CANELO ALVAREZ could be boxingโs first star name to return to the ring as the sport comes out of the coronavirus shutdown. Thatโs the hope of Golden Boy Promotions as they begin to bring back their shows.
If Canelo is to box on September 12 it would be without spectators. โRight now weโre discussing a possible September return for him. It would have to be with no fans but there is the possibility of doing that type of show but it would be up to Canelo. It would be up to him to decide whether he wants to do that or if he wants to wait until fans are allowed back in. So weโre discussing it with him now and we hope to have some sort of information, announcement in the next couple of weeks,โ Eric Gomez, president of Golden Boy told Boxing News.
A third fight with Gennady Golovkin will not happen without a live gate. โNot now, it wouldnโt make sense to do that. Itโs not good business to do that at this time. But there are some other top fighters that are available that weโre looking into,โ Gomez explained. โThereโs one or two [world champions] that are [available], that weโre considering. The usual guys that are always up there, the top fighters. He likes to fight top fighters, as heโs shown throughout his career, so it makes no difference now weโre in a pandemic. He wants the top guys, weโll see what happens.โ
It will be Alvarez that chooses his next move. โThe thing about Canelo is heโs always training, heโs always doing some sort of exercise. He maintains himself fairly well. So heโs eager just like all the fighters are eager to come back. Obviously we have to take the proper precautions and make him feel comfortable,โ Gomez said. โThose are the details that weโre going over with him now and if he feels at the end of the day that he wants to go through with doing a show during a pandemic then weโre going to do that.
โWeโll see if thatโs something he wants to entertain, if thatโs something he wants to do. And if not weโll wait until he feels comfortable to be able to come back and have a fight again,โ he added. โAt the end of the day itโll be Caneloโs decision, what he wants to do, but there are some good fights that can be made.
โI think that people at home would really enjoy it and theyโll tune in to see a Canelo fight even more so now because the lack of boxing, the lack of big-name fighters fighting, so it would be something thatโs very attractive.โ
It would be highly significant for DAZN, Golden Boyโs broadcaster. Reliant on live sport, the network has understandably taken a hit during the shutdown of sport. โTheyโre bullish about the future,โ Gomez said. โTheyโre committed.
โTheyโre in it for the long run and we feel confident that theyโre going to be able to bounce back. Weโre hoping for a huge, huge year next year because thereโs going to be an appetite now for big sports and for big-time fights and weโre excited for that. Weโve just got to get past this storm that weโre going through right now but it canโt be a storm forever.โ
Golden Boy schedule gets underway on July 24 with Vergil Ortiz boxing Samuel Vargas at the Forum in Inglewood. โHeโs a great talent. The skyโs the limit with Vergil, heโs a complete fighter,โ Gomez enthused. โHe impresses me every time out. Heโs doing things that some of the world champions do, with the speed, with angles, setting up the punches. Heโs got a tremendous jab. I think heโs got all the tools to be not just a champion but a great champion.โ
But it has been a challenge to return. โItโs difficult matching these fighters. Thereโs a lot of fighters that took time off and are just not ready. Thereโs other fighters that are afraid to go back to the gym because of the virus and then thereโs fighters that contracted the virus and they had the virus. So the matchmaking has been very, very difficult. Itโs been tough. But weโve been able to manage. A lot of the international fighters canโt travel in because a lot of the borders are closed. So thatโs been difficult and obviously the protocols and guidelines that weโre going to have to follow to be able to do these shows are extensive, theyโre very extensive. But we have a great team at Golden Boy, everybodyโs working very hard. Itโs important to do the shows. Itโs important to give the fans some excitement, some hope. And thatโs what we plan to do,โ the Golden Boy president said. โWeโre living in uncertain times. You can prepare as much as you want but things happen. Weโve tested all of our fighters already and theyโve all been negative but from now till then, anything can happen. Theyโre in contact, itโs hard to not have contact with the outside worldโฆ Weโre taking all the precautions, weโre doing everything weโre supposed to be doing but it still doesnโt ensure that everythingโs going to go perfect. But again, weโre going to do our best and follow all the protocols and get the show going.โ
They are also currently in negotiations to match Ryan Garcia with Britainโs Luke Campbell, a bout the WBC has mandated. Garciaโs team have said they want to go the WBC route and fight Campbell. โLuke Campbellโs the guy that Ryan chose,โ Gomez said. โThatโs the guy that heโs wanted to fight, heโs named him a couple of times. Now weโre going to get to see that fight. Theyโve ordered us to start negotiations so weโre going to do that with Matchroom, they represent Campbell and hopefully we can come to an agreement and we can make the fight happenโฆ Itโs a good fight but thatโs the kind of fight that Ryan wants, heโs been very vocal about wanting those types of fight and weโre excited for him. Weโre excited for him to finally get the fights that he wants.
โLukeโs a tough customer, he is a legitimate contender. He gave Jorge Linares all he could handle, he came back at the end of that fight and I think Jorge won the fight because of a knockdown. Thatโs the only reason he won the fight, that was a very close fight. He put on a good performance against Lomachenko so heโs a legitimate fighter with experience. Heโs been in there with some pretty big names.โ
Another star name remains in Golden Boyโs orbit, even if itโs hard to imagine him returning to the ring. Oscar De La Hoya, the founder of the company, is training and hinting at an unlikely return. De La Hoya is 47 years old. He hasnโt boxed in 12 years and last time he did he suffered a painfully one-sided loss to Manny Pacquiao. He would be in no condition to box again. โI would want him to stay retired. Iโm not for him fighting but heโs a grown man and he does have skillsets that most fighters donโt have,โ Gomez cautioned. โHeโs started a workout routine and heโs starting to feel really good. I think [Conor] McGregor called him out and it got the juices flowing a little bit. Look, if he continues to work out and feels great and the right fight comes around, I can see him doing something. I can see him fighting again. It just really depends, it depends on the situation, it depends on who, and what kind of deal can be made. But for right now heโs concentrating on his fitness and getting in shape again and heโs starting to feel really really good. Itโs motivating him. Itโs a motivating factor for him.
โIt really depends on who it is. If itโs McGregor or any of the other MMA guys I think he can handle them. I really do. Itโs a sport. Itโs very, very different and heโs got these techniques and skills that have been ingrained for many, many years. It takes time to be able to have those skillsets and I think that if itโs against one of those guys then yes he can compete. He can compete and I think he can beat them. But if itโs against any of the top guys that are boxers, I donโt think it would be a good benefit for him.โ
These are unprecedented times, and they may yet get stranger still.