount. For 5 million dollars Canelo will buy himself 12 rounds and a cruiserweight world championship.
The problem with this is that if Makabu was presented with an offer to sparr with Canelo for 500 rounds for 5 million dollars then he would also say yes.
A man with what a 200k networth relatively unknown at 35 and someone wants us to believe that this fight isn't fixed?
I think that we can forget about Canelo fighting any of the top light heavyweight guys. A bought Makabu fight at cruiserweight opens the door to a Usyk fight, expect the Makabu fight to happen, if it doesn't then it will either be a FMjr II bout or a fight vs Andre Ward.
H8Usernames wrote: ↑13 Dec 2021, 13:52
Makabu wouldn't say no to 5 million dollars probably not even to half that ammount. For 5 million dollars Canelo will buy himself 12 rounds and a cruiserweight world championship.
The problem with this is that if Makabu was presented with an offer to sparr with Canelo for 500 rounds for 5 million dollars then he would also say yes.
A man with what a 200k networth relatively unknown at 35 and someone wants us to believe that this fight isn't fixed?
I think that we can forget about Canelo fighting any of the top light heavyweight guys. A bought Makabu fight at cruiserweight opens the door to a Usyk fight, expect the Makabu fight to happen, if it doesn't then it will either be a FMjr II bout or a fight vs Andre Ward.
Are you saying that Canelo will definitely never fight Beterbiev, Bivol and Smith Jr?
jamesmcdonnell wrote: ↑13 Dec 2021, 14:16
Does make me wonder whether Canelo tried to stipulate rehydration clauses that Makabu wasn't having.
If you'd read the article, you'd realise that Arum is suggesting that Makabu might be unable to face Canelo, because he has to perform a mandatory defence against Thabiso Mchunu beforehand.
jamesmcdonnell wrote: ↑13 Dec 2021, 14:16
Does make me wonder whether Canelo tried to stipulate rehydration clauses that Makabu wasn't having.
If you'd read the article, you'd realise that Arum is suggesting that Makabu might be unable to face Canelo, because he has to perform a mandatory defence against Thabiso Mchunu beforehand.
Yes, but this is bob Arum, who even by his own admission is completely full of shite.
Well, using canelos name to sell tickets. But it would be a tastier, more meaningful fight. Im not so sure that the makabu fight is so easy either. I dont know if canelo should be the underdog for that, given the size disparity.
A question. Is wbc cruiserweight now 190lbs, if so does that mean makabu will struggle to shed an extra 10lbs?
H8Usernames wrote: ↑13 Dec 2021, 13:52
Makabu wouldn't say no to 5 million dollars probably not even to half that ammount. For 5 million dollars Canelo will buy himself 12 rounds and a cruiserweight world championship.
The problem with this is that if Makabu was presented with an offer to sparr with Canelo for 500 rounds for 5 million dollars then he would also say yes.
A man with what a 200k networth relatively unknown at 35 and someone wants us to believe that this fight isn't fixed?
I think that we can forget about Canelo fighting any of the top light heavyweight guys. A bought Makabu fight at cruiserweight opens the door to a Usyk fight, expect the Makabu fight to happen, if it doesn't then it will either be a FMjr II bout or a fight vs Andre Ward.
Are you saying that Canelo will definitely never fight Beterbiev, Bivol and Smith Jr?
H8Usernames wrote: ↑13 Dec 2021, 13:52
Makabu wouldn't say no to 5 million dollars probably not even to half that ammount. For 5 million dollars Canelo will buy himself 12 rounds and a cruiserweight world championship.
The problem with this is that if Makabu was presented with an offer to sparr with Canelo for 500 rounds for 5 million dollars then he would also say yes.
A man with what a 200k networth relatively unknown at 35 and someone wants us to believe that this fight isn't fixed?
I think that we can forget about Canelo fighting any of the top light heavyweight guys. A bought Makabu fight at cruiserweight opens the door to a Usyk fight, expect the Makabu fight to happen, if it doesn't then it will either be a FMjr II bout or a fight vs Andre Ward.
Are you saying that Canelo will definitely never fight Beterbiev, Bivol and Smith Jr?
I think a fight vs Smith Jr is possible.
I think the Bivol fight will definitely happen.
I'm not so sure about the Beterbiev fight, unless Bob Arum allows Eddie Hearn to promote it for DAZN, since ESPN PPV buy-rates are very low.
