LAS VEGAS – Canelo Alvarez hasn’t ruled out returns to the middleweight and super middleweight divisions after challenging Sergey Kovalev.
If the Mexican superstar beats Kovalev on Saturday night to become a four-division champion, remaining at light heavyweight would be another appealing option for Alvarez’s following fight. The 5-feet-8 Alvarez, who began his career as a junior welterweight 14 years ago, hasn’t ruled out an eventual move to cruiserweight, either.
When asked by a reporter prior to Wednesday’s press conference at MGM Grand if he has what would be considered a “crazy” idea, Alvarez replied, “Obviously, cruiserweight. It sounds very crazy, but you never know.”
There aren’t any high-profile fights for Alvarez at the moment in the division for boxers between 176 and 200 pounds. That ambitious jump also would require Alvarez to put even more muscle on his frame, which would make it troublesome to come back down to even light heavyweight, let alone super middleweight or middleweight.
Alvarez, 29, has won world titles at 154, 160 and 168 pounds. He has ruled out a return to the junior middleweight limit of 154 pounds, but he remains open to dropping down two divisions to compete at middleweight again.
Alvarez’s most attractive options exist at middleweight, where a third fight against Gennadiy Golovkin looms. In addition to Golovkin (40-1-1, 35 KOs), WBO champ Demetrius Andrade (28-0, 17 KOs), WBC champ Jermall Charlo (29-0, 21 KOs) and top contender Sergiy Derevyanchenko (13-2, 10 KOs) are appealing opponents at middleweight.
“Currently, my only motivation is November 2, Kovalev,” Alvarez said. “Right now, I don’t see anything else in the future. The only thing that I see is what I have in front of me now. And later on, I’ll see what motivates me to go to 168 or 160, or to have another [fight] at 175.”
Regardless, Alvarez is confident he can comfortably get back down to 160 pounds for the right fights.
“Let’s see,” Alvarez said. “I still don’t know. But I have to go back to my weight again.”
Alvarez (52-1-2, 35 KOs) is a 4-1 favorite over Kovalev (34-3-1, 29 KOs), even though he has moved up two weight classes and stands four inches shorter than the WBO light heavyweight champion. DAZN will stream their scheduled 12-round main event from MGM Grand Garden Arena.
Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.
