Canelo Álvarez’s 2023 calendar hasn’t been set yet, but he’s already getting ready for his mandatory yearly fight with the hopes that it will be his rematch against Dmitry Bivol. However, the prospect of a rematch will have to wait because there have been rumors that Álvarez could face Artur Beterbiev, a clash that Eddie Hearn said would be a “bloodbath.”
“Canelo vs Beterbiev will be a bloodbath”
As we wait for the announcement of Saul ‘Canelo’ Álvarez’s 2023 fight schedule, speculation continues to grow on who could be his next rivals.
It’s well-known that he has a mandatory fight to earn the right to a rematch against Dmitry Bivol, and some rivals have already been rumored.
In this regard, Eddi Hearn spoke to Boxingscene.com and explained: “A fight between Canelo Álvarez and Artur Beterbiev would be a bloodbath.”
At the same time, the promoter warned that “Canelo is thinking about his mandatory fight,” adding that “he then wants to take on the challenge against Bivol in September.”
Canelo: What would 2023 look like?
The Mexican boxer went back to training a few weeks ago after recovering from surgery on his left hand. That’s why there’s still no timeframe for his return to the ring.
While boxing fans are hungry for another fight against Bivol, his first fight of the year will be against John Ryder in May or September.
Regarding a rematch against the Russian boxer, there’s some debate on who will be the first to cave in: Will Canelo go up to 175 pounds or will Bivol make the effort to go down to 168?
“I’m convinced I’ll beat Dmitry Bivol in this rematch. That’s one of my goals. I recently went back to training and there will be news in the following weeks. Maybe in May, or I’ll wait until September,” Álvarez told ESNEWS.
Canelo chose the best pound-for-pound
Álvarez is still recovering from surgery on his left hand as he works on his calendar for 2023. As he works to get back in shape, he’s looking at those that started the year in the ring.
In a conversation with the Youtube channel ESNEWS, he revealed who he considers the best pound-for-pound boxers in the world.
“There are very good boxers out there. I think Tyson Fury deserves to be in that spot, also Oleksandr Usyk is a great player who could have a spot on that list,” Canelo stated.
With these remarks, Álvarez left out great modern boxers like Terence Crawford, Errol Spence, and Naoya Inoue.