The best pound for pound fighter in boxing is unequivocally Canelo Alvarez. Canelo has had his chance at big fights, and had a few. But in recent weeks, Canelo has had trouble setting up a fight for his May 2nd fight date. Has Canelo out grown Oscar De La Hoya and Golden Boy Promotions it have the suits simply overstayed their time at Canelo’s side?
Canelo’s Would-Be Fights
Canelo is going to his fourth option for his fight in May: Caleb Plant. While Plant is a great boxer, it’s not exactly the market Canelo is going for. Canelo wants to turbo over seas. First, Japan was the destinatuon. The first fight targeted was a date with Ryoto Murata. According to Dan Rafael of ESPN, those talks “cratered” and no other reason was given. This would become a theme of this circus of a fight date for Canelo.
The second two options were Callum Smith and Billy Joe Saunders, two UK products. While talks seemed to be finished with Smith, boxing fans were blindsided with news that Smith had turned down an offer from Golden Boy promotions due to a hydration test. Eyes turned to Saunders who quickly let everyone know he, too, had turned down an offer.
While Smith was stated that he turned down the fight due to a rehydration test in the contract, everyone knows what this is really about: money.
De La Hyoya’s Negoating Ineptitude
It seems like Oscar De La Hoya has lost his ability to negotiate a fight completely. De La Hoya gave Danny Jacobs and Sergey Kovalev over $12 million. While they are excellent boxers, Jacobs and Kovalev do not bring $12 million worth of value in a fight with Canelo. Canelo is the A side.
Jacobs earned $2.5 million in his fight with Alvarez with another $10 million from DAZN. Kovalev was similarly clocked in at making $3 million and an estimated $9 million from DAZN.
The market is simple. Both Smith and Saunders know they bring more to the table than Kovalev and Jacobs, perhaps even combined. Their purse should reflect that. The issue is this: Oscar De La Hoya priced himself out of the market. He essentially bought a Honda Civic with 150 thousand miles for $12,000, a bad deal. Now he is paying the price.
Smith and Saunders are likely worth more than $12 million, but not by much. But because they feel they’re worth so much more than Jacobs or Kovalev, they’re asking for a lot of money. Oscar De La Hoya is suffering the consequences of his past actions now, and it is hurting Canelo.
Canelo In The Past
Canelo Alvarez is no stranger to big fights. He’s had boxing bouts with Floyd Mayweather, Miguel Cotto, Amir Khan, and GGG twice. He lives up to the hype and rises to the occasion sans Mayweather.
But Canelo is in his prime and this is where he establishes himself as the greatest boxer in his era. It’s mind blowing that Canelo has not fought Jermall Charlo, Demetrius Andrade, Sergiy Derevyanchenko, Chris Eubank or Jarret Hurd. Those are just a few names among many others that could match up and establish if Canelo is truly the best of a generation.
Perhaps the most baffling is the fact that Canelo and Manny Pacquiao have yet to fight, and it’s unlikely they ever will now. While Pacquiao isn’t what he once was, the star power alone is what will make this fight. Fighting Pacquiao in Manila, Philippines on Cinco de Mayo would be one of the biggest fights ever. Hands down.
Instead, we have Canelo versus Rocky Felding. De La Hoya seems to have lost touch with a generation of how to get fights done.
So what should Canelo do?
So should Canelo part ways with Golden Boy Promotions? I think the answer is yes. Canelo has outgrown his promoter. The question remains: What should Canelo do?
I feel he should look to those who came before him, namely Floyd Mayweather. Mayweather was part of Top Rank Boxing, managed by Bob Arum. In 2006, he bought out his contract for $750,000. While Mayweather was a giant star then, he was not yet as big as Canelo is now.
Canelo should seriously look at buying out his contract with Golden Boy Promotions. While there is no way he will get out of the contract as cheap as Floyd Mayweather did, he will still have more freedom and control over his career.
There have been reports that Canelo isn’t happy with Golden Boy Promotions and even that he’s not on speaking terms with Oscar De La Hoya. De La Hoya has refuted that saying the two’s working relationship is strong. But where there’s smoke, there’s fire. Something is amiss in the camp. Canelo may not be happy with the fights he is getting.
