Chris Eubank Junior’s possibilities of getting picked by Canelo Alvarez for his struggle in September are good as a result of Dana White selected to stage one among his UFC occasions on September 14th, the Mexican Independence Day weekend.
London Calling for Canelo & Eubank Jr.?
Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs) might elect to attend a number of weeks and struggle Eubank Jr. (33-3, 24 KOs) in England in September. That’s a struggle that may herald plenty of followers. It’s staged in London, the UK. It’s most likely not a Wembley Stadium-level struggle, but it surely sells many tickets for the world.
The opposite opponent that Canelo is contemplating for his subsequent struggle is Edgar Berlanga, his WBA necessary, and it might solely make sense to struggle him if it may occur within the U.S. throughout a vacation on September 14th. Berlanga could be a foul selection for Canelo for different causes.
Followers don’t take into account the 27-year-old extremely ranked Berlanga certified to compete for a world title. They need to see him beat no less than one top-tier opponent earlier than getting a title shot, and he has not finished that.
Berlanga: A Much less Interesting Possibility
“When you don’t have the Mexican Independence Day choice over right here, you go to London,” mentioned Teddy Atlas to Probox TV about Canelo Alvarez probably dealing with Chris Eubank Jr. subsequent in September in London, England. “If you’d like the good rivalry with Puerto Rican and Mexican followers, you go along with [Edgar] Berlanga.”
The 34-year-old Eubank Jr. (33-3, 24 KOs) hasn’t fought in a 12 months, and he’d have some ring rust on him going up towards Canelo in September, but it surely wouldn’t matter even when he had been energetic over the past 12 months. He’s not on the identical stage as Canelo talent-wise, and it’ll be a mismatch regardless.
“With the mix of the UFC happening Mexican Independence Day weekend, it could push Canelo out of Las Vegas,” mentioned boxing skilled Paulie Malignaggi. “In that scenario, it could push the Berlanga struggle away.”
Berlanga’s New York followers gained’t be joyful that he’s not getting the struggle, however once more, he doesn’t price the struggle, and it wouldn’t be good for Canelo to take care of the backlash from selecting him.
Whereas Canelo is busy preventing Eubank Jr, maybe Berlanga’s promoter Eddie Hearn can match towards somebody good to offer him some credibility, like Caleb Plant, Jaime Munguia, David Benavidez, Christian Mbilli or David Morrell Jr.
“When you struggle in america, Berlanga is the extra viable opponent. He’s extra widespread,” mentioned Malignaggi. “Eubank doesn’t have plenty of reputation within the U.S. When you go to Europe, you struggle Eubank in England. I may see that chance opening up, and I may see the place he’s going with this.”
There are few choices for Canelo’s struggle in September except he desires to incorporate a few of the fighters within the 160-lb weight class. Provided that Eubank Jr. could be shifting up from 160, Canelo may take a look at different fighters from that weight class, and followers wouldn’t complain.
“England would like to have a Canelo Alvarez. To me, these boxing followers are the perfect on this planet,” mentioned Malignaggi. “Even when he had been preventing their native man, clearly, they might root for Eubank, however they might nonetheless be privileged and in awe to have one among boxing’s stars select their place to struggle.”
London could be a superb place for Canelo to struggle, and there could be plenty of buzz across the occasion if it’s staged there. Eubank Jr. is clearly on the draw back of his profession, however followers nonetheless would need to see the struggle if he’s preventing Canelo.
Dana White’s Impression on Canelo’s Schedule
“Dana White sits for no person. Canelo sits for him. When you take a look at the UFC schedule, they’re doing that once more in September [for Mexican Independence Day], you could possibly see Canelo taking his act on the highway to England, the place he would clearly be welcomed with open arms. The English love their boxing and their celebrity fighters,” mentioned Malignaggi.
Canelo must get used to White staging his occasions on Mexican holidays within the U.S. to benefit from the followers who would tune in. If Canelo had been preventing somebody widespread like David Benavidez, he wouldn’t should abandon his date in September, but when he had been to struggle Berlanga, who is barely widespread in sections of New York Metropolis, it wouldn’t work.
