By Sean Jones: Canelo Alvarez won’t move up to cruiserweight to take on Oleksandr Usyk, says his trainer/manager Eddy Reynoso, who wants his own fighter heavyweight Frank Sanchez to take on the Ukrainian in 2022.
It’s not surprising that Canelo (57-1-2, 39 KOs) and his manager Reynoso want no part in fighting the former undisputed cruiserweight champion Usyk (19-0, 13 KOs).
When Usyk said a couple of weeks ago that he’d be willing to move down in weight to face Canelo as long as he could hold onto his IBF/WBA/WBO heavyweight titles, it was predictable that Alvarez wouldn’t take him up on his offer for a mega-fight.
Reynoso says “No Way” to Canelo fighting Usyk
Canelo, 31, wants to move up to cruiserweight to fight a belt-holder in WBC champion Ilunga Makabu in 2022. He’s not shown any interest in fighting any of the talented cruiserweight champions in Mairis Briedis or Lawrence Okolie.
Canelo merely wants to win a world title at cruiserweight so that he can add a fifth division strap to his collection to impress future generations of fans.
Fighting a super talent like Usyk, who was the undisputed cruiserweight champion in 2018, is NOT Canelo’s cup of tea.
He’s only interested in winning a belt, and Makabu, who is viewed as the weakest of the cruiserweight champions at this time, is who Canelo and his trainer/manager Reynoso are targeting.
In other words, they’re focusing on CHERRY PICKING rather than striving to be the best. Winning a title against the weakest of the titles to add to Canelo’s credentials is a shallow, surface-level move to capture a belt just for artifice but with no real meaning.
“No, no way, there is no chance that [Canelo] will fight Usyk,” Reynoso said to Lester Silva.
“He’s [Usyk] a heavyweight fighter, that’s what we have Frank Sanchez there for and that would be a great fight,” said Reynoso in making it clear that he wants his undefeated heavyweight Sanchez (19-0, 13 KOs), who he trains, get a title shot against IBF/WBA/WBO champion Usyk.
Few boxing fans believed for a second that Canelo would take on the talented Usyk because his ability is on another level of the Mexican star, and he’s worlds better than WBC cruiserweight champion Makabu.
Canelo’s manager Reynoso obviously doesn’t want him to lose and be humiliated in the process, so it makes sense that he wants no part in matching him against Usyk.
That’s an unwinnable fight for Canelo and one that he would surely get beaten far worse than he was in his defeat at the hands of Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2013 and his two fights with Gennady Golovkin, which he lost in the eyes of many boxing fans.
Eddy wants Frank Sanchez to face Oleksander
Reynoso envisions #4 WBO, #5 WBC Sanchez (19-0, 13 KOs) challenging for a world title in 2022, be it against IBF/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk or WBC champion Tyson Fury.
However, the chances of Sanchez getting a title shot next year are ZERO, as he’s not popular and has a very, very dull fighting style, which involves moving, single pot-shots, and counter punching. Moreover, Sanchez possesses very little power and is more of a slapper.
“We are going to look for a world championship fight in 2022,” Reynoso said of his desire to get the 29-year-old Cuban Frank Sanchez a crack at a title next year.
“Frank is ranked at number four in the WBC and within the top five of the other organizations, so we’ll keep working and keep learning. Hopefully, we get [the world title shot], we are very excited,” said Reynoso.
Assuming Frank Sanchez keeps winning, he could get a title shot by 2023 if he’s lucky, but more likely, he’ll need to wait until 2024 before he gets a shot.
Reynosos’ talk of Sanchez fighting for a world title in 2022 is utterly deluded and entirely out of touch with reality. Sanchez is NOT getting a title shot against Usyk or Fury in 2022.
Eddie Hearn urging Canelo to fight at 175 in 2022
“I personally think Canelo should look to become undisputed at 175. And I think he can do it. To be undisputed in two weight classes will be incredible, and I think that’s a move that will be very exciting.
