It's that time of the year again where it's all about, “Who will Canelo fight next?”, as the sport's biggest attraction is the twice-yearly Saul Alvarez contest, as the fighter gets ready to announce his next move.
The top contenders to face Alvarez on Sept. 14 (Mexican Independence Day weekend) are Edgar Berlanga and Chris Eubank Jr.
Unfortunately for most boxing fans, the name David Benavidez isn't among the front-runners. Benavidez moved up to light heavyweight after beating Oleksandr Gvozdyk in June, but then informed the WBC that he plans to move back to super middleweight, where he is the mandatory challenger, to claim the right to face Alvarez.
But before everyone starts screaming that Saul, who has a record of 61-2-2 (39 KOs), is avoiding his closest rival, it should be noted that Benavidez is currently dealing with some injuries.
Berlanga is 22-0 (17 KOs) and became a mandatory contender with the WBA after defeating Padraig McCrory in the final qualifying round in February. Somewhat generous rankings aside, Berlanga is Puerto Rican and would likely be an easy candidate to accept as an opponent for the Mexican superstar.
Eubank has a record of 33-3 (24 KOs) that is simply not worthy of a 168-pound title fight, but the junior knows how to sell his fights and remains one of the most marketable boxers in the UK.
The 34-year-old Canelo last fought at super middleweight in February 2019, beating a fading James DeGale by points, and while he has long wanted to fight Canelo, he has repeatedly admitted that middleweight is his natural zone.
The Briton has not been in action since beating Liam Smith last September.Number The stoppage win this round avenged a surprising fourth-round loss eight months earlier.
Once all details are finalized, the Canelo vs. Samwan bout will air on Amazon Prime PPV.
