Canelo Alvarez recently made headlines in the boxing world when it was announced he had signed a three-fight deal with Premier Boxing Champions (PBC). Although it's not official, it's expected he will defend his super-middleweight titles against WBC middleweight champion Jermall Charlo next.
But assuming Alvarez beats Charlo, who could he face in the other two fights that are tentatively planned for May and September 2024? With PBC being promoters to most of the top American boxers, Alvarez certainly has a plethora of options to choose from. So with that said, let's take a look at four potential opponents — including Charlo — the Mexican superstar could face with his new three-fight PBC deal.
Jermall Charlo
As aforementioned, this is the fight that is more or less likely to happen first. It's expected to take place Sept. 16 in Las Vegas and will be broadcast on Showtime PPV. As far as the matchup goes, it's a great one. Charlo is one of the biggest names in American boxing and holds a 32-0 record with 22 knockouts. He's also an outspoken character and should help immensely with the fight's build-up. In fact, he was also one of the options to face Alvarez last year before the latter ultimately opted to face Dmitry Bivol.
The only problem is he hasn't competed since June 2021 due to mental health issues. That's a lot of inactivity for anyone, let alone someone coming back to fight arguably the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world today. But inactivity aside, Charlo has a size and reach advantage over Alvarez and could pose problems with his jab. Alvarez, meanwhile, is the sharper and more experienced fighter and will also be the first real elite opponent the American will have faced. Even with some claiming he's on the decline, Alvarez will not be any easier to beat for Charlo. Who will come out on top? Most would assume Alvarez — but it's definitely a far closer contest than the Mexican's last two outings.
David Benavidez
Unless Alvarez suffers defeat and faces Charlo in a rematch, he will more than likely move on to a new opponent. One name that everyone has been calling for him to face is undefeated super-middleweight contender David Benavidez, who boasts a 27-0 record with 23 knockouts. There was a possibility of it happening next — especially with Benavidez's side sending Alvarez a very lucrative offer — but in the end, it didn't come to fruition with the former claiming the latter never responded.
But with Alvarez now at PBC, perhaps we could finally see the two collide with many in the boxing world such as Mike Tyson, Andre Ward and Floyd Mayweather viewing Benavidez as the 168-pounder who can potentially inflict defeat on the 32-year-old.
“Benavidez is my guy, I think he can beat anybody in the division,” Tyson said “I love Canelo, but he’s not going to beat him. He’s a little past his prime. … I think he [Benavidez] could even beat the guy who beat Canelo, Dmitry Bivol.”
Demetrius Andrade
Another interesting option could be WBO middleweight champion Demetrius Andrade. Who could forget the memorable interaction between Alvarez and Andrade at the post-fight press conference following the former's win over Billy Joe Saunders in May 2021?
The seed is already set and Andrade — who boasts a 32-0 record — could get a chance to really back up his words after accusing Alvarez of running away from the real fighters.
“Unless you fight real fighters, don’t you ever think of retiring 'cause you would never get the respect from us real fighters,” Andrade said last month. “Fight the fights boxing fans actually want to see you fight. Stop running from real fighters.”
Ironically enough, Alvarez would easily be the biggest and best opponent Andrade will have faced if they end up battling each other next year. But that said, this fight will only happen if Alvarez is interested in facing Andrade and given his past comments calling the American a horrible fighter, that doesn't seem to be the case as things stand. But again, things could change with Alvarez at PBC.
David Morrell
Another option for Alvarez, particularly for his third fight with PBC, could be rising star and WBA (Regular) super-middleweight champion David Morrell. With a decorated amateur career and a 9-0 professional record with an impressive eight knockouts, Morrell has enjoyed a stellar rise and would represent a very interesting challenge for Alvarez down the line.
For now, the Cuban seems fully intent on fighting David Benavidez next and should he defeat the American, interest in a fight with Canelo in 2024 will definitely increase tenfold.
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