Looks like a Canelo-Plant unification clash is dead for the time being. Canelo needs a new opponent quickly to keep his traditional Mexican Independence Day fight date. Canelo’s team has reportedly reached out to WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol.
2012 Olympic gold medalist and lightweight contender Luke Campbell has announced his retirement from boxing.
WBA President Gilberto Jesús Mendoza and female champion Hanna Gabriels will present the WBA light flyweight championship belt to Esteban Bermúdez on Tuesday at a ceremony in Mexico City. Bermúdez dethroned Carlos Canizales in May.
There’s no smoke without fire.
Quite a few of Canelos opponents have either complained about unfair demands or been given little time to prepare, seems like its happened again with Plant.
Now Bivol has roughly 6 weeks to boil himself down and prepare for the P4P Canelo.
I’d respect this guy a lot more if he could fight on fairer terms.
Great fighter, but dirty – busted for Clen and doesn’t play on a level playing field. I struggle to respect that.
The sad thing is…Boxing is a business and in some ways, it’s all about getting an edge on the opponent you face so in return, you win, make more money, suck up the fame, and yes, screw over some others so you can stay on top. As with any fighter, their era in boxing does not last forever. Canelo will eventually fade away whether in defeat or retirement, but someone will replace him and pursue the same greedy business tactics in the game others taught them.
Being a boxing judge at ringside is no different. Not only do you have some credentials, but it can push boundaries of favoritism and nepotism to get you the part time job. I recall Tom Schrek from NY discussing his avenues in how he became a ringside judge and it was not an easy path to get there.
Was licensed to be a judge in Michigan years ago. They had good programs and meetings to prepare you for this. Biggest problem is you had to judge several amateur fights before you ever got the chance to do a pro one. Because of work didn’t have the time to do this and let license expire.
Michael, thank you for the input. I am actually glad to hear decent opportunities exist to pursue being a ringside judge in your living area. That’s the problem in life. All work and no play make us dull people, LOL. Have a great weekend.
True words Scooby.
I guess I just don’t respect fighters who aren’t man enough for a fair fight, no matter how good they are.
Exactly, and I been told when he calls out on fighters with very little time to prepare, his people scout them first to make sure they haven’t been in the gym…
I agree with you to an extent. I remember him, essentially, establishing his own weight class a few years ago at 155, he even fought Cotto at 155 for a middleweight title anc Cotto, technically, missed weight, because he came in at 154. And he made welterweight Khan fight him at 155 as well.
But, ultimately these are grown men. Yes, the payday is massive and they all have confidence in their skills, but they have the ability, like Plant just did, to walk away from it. Bivol, Plant, Callum Smith, BJS, all reigning world champions. They can say no to Canelo and have a fight scheduled in a few weeks against the next mandatory – they all have options and do not have to bend to Canelo’s every condition. And if they all do that, it puts the pressure on him. Either he has to take a mandatory of his own and fight someone who no one has ever heard or, go fully up to lightheavy again or fight GGG. So, yes he can be kind of a bully given his strength at the negotiating table, but he’s been allowed to be a bully by his opponents to a degree.
Yeah I know what you’re saying, still, if I was that confident in my ability I’d have no issue playing on a level playing field, knowing I was a superior fighter and would beat them because of that.
Jim Bob, I agree with you 100%. A fighter’s win should be guaranteed by his/her skill and confidence not by handicapping the opponent ahead of time.
Even this Bivol is a champ at 175? Even terms? Canelo going up in weight again?
If Canelo is going up, and fighting at the LHW limit, no special conditions attached, thats a different story. If.
However, if he wants Bivol to come down to SMW, and be fully adjusted in just 7 weeks, then I don’t see it as anything like a level playing field.
Even though Bivol is the champ at 175lbs? Even though Canelo is going up in weight again? Even terms? Lol
Bivol’s daily weight 190-200lbs…roughly 6weeks to the fight? Even terms?
Pete, yes even terms. Bivol isn’t looking for Saul. Saul is looking for him. Why the fuck should he drain himself. Alvarez needs to go up or look elsewhere.
Fist and foremost, no one is forcing any of his opponents to fight him. If they are unprepared to fight when they agree to terms, then that is on them. As u can see, Canelo stays in the gym and keeps himself in shape. Now if his opponents do not do the same, it is not on him. He makes the offer, take it or leave it. Quit jaw jacking and making excuses. I respect a fighter who is always willing to fight anyone and it makes no difference if it is not on their terms, as he is always the A side and has worked hard for that. It is not his fault that the majority of fighters in his current weight class and in LH cannot sell tickets and the majority of the public do not know their names. So, let him be a pre-mod Anna if he wants. Either way, he is a for sure a shoe in the hall of fame, where as these so called paper champions will be easily be forgotten.
Awwww so Plant chickened out.
Nope. Read the ESPN article about it. Or my comment below. Canelo is the one stalling this.
It’s not about Plant, it’s about Canelo not being man enough to give his opponents a fair deal, seems like a reoccuring theme.
Like I say, no smoke without fire, and there’s been quite a lot of smoke over the years.
Typical of Canelo trying to find a fighter with very little notice smh
I like Canelo but he’s clearly a prima donna…
Canelo vs Bivol! Consider me interested.
Canelo has a long history of stalled negotiations, not defending against mandatory challenges, not taking rightfully ordered fights, PEDs, making fights nobody wanted to see, etc.
The Canelo Cinnabon fans cant deny that Team Canelo conducts the most shady business. Not sure who’s worse, Canelo or Team Fury.
The canelo team when they see danger come bunch of excusesB<S.
Plant should hold out because Canelo really wants his title. Maybe Canelo can find a way to have the IBF make it a special exception and make Canelo a mandatory or strip Plant then have Canelo fight for a vacant IBF title.
Wow, funny to see all the Canelo haters finding and digging deep to find a way to bash him. Plant had ages to prep for this fight, he refuses his biggest payday ever at over $10 mil cause why? Oh because he can make more on his own PPV? Oh wait he’s doesn’t fight on PPV. Bicol is always in the gym, both fighters are not prepared for each other. People complain about his opponents and that he’s ducking Bicol at 175, now he goes for it and “way way, Bicol didn’t have time to prepare.” Dammed if you do damned if you don’t. Big time haters out here, dude is the biggest draw, don’t watch if it hurts your tenders.
Canelo asking for 40mil guarantee wether Plant gets injured or COVID is ridiculous. Plus making them agree they can’t fight if it happens to Canelo. Are you insane?! I’m a Canelo fan and this is 100 his fault.
True Story right there. At this stage of their career, how much time should you actually need to prepare? These guys are superstars. They should always be in the gym and prepared. They should need no more than a month or so to fine tune their sparring and strategically come up with a game plan. This goes back to u guys favorite word Prima-donna. it seems as if Canelo’s opponents are more of a Prima-donna needing more time. Going back to the older days with Hagler, Duran, Hearns, Tyson, etc.. they were always ready and waiting for a call if someone dropped out. thats called a “Fighter”
If the Bivol fight takes place and Canelo can beat Bivol his interests afterwards should be back on Plant. Just because their first negotiation didn’t work out doesn’t mean the unification fight has been abandoned.
Craig: agreed brutha
If they fight at Lighheavyweight and Bivol has been training, the Russian could pull the upset. Dmitry Bivol ain’t no Kovalev!
Plant agreed to all Canelo s demands. Plants network wouldn’t agree to pay Canelo 40 million if Plant got injured or got Covid for a last min replacement. But if Canelo got sick or injured Plant would have to wait. A lot of this is Hearn I think, telling Canelo he deserves all these guarantees. It’s crazy.
If Conelo was really that good, he wouldn’t need to put constant limitations and stipulations on his opponents. The real pound-for-pound greats in this sport aren’t doing that, and never did it (except for Mayweather)
So who do you like for Plant? He’s gonna need a fight too.
How about Carlos Gongora IBO belt holder?