Ilunga Makabu Promises to Knockout Canelo Alvarez
In a bit of late-breaking news that’s come with radically different opinions, undisputed super middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (57-1-2, 39 KO’s) has petitioned to face WBC cruiserweight champion Ilunga Makabu (28-2, 25 KO’s). Alvarez’s manager and chief second, Eddy Reynoso, made the formal petition at a recent WBC convention in Mexico. WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman and the board unanimously approved of the bout.
Canelo is coming off the most accomplished win of his career over Caleb Plant, in which he became the first undisputed super middleweight champion in history.
The fight will come as a buzzkill to many because no one asked for this bout at all. Going a step further, most were hoping to get Canelo versus David Benavidez. The former champ is an undefeated, two-time super middleweight champion that many view as the unofficial WBC champion. Furthermore, he is ranked #5 by the IBF and holds the #1 spot by the WBC. He is coming off an extremely dominant win over late replacement Kyrone Davis November 13.
If not Benavidez, there were a slew of other options that Alvarez has. At middleweight he has WBO champion Demetrius Andrade and WBC champion Jermall Charlo. Both of which have expressed a move to super middleweight to challenge Canelo.
Directly above at light heavyweight, there has been interest shown in bouts with unified champion Artur Beterbiev and WBA super champion Dmitry Bivol. Hell, prior to the picking of Makabu, IBF Cruiserweight champion Mairis Briedis called for a fight with the undisputed champion.
RELATED: Mairis Briedis to Canelo Alvarez: “Ready For A Proper Challenge At 200?”
All of these bouts outside of Briedis have been talked about at great length. Instead, we’ll get Makabu who has yet to fight in the US. Also by the proposed date of Cinco De Mayo weekend, he will be coming off eighteen months of inactivity!
BRING A PILLOW!!
Some will praise Canelo for being “brave” by jumping up in weight. Plus, there is no doubt a significant element of risk to leaping up to cruiserweight. In the end though, this is likely more akin to “fool’s gold.” Similar to when Alvarez jumped up to duel with the weathered and worn out Sergey Kovalev rather than fight against Demetrius Andrade to become undisputed at middleweight. Granted Makabu is currently on a nine fight win streak and coming off a seventh round knockout win over WBC #5 ranked cruiserweight Olanrewaju Durodola.
At the same time many will argue that the slow-starting, somewhat plodding fighter is tailor-made for the redhead. Clearly Alvarez is attempting to add more luster to his resume by obtaining a new belt in a fifth weight class. As expected, however, Makabu has other plans in mind! He knows that even though Canelo is entering his backyard he will be viewed as the underdog, but he is not letting that faze him one iota.
Let the Congolese boxer tell it, he will defeat Canelo in dramatic fashion no matter when or where they go to war!
“I will make people to love boxing! I’ll give Canelo what he wants! if he is going up in the division like this that means he is looking for a good boxer. He will find it and the people will know who Junior [Makabu] is.
“In each and every fight, Junior [Makabu] always fights different. Canelo always fights aggressive fight. He always attacking, can punch, everything. And what’s people saying about me? I can box, I can take [a shot], I can punch.
“Let’s see if Canelo can take it! I will win. I will not win by points, I’ll knockout Canelo!”
By: Bakari Simpson
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