Two world champions are front runners to be Canelo’s next opponent
Badou Jack and Jermall Charlo have emerged as the likely next opponents for Canelo when he fights again later this year.
The Mexican typically has two fights each year, with the first coming on 'Cinco de Mayo' in May and the next happening on Mexican Independence Day, which is on September 16.
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Having beaten plucky Brit John Ryder by unanimous decision in his Mexican homecoming earlier this year, Canelo is now in talks to choose an opponent for September.
According to, the two leading candidates are WBC middleweight world champion Jermall Charlo or WBC cruiserweight world champion Badou Jack.
Charlo has not fought since May 2021 when he beat Juan Macias Montiel by unanimous decision, but he would be expected to move up to super middleweight to challenge Canelo for his undisputed 168 lb titles if the pair fight.
Meanwhile, former light heavyweight and super middleweight world champion Jack made the jump up to cruiserweight last time out to take on WBC world champion Ilunga Makabu and he stopped him in the twelfth round of a thrilling contest.
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In this case, with Canelo having previously teased that he may move up to cruiserweight to fight Makabu, it would be expected that the Mexican would come into Jack's division in an attempt to win his world title and become a five-weight world champion.
With that being said, fans may be disappointed with this news, as the fights that might carry the most interest for Canelo would have been against either David Benavidez or a rematch vs Dmitry Bivol.
Benavidez's manager, Sampson Lewkowicz, recently revealed that he sent a proposal to Canelo's team, but the Mexican's manager and trainer Eddy Reynoso claims he never received an offer.
As for Bivol, he beat Canelo last year, but the Russian's manager Vadim Kornilov believes the Mexican does not want the rematch as he has called for the same terms as the first fight despite losing.
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Kornilov followed up by telling ESPN: "[Canelo] is obviously avoiding Bivol and they know it would be tough for them to beat him."
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