Canelo Alvarez will soon return to the 168-pound scene, and there are plenty of fresh fighters at this weight who are hoping to get a chance to face him. One of those fighters is the newly crowned world champion, and Canelo has now answered his call.

Canelo lost all four recognized super middleweight world titles to Terence Crawford in September and have since been captured by Hamzah Sheeraz (WBO), Jaime Munguia (WBA), Osleys Iglesias (IBF) and Christian Mbilli (WBC). whom he will face in September.

However, if Sheeraz and Iglesias manage to reclaim the 168-pound throne against Mbilla, they have made it clear that they would like to pursue a potential unification against the Mexican superstar.

Although in a recent interview, Iglesias suggested that Canelo “wouldn’t want” to face him, believing he wouldn’t get a chance to unify despite his position as the current IBF world champion.

“It’s complicated. It’s complicated with Canelo. Canelo wouldn’t want to fight me. I hope he gave me this fight and allowed me to show that Cuban fighters, and more specifically Osleys Iglesias, are a different breed.

“We leave it to God and he will give me a chance to fight him.”

In response, Canelo said now DAZN Boxing that Iglesias and Sheeraz could get that chance by facing each other.

“I’ve never checked it [potential fights with Hamzah Sheeraz or Osleys Iglesias]. I think they have to fight each other and then I will choose the winner. It’s the smartest thing they can do.

“At some point we all have to earn what we deserve, right? They have to earn it [a fight with me]why not? That’s why I say they have to [fight each other] and I’m not saying they don’t deserve it.

“They deserve it, that’s why they’re there as champions, number one or whatever.

“But they have to fight each other and then, after my fight, we will see.”

Iglesias, who has 14 knockouts in 15 wins, is believed to be in talks to make a hard first defense against reigning WBC middleweight world champion Carlos Adames, who will soon relinquish the belt before moving up to the super middleweight division.

Oleksandr Usyk had to work tough for his victory over Rico Verhoeven last month, coming very close to a shocking and depressing defeat. Now heavyweight rival Tyson Fury has shared his assessment of Usyk’s performance in the match with the Dutch kickboxer.

When Usyk signed a contract to defend his world heavyweight title against Verhoeven, most of boxing was frustrated by the news, believing it would be an effortless night for the Ukrainian.

But ahead of the evening’s fight, those who had dismissed Verhoeven’s chances were shocked when the 1-0 challenger gave Usyk his “toughest fight yet” until a controversial 11th-round stoppage saved the champion’s face.

I’m talking to iFL TelevisionFury believes Usyk “probably lost every round” of the competition, while explaining why he believes the Ukrainian’s reasons for avoiding a clash with Moses Itauma are false.

“Bulls**t. Oleksandr is approaching 40, just got pushed all the way and probably lost every round against a kickboxer. So I don’t think he wants to fight a 21-year-old drill kid for no gain.”

“He won’t make a lot of money because Moses isn’t that popular or popular right now. He’s rising, he’s a rising star, but he’s not at the top right now, so [Usyk] you won’t gain anything from it.

“Everything to lose and nothing to gain. If he beats Moses, he’s beaten the adolescent kid coming, and if he loses to Moses, he’s lost to a 21-year-old, so it doesn’t make much sense [for Usyk to fight him]”

Usyk is expected to face German Agit Kabayel nextwhere a similar performance could translate into ending his unbeaten streak.

Trainer Robert Garcia believes the ongoing debate over Tyson Fury potentially teaming up with Dana White is overblown and insists boxing fans only care about one thing: getting the biggest fights.

Fury addressed the increasing conversations about his future at the UFC White House gala, where he hinted that a major announcement regarding Dana White may be on the horizon. The heavyweight star has been heavily linked to White’s burgeoning boxing business, even though his long-talked-about clash with Anthony Joshua remains unresolved.

Asked by Chris Algieri whether Fury’s promotional situation could complicate the long-awaited fight with Joshua, Garcia dismissed the idea.

“The fans don’t care. The fans don’t care. As long as the fight happens, I don’t care,” Garcia told Probox TV. “Anthony Joshua has obviously been very, very devoted and has worked very well with Eddie and Matchroom, and that’s perfect. I love that with fighters as well. But Tyson Fury, if he says Turki Alalshikh is his promoter, that fight can still happen.”

Garcia pointed out that the various parties involved in boxing’s biggest events had cooperated before, making the promotional disputes less significant than some had suggested.

“It’s not like they never worked together. They continue to work together. So it’s a fight that has nothing to do with the promoters. It’s not like the promoters are going to prevent the fight or anything like that. The promoters can make it happen. Turki can do it.”

The Mexican coach’s biggest fear was that Fury and Joshua would continue to fight on an interim basis rather than eventually meet in the ring.

Garcia said earlier in the discussion that neither heavyweight side needs another exhilarating fight and warned that the longer they wait, the greater the risk that injuries, losses or age will diminish the appeal of one of boxing’s most anticipated fights.

For Robert, the possible involvement of Dana White is secondary. If a Fury-Joshua delivery is still possible, boxing fans are unlikely to care whose logo appears in promotional materials.

Tomek Galm is a boxing journalist covering the global fight landscape since 2014, specializing in heavyweight analysis, industry trends and fighter psychology.

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Last update: 16/06/2026 at 1:54