After being criticized for refusing to engage during large parts of their first bout and for his two failed drug tests in February, Alvarez (50-1-2, 34 KOs) answered his doubters Saturday night with perhaps the finest performance of his career. The smaller Canelo took the fight to boxing’s longest-reigning champion, forcing the action and repairing his damaged image during the rematch.
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Now, the sky is the limit, provided the politics of the boxing game don’t interfere. A third bout is under discussion, but the third time is unlikely to be a charm for hard-luck Golovkin — that’s if the fight even happens.
That being said, here are five potential opponents for the new unified world middleweight champion:
Jermall Charlo
What a fight this would be. Two 28-year-old, well-schooled, boxer-punchers who aren’t afraid to mix it up. Charlo, 27-0 (21 KOs), might possess slightly better one-punch power, but he’s never faced a fighter as complete as Canelo, with a chin to boot. Both are brilliant counterpunchers who can adjust in a blink. Who wins? Who knows, but we’d love to see it.
The Danny Jacobs vs. Sergiy Derevyanchenko Winner
Jacobs (34-2, 29 KOs) and Derevyanchenko (12-0, 10 KOs) will throw down for the IBF 160-pound strap on Oct. 27. The former has won two straight since the points loss to Golovkin back in March 2017. He has vowed to knock Canelo out if they square off, but first he must get by Ukraine’s Derevyanchenko.
The Billy Joe Saunders vs. Demetrius Andrade Winner
UK’s Saunders (26-0, 12 KOs) holds the WBO 160-pound title and will defend it versus the dangerous Andrade (25-0, 16 KOs) on Oct. 20 live on DAZN. Both these slick southpaws are stylistic nightmares. Their movement could cause problems for Alvarez, who isn’t exactly fleet-footed.
The Ryota Murata vs. Rob Brant Winner
Japan’s Murata (14-1, 11 KOs), holds a version of the WBA title at 160. He’s scheduled to defend it against Brant (23-1, 16 KOs), on Oct. 20. It’s an intriguing matchup. If Murata, the former 2012 Olympic gold medalist, is victorious, a fight against Canelo might make sense — especially if Alvarez moves to ESPN.
David Lemieux
Perhaps the easiest match to make. Like Canelo, Lemieux (40-4, 34 KOs), is signed to Golden Boy Promotions. The Canadian shined on Saturday night’s undercard, flattening Ireland’s Gary “Spike” O’Sullivan with his vaunted left hook in the first round. Would a fight versus Canelo be competitive? Probably not, but Canelo could use a softer touch following the grueling battle versus Golovkin.
