Jared Anderson was supposed to be boxing’s next Mike Tyson. Nineteen fights into his career, and the hype surrounding this claim is already perceptible on the canvas.
When Anderson burst onto the scene over a three-month period in 2019-20 with a string of first-round knockouts, the excitement was obvious. The sport finally had an American heavyweight with real support from a major promoter and the kind of power fans could follow from day one, something that hadn’t been seen since the rise of Deontay Wilder.
Top Rank leaned in behind him, Bob Arum talked about the future champion, and Tyson Fury even went as far as calling him the heir apparent as the hype gained momentum.
In the ring, Anderson did what was expected, knocking people out and adding to his list of highlights. Outside of it, the first cracks were already there, although then they were simple to erase.
He was newborn, attractive, and different enough to stand out, although there were times when his focus didn’t quite live up to expectations.
The first warning signs
The first real turning point came when Anderson lined up to fight Zhan Kossobutsky in what would be a real step forward. This fight was a fiasco and he was replaced by Charles Martin, completely changing the vibe of the moment.
Anderson won in his hometown of Toledo, Ohio, and followed it up with another victory over Andrii Rudenko in Tulsa. However, it no longer had the edge it had initially provided, and the momentum that had once seemed unstoppable began to plateau.
On November 6, 2023, Anderson was arrested for improperly handling a firearm in a vehicle while under the influence. He spent about eight hours in custody before being released and later pleaded not guilty to a firearms offense and received a suspended sentence.
That alone should be a warning. Four months later, he was charged again after allegedly leading police on a six-mile chase at speeds in excess of 120 mph. He later apologized, but the situation increased concerns about his focus outside the ring.
Mark Robinson
Bakole exposes the gap
When Anderson faced Martin Bakole, everything that had been building beneath the surface was exposed overnight. He was dropped early, broken and stopped after five innings in a performance that exposed the chasm between hype and reality.
Since then, reconstruction has provided little certainty. A decision victory over Marios Kollias in 2025 raised more questions than answers, especially as Anderson struggled to impose himself in a fight he was expected to dominate.
Even during this victory, problems were evident to the point that Tim Bradley took to commentary to call his performance “terrible” after Anderson in the corner complained that he was throwing elbows instead of following instructions.
No declaration of winning
Now 2026 is following a similar pattern, with Anderson ruled out of his planned UK debut due to injury, adding to the uncertainty around him.
He’s nineteen fights into his career and still hasn’t had a win that changes anything at the highest level, even though he has strength and support that will never fully run out.
Failures, performances and problems outside the ring all point in the same direction, making the original narrative increasingly tough to maintain.
Jared Anderson was supposed to be the next Mike Tyson. At this point, that comparison isn’t precise, and the gap between expectations and the lack of a standout win hasn’t disappeared.
About the author
Phil Jay is the editor-in-chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a boxing veteran with over 15 years of experience. Since 2010, he has been interviewing world champions, breaking down international titles exclusively and reporting from the ring. His work is distributed across major platforms including Apple News. Read the full biography.
Canelo Alvarez got his hands on the WBC super-middleweight title once again as he dethroned Christian Mbilli on Saturday night, and now the reigning WBC Interim champion has revealed his keenness to take on the Mexican superstar.
Alvarez lost his undisputed title to Terence Crawford last September, whilst Christian Mbilli defended his WBC Interim title in a draw against Lester Martinez in the co-main event.
When Crawford retired from the sport and relinquished his titles, Mbilli was elevated to full world champion and an immediate target was placed on his back, with Canelo eager to regain his title – which he did with a unanimous decision win on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Martinez – who is trained by Crawford coach Brian McIntyre and has sparred the pound-for-pound great on many occasions – has since been named as the WBC Interim champion and has defended that belt with triumphs over Immanuwel Aleem and Luka Plantic during 2026.
Following Canelo’s win over Mbilli, Martinez told Izquierdazo Boxeo that it is his ‘dream’ to take on the four-division world champion in a bid for the full WBC super-middleweight crown.
“My dream now is to fight Canelo because he is the champion.”
Alvarez is believed to have one fight left on his deal with Riyadh Season and is already being linked to a return to action in the spring.
Whilst Martinez will hope to soon be mandated as Alvarez’s opponent, David Benavidez famously had no such luck when pursuing a showdown with Canelo whilst he reigned as the WBC Interim titleholder.
Instead, Canelo is hoping to secure a mammoth rematch with Crawforddespite the American’s retirement.
On Halloween night, Canelo Alvarez defeated Christian Mbilli to become a three-time super-middleweight world champion, and now the question is: outside of Terence Crawford, can any other boxer defeat Canelo at 168?
When Christian Mbilli entered the ring to face Canelo Alvarez, a reasonable number of boxing pundits thought Mbilli was going to pull off the upset. Alvarez has a history of stamina issues, and many assumed Mbilli could take advantage.
The idea was for Mbilli to overwhelm Canelo with his high-volume punching, wear him down, take over in the later rounds, and win a close decision. Unfortunately for Mbilli, the bout didn’t go that way.
Canelo Alvarez was able to dictate the range and the pace of the fight. Canelo’s defense was sharp, his stamina was good, and on offense he dominated the action with skillful counterpunching and pinpoint accuracy.
Mbilli fought the wrong type of fight, as most of the bout took place at mid-range as opposed to close quarters. Mbilli gave Canelo too much respect, and on multiple occasions he looked confused.
Christian Mbilli was severely outclassed, and because of that, the fight looked like a glorified sparring session. As a result of the bout, Canelo Alvarez (64-3-2, 39 KOs) is the new WBC super-middleweight world champion.
The sport of boxing is based on levels, and on the night of October 31st, Canelo Alvarez proved he was levels above Christian Mbilli. Now fight fans are wondering: are any of the current top super-middleweights close to being on Canelo’s level?
Terence “Bud” Crawford defeated Canelo Alvarez with his skill set and his ring IQ. None of the top super-middleweights have a skill set compatible with Crawford’s, and none of them come close to Crawford when it comes to ring intelligence.
With that being said, one would ask, outside of a rematch with Crawford, what would be the ideal fight for Canelo at 168? If Terence Crawford can’t be convinced to come out of retirement, then Hamzah Sheeraz is probably the best candidate.
The former WBO world champion Hamzah Sheeraz is a 6-foot-3-inch super-middleweight who is skilled, and he can effectively fight from long range. On Halloween night, Sheeraz was ringside analyzing the fight.
Back in July 2025, Hamzah Sheeraz looked sharp as he stopped Edgar Berlanga in the 5th round. A year later, Sheeraz had a lackluster performance, as he scored a majority decision victory over Simon Zachenhuber.
Now Hamzah Sheeraz (24-0-1, 19 KOs) appears to be the frontrunner in regards to facing Canelo in 2027. If Sheeraz doesn’t get the match, then Canelo may choose to fight one of the other champions at 168.
Lester Martinez would give Canelo Alvarez a dangerous first defense of his reclaimed WBC super middleweight title. The aggressive Guatemalan can punch and has Brian “BoMac” McIntyre in his corner, giving him access to the trainer who helped Terence Crawford beat Canelo.
“My dream now is to fight Canelo because he’s the champion,” Martinez said to Izquierdazo Boxeo in a quote shared by The Ring. His WBC interim title gives that ambition substance, although it does not establish that Canelo has been ordered to face him next.
The McIntyre connection makes this more interesting than another contender requesting a payday. BoMac knows what went into preparing Crawford for Canelo and could bring that knowledge into Martinez’s camp. The WBC lists McIntyre as Martinez’s trainer. wbcboxing.com
Crawford could also offer firsthand advice about Canelo’s timing, counterpunching and habits under pressure. His involvement in a potential camp has not been announced, but Martinez would have an obvious reason to seek his stablemate’s input.
Mbilli took too long to alter his approach when Canelo’s jab and head movement disrupted his pressure last weekend. He continued following Canelo without consistently changing how he attacked. Martinez would likely arrive expecting those tactics, with McIntyre preparing ways to get past the jab and vary his attack.
That would not make Lester immune to Canelo’s counters. It could, however, reduce the rounds spent trying to work out what to do next. BoMac could prepare alternatives before the opening bell and help Martinez adjust between rounds when Canelo starts frustrating him.
Martinez would still need to win with his own tools. He cannot copy Crawford’s performance. His route would involve sustained pressure, body punching and enough variation to prevent Canelo from anticipating each attack.
His 2025 draw with Mbilli gives him a relevant result against the man Canelo just defeated. Beating Canelo is another matter, but an aggressive puncher arriving with informed preparation would be a serious undertaking for the 36-year-old champion.
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