For over eighteen years, Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez has captured the imagination of fight fans across the world and has created a legacy in boxing that only a select few have ever achieved. Ever
since his professional debut back in two-thousand and five, Canelo has entertained millions
worldwide.
Canelo’s native country of Mexico has a rich and long tradition in boxing and over the years,
Mexican fighters have become renowned for their no-nonsense, entertaining fighting style.
When talking about names such as Julio Cesar Chavez, Ricardo Lopez, and
Juan Manuel Marquez, (just to name a few) it’s hard to make your mark and stand out.
However, Canelo Alvarez has done just that and will undoubtedly go down as not only one of
the greatest Mexican fighters but one of the greatest-ever fighters to lace up a pair of gloves.
In this article, I’ll be taking a look at Canelo’s new PBC three-fight deal, what the deal means
for Canelo’s career, and the potential match-ups that could now be on the cards since his
signing.
You can watch my video version or continue reading below:
The Journey of Canelo’s Career Up Until Now
Even though Canelo isn’t done just yet and still has unfinished business within the sport, his
career up until this point has been nothing short of remarkable.
He’s won multiple world championships in four weight classes (from light-middleweight to
light-heavyweight), including unified titles in three of those weight classes and lineal titles in two.
Canelo is also the first and only ever boxer in history to become the undisputed champion at
super-middleweight.
Along his journey, Canelo has been involved in some of the most historical, iconic and exciting
bouts boxing has seen in recent years. Notable mentions include his enthralling trilogy with
two-time former unified champion Gennady Golovkin, his crushing knockout against Sergey
Kovalev and his twelve-round war against Puerto Rican boxing legend, Miguel Cotto.
Despite his early career loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr and his most recent loss last year to Dmitry
Bivol, Canelo’s record has been a perfect one (currently standing at 59 fights, 57
victories, with 39 coming by way of knockout and only two losses at the hands of
elite-level opposition).
In today’s market, Canelo still remains (arguably) boxing biggest pay-per-view star and has
become one of the most well-known names worldwide. During the last two years, Canelo has
been working closely with promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Sports to make the big fights
happen.
Together, they’ve put on some incredible bouts, filled stadiums and even broken records. It was
only in two-thousand and twenty-one (when Canelo fought Billy Joe Saunders for the unified super-middleweight championship) that the boxing record for the largest-ever indoor crowd in
the United States was broken. Before then it stood at sixty-three thousand. Canelo’s fight with
Saunders had over seventy-three thousand people in attendance on the night.
But for now, it looks like those memories created with Hearn and Matchroom are a thing of the
past. Canelo has moved on to different pastures, this time in the form of a three-fight deal with
promotional company PBC.
But what is the structure of this contract and more importantly, what does this mean for Canelo’s
career going forward?
Canelo’s Three-Fight Deal With PBC Promotions
Since the closing stages of his multi-fight deal with Matchroom, there’s been rumors and
whispers surrounding Canelo’s future. Although his loss to Dmitry Bivol last year was
undoubtedly a dent in his near-perfect career so far, the options for Canelo still remain as
promising as ever.
In terms of reasons for leaving Matchroom, the first issue to point out is of course the rematch
with Bivol. Several problems have been rumoured as to why Eddie Hearn couldn’t get the fight
made. But it seems as though the weight and price demands of Bivol and Canelo were at
opposite ends of the spectrum, effectively putting a firm halt to any negotiations.
In recent interviews, Eddie Hearn has remained confident that his promotional company
(Matchroom Sports) would retain the Mexican superstar, given the strong relationship they’ve
developed over the past two years.
However, on this occasion, Eddie Hearn and the rest of the boxing world would be taken by
surprise at Canelo’s next move.
It was announced last week that Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez would be signing a three-fight mega deal
with the promotional company Premier Boxing Champions (PBC). The deal is reportedly worth a
staggering one hundred million US dollars!
In terms of dates for those three bouts with PBC, fans can expect a September sixteenth
match-up against current WBC middleweight world champion Jermall Charlo and
then two more dates heading into 2024 (rumoured to be in May and September of
next year).
The remaining two fights have not yet been decided in terms of opponents and this has
subsequently led to a wave of discussion across social media about potential match-ups for the
Mexican.
With all things considered, this could be the most pivotal three fights of Canelo Alvarez’s career.
Some might say in his recent performances Canelo has shown early signs of deterioration, so
these next three fights could really be ‘make or break’ for boxing’s superstar.
Potential Match-Ups For Canelo
It seems like the end of an era for the partnership of Canelo Alvarez and Eddie Hearn. Some
great fights and great memories inside the ring have been created, events that will go down in
boxing history, events that captivated fight fans worldwide.
But now it’s a new chapter, a new beginning and in many ways a new challenge for Canelo.
Since the PBC announcement was made, the boxing world has been ignited with discussion,
surrounding who we could see Canelo could square off against next year.
So, what are the potential options for Canelo and who could we see him in the ring with next
year?
1. Jermall Charlo
Initial reports suggested that the fight between Canelo Alvarez and Jermall Charlo was pretty much a
‘done deal’ for a scheduled September sixteenth date (which would fall on Mexican
independence day weekend).
With Charlo not fighting for over two years and some struggles outside the ring. This has the potential to be quite a straightforward victory for Canelo. However, that is not to say Jermall Charlo is a complete punching bag. He has been a world champion since 2015 and put on some impressive performances along the way. Nevertheless, the lack of activity is a concern for me and I wouldn’t be surprised if Alvarez dominated this fight.
However, a big twist was revealed as it will be his twin brother Jermell who will be getting the chance to face Canelo Alvarez in September.
2. Jermell Charlo
So it has officially been confirmed Canelo will fight Jermell Charlo on September 30th in Las Vegas Nevada.
There were several reports indicating that his brother was going to fight, but instead, we get an Undisputed vs. Undisputed match-up! But it will be Jermell moving up two weight divisions to challenge Canelo for his 168lbs belts.
The upcoming bout has the potential to be an intriguing matchup, stylistically speaking. Charlo will be fighting at his natural weight, which could make things interesting. In my opinion, this fight has the potential to be more competitive than a bout with his brother, as he has been somewhat more active.
If we were to assume Canelo gets the victory over Charlo and does so in a comfortable fashion,
it really does open the door for some mega-fights in 2024.
3. David Benavidez
Of course, the first name to mention in the super-middleweight division would be the rising
undefeated star, David Benavidez. For some time now, fans have been calling for this fight, and
what a fight it promises to be.
With both names now under the PBC banner, the fight is surely easier than ever to get made.
Benavidez has an aggressive, vicious style with fast hands and brilliant counterpunching.
And many fans believe the former WBC super-middleweight champion could indeed be the kryptonite to an (arguably) fading Canelo Alvarez.
In terms of styles and how these fights could play out in the ring, you’d have to say the most
fan-friendly match-up would probably be against Benavidez. It may also be the most logical
move for Canelo.
(Check out my breakdown on David Benavidez here)
4. Errol Spence Jr
Another fighter who is also under the PBC banner is unified Welterweight champion Errol
Spence Jr.
Even though it’s a big if, if Spence does manage to come through his blockbuster fight with Terence Crawford this year, the fight against Canelo would make for incredible viewing.
When asked in past interviews, Spence has always maintained that he’d be willing to make the step up in weight to take on Alvarez. And this is a fight I would actually be very intrigued to see, more so to see Spence in a higher-weight division against a naturally bigger man.
If Spence does decide to come up in weight, his very technical boxing skills, coupled with his cute footwork, movement, and body punching could pose more of a problem for Canelo.
It’s definitely up for debate, but even though Spence would probably be the lighter man on the
night, his overall style could prove to be a tougher test for Saul.
(Check out my Errol Spence Jr breakdown here)
5. Demetrius Andrade
Another fight that seems to be flying under everyone’s radar at the moment is the possible
match-up against undefeated American fighter Demetrius Andrade.
Their post-fight press conference spat (after Canelo fought Billy Joe Saunders) went viral across social media with Canelo says that Andrade hasn’t fought anybody of note to warrant a fight with him.
Apart from an impressive performance against Quigley six months after the press-conference
shenanigans with Canelo, Andrade has remained largely inactive. But with the pair having what
seems to be a mutual dislike for each other, it could be a match-up that ends up getting made
for next year.
6. David Morrell Jr
Lastly, we can’t forget about David Morell Jr. A Cuban southpaw who goes against the typical norm of his countrymen of fighting as out boxers and using their defensive skills in more amateur style.
Instead, Morell has been giving the fans what they want, quite often blood and knockouts! And with him being WBA (regular) super middleweight champion and under the PBC banner. There is always the possibility a mandatory defense could be called for Canelo.
However in my opinion stylistically I think he would be a nightmare for Canelo Alvarez and even the other 168lbs like Benavidez need to take this fight very seriously if they decide to go there.
Pros & Cons Of Canelo’s PBC Deal
After a hard-fought victory against John Ryder in Guadalajara, it became evident that Matchroom was struggling to find viable options for Canelo’s next top-level opponents. Recognizing this, Eddie Hearn, in light of the failed negotiations for a rematch with Dmitry Bivol, openly acknowledged that Canelo’s decision to sign a three-fight deal with PBC was likely the right move.
Let’s delve into the pros and cons of this deal.
Pros:
Lucrative Earnings: One undeniable advantage of this deal is that Canelo stands to earn a significant amount of money ($100 million). Not to mention possibly of more money on top of this deal with PPV, and more exposure for things like sponsorships.
Guaranteed Fight Dates: With the PBC agreement, Canelo secures definite fight dates, ensuring regular activity in the ring. This consistency is crucial for maintaining momentum and staying in top form.
Access to Top Opponents: By joining forces with PBC, Canelo gains access to some of the best boxers in the sport. This opens up exciting possibilities for high-profile matchups against elite competition.
Furthermore, had Canelo remained with Matchroom, the likelihood of securing fights like Canelo vs. Spence or Canelo vs. Benavidez would have been significantly reduced. Promoters, networks, and broadcasters often present obstacles when trying to arrange such fights. Therefore, the move to PBC simplifies the process and increases the chances of seeing these marquee matchups come to fruition.
Cons:
Impact on Bivol Rematch: One of the downsides of Canelo signing with PBC is that it diminishes the possibility of a rematch with Bivol. Even if an agreement were reached on the fight’s weight class, the involvement of rival promoters and broadcasters would pose significant challenges during the negotiation phase.
Potential Influence of PBC Politics: The presence of promotional politics within PBC could also impact Canelo’s career trajectory. If conflicts arise between rival promoters or broadcasters within the organization, it may complicate the process of securing certain fights or negotiating favorable terms. Canelo’s career decisions could be influenced by these internal dynamics, potentially limiting his freedom and flexibility.
Final thoughts
With all of the options Canelo had after the Ryder fight, it’s easy to assume that the deal PBC
laid out for him was the best of the rest. Going by the reported figures, it was probably the most
lucrative deal on the table.
Money aside, Canelo now has three guaranteed fights, all with preliminary dates set out for him.
Not only that, but in every one of those three fights he has the chance to create yet more history
for his career.
It’s a huge announcement and it can only be good for the sport we love. Now, it seems very
likely that fight fans will get to see Canelo Alvarez in the best possible match-ups, fighting the
most elite fighters inside and maybe even outside of his division.
If you enjoyed this why not check out my other articles on Canelo Alvarez and the other fighters mentioned in this article:
- Canelo Alvarez’s Boxing Style Explained
- How to train like Canelo
- Benavidez Vicious Boxing Style | Breakdown
- Dmitry Bivol Boxing Style Breakdown
- Errol Spence Jr
Thanks for reading!
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