Boxing

Around the Table: Who Can Challenge Canelo at 160 or 168 Pounds?

Published

9 minutes ago

November 7, 2026

"Around the Table: Who Can Challenge Canelo at 160 or 168 Pounds?"

We all acknowledge that Canelo isn’t in his peak years anymore, but looking at the actual landscape around him right now, is there anyone at 168, or who could come up from 160, you think would beat Canelo Alvarez?

Canelo was sharp against Christian Mbilli, but I never thought Mbilli would beat or even really trouble Canelo too much. And that’s what you look for, even today, even with Canelo faded: It has to be a really, really good fighter, and the right kind of fighter.

It wasn’t Mbilli, and it’s not going to be Lester Martinez, either. I wouldn’t mind seeing that fight, because Martinez has earned it as much as one earns shots at belts in boxing, and maybe Martinez would prove me wrong. I’m certainly not saying he’s a 0% chance to win, but on paper I don’t see it.

Hamzah Sheeraz is the fighter TurkiCo seems to want in the spot, and there are aspects there that seem potentially interesting, but Sheeraz’s so-so showings in other fights don’t inspire much confidence. Osleys Iglesisas might be the guy, but he’d also be taking a huge step up in competition, and you can’t forget that; basically the same step up that Mbilli just took. I’m not saying they aren’t good fighters, but the records built in Quebec are not filled with world class opposition.

I don’t honestly see anyone at 168 or 160 that beats Canelo right now, next fight out. I just don’t think there’s anyone there who’s good enough right now; a couple of them would be in time, perhaps, but we’re not talking about two or three years from now.

It’s an interesting question, and I’ll just preface the rest of my response by highlighting the fact there’s a difference between would and could. I say that to say this: I actually thought Canelo looked really sharp against Mbilli, with his reaction time and defense on point. But even though Canelo is a fighter with elite level skill, he’s still an aging fighter. Aging athletes in general never forget what to do, but the most noticeable decline is consistency in their performances.

The older and more worn, the less consistently they can perform at the levels they’re accustomed to. In that respect I would compare Canelo to an older pitcher. On some nights he’ll still have some of his best stuff and on those nights he’ll look good, but he’s not going to consistently bring his best stuff anymore, and on the nights he doesn’t he’ll be vulnerable to a potential slip up.

If I’m just estimating, I think there’s 0% chance we’ll ever see Canelo in better form than we just saw him, about a 35% chance he can match the form we just saw, and about a 65% chance that he has something less to offer on a given night. If Canelo can duplicate his most recent performance, I can’t honestly say that any fighter between 160-168 would beat him right now, but I do think it’s more likely than not that he’s in worse form. In that case I’d say perhaps someone like Yoenli Hernandez, and to a lesser extent Carlos Adames or Hamzah Sheeraz could potentially give him a run for his money, but it’s certainly far from a sure thing.

The cheeky answer would be Erislandy Lara, since there was so much controversy over his split decision loss to Canelo at the time. But, I don’t think Lara actually won that fight, and I certainly don’t think that a 43 year old Lara moving up to super middleweight would beat Canelo in 2026.

I think that, given the landscape, there’s really just one guy at the weight with an argument right now: Osleys Iglesias. It would be a huge step up for Iglesias, but part of that is his difficulty getting a major fight yet given how formidable he looks. The people who have beaten Canelo, officially or otherwise, had exceptional skill and enough stopping power to keep him honest. Iglesias looks like he checks both boxes. I’d love to see him get the chance.

Otherwise, you’re looking down at 154 lbs and trying to guess if someone like Boots or Fundora can do it, because I don’t think anyone at middleweight is a realistic threat.

My Hiroo Onoda answer is that David Benavidez was the guy. The one weird trick to beating Canelo seems to be a refusal to let him get comfortable and Benavidez’s kit is perfect for that: height, reach, volume, hand speed, offensive variety, and criminally underrated defense. Him losing the WBC belt by failing to make weight against Roamer Alexis F*ckin’ Angulo right as Canelo kicked off his undisputed super middleweight chase is up there with the butterfly ballots in “things that make me want to run full-speed into a brick wall if I think about them too hard.”

As for who can do it now, the only guys who seem like they belong in the conversation are Janibek Alimkhanuly and Osleys Iglesias. The kings of the heap at 160 are Carlos Adames and Old Man Lara, whom nobody in their right minds would pick to topple Canelo, and who else is there at 168? Diego Pacheco and Hamzah Sheeraz, who looked pedestrian against far lesser opposition and clearly want no smoke whatsoever? Lester Martinez could be interesting and will be next for Canelo if Mauricio Sulaiman keeps his word (lmao), but I’m not sold after his own performance against Christian Mbilli.

Alimkhanuly has the technical pedigree to potentially find the holes in Canelo’s ultra-optimized game and the physical abilities to exploit them. Iglesias isn’t quite as credentialed, but his speed and power are at or near the division’s peak and that pile bunker jab of his is the sort of disruptive weapon that could give Canelo fits. That said, I’d still favor Canelo over either.

Boxing

Chris Billam Smith vs Chev Clarke Live Updates: Round by Round Action from Zuffa Boxing 12

Published

6 hours ago

November 7, 2026

The Punch Junkie™ News

"Chris Billam Smith vs Chev Clarke Live Updates: Round by Round Action from Zuffa Boxing 12"

Follow Billam-Smith against Clarke with live round reports, scoring and the official result from London.

Chris Billam-Smith fights Cheavon Clarke over 10 rounds tonight on Sky Sports in the UK and Paramount+ in the US. The former WBO cruiserweight champion headlines Zuffa Boxing 12 at the Copper Box Arena on Saturday, November 7.

Billam-Smith vs Clarke Round-by-Round Updates

Live reports will appear here from the opening bell, tracking clean punches, knockdowns and which fighter controls each round.

● LIVE

Chris Billam-Smith vs Chev Clarke

2026-11-07 · 14:00 ET / 7:00 PM UK · Copper Box Arena, London · Paramount+, Sky Sports

Chris Billam-Smith0

AFTER0ROUNDS

Chev Clarke0

ROUNDChris Billam-SmithChev Clarke

Undercard Results

Featherweight Masood Abdulah (14-1, 8 KOs) scored two knockdowns to defeat Adan Palma (14-2) by an eight-round unanimous decision. The judges scored it 78-72, 77-73 and 76-74.

Abdulah dropped Palma with a short left hook in the opening minute, then used his jab and compact hooks to catch him coming forward. Palma fought his way back into the contest, landing heavy right hands in the fourth round that forced Abdulah to clinch.

A well-timed check left hook sent Palma down again in the sixth, slowing his attack and giving Abdulah more room to dictate the action. Abdulah worked behind his jab and continued finding the left hook over the final two rounds to secure the victory.

Vinnie Kemp (1-0, 1 KO) stopped Liam McElhinney (0-3) with a barrage of body shots at 2:33 of the opening round in their scheduled four-round middleweight bout. Making his professional debut, Kemp charged forward from the opening bell, throwing hard punches and goading McElhinney.

The referee briefly paused the action to warn Kemp about his verbals before allowing the fight to continue. Kemp resumed his attack, stalking McElhinney and driving punches into his midsection.

McElhinney bent forward and covered up against the ropes under the sustained body attack, prompting the referee to wave it off. Kemp’s aggression gave him a quick debut victory, although McElhinney offered little to test him.

When Does Billam-Smith vs Clarke Start?

Main-event ring walks: 🇺🇸 5 pm ET / 2 pm PT · 🇬🇧 10 p.m. GMTapproximately.

The undercard determines the final timing. Billam-Smith and Clarke headline a nine-fight show, with Denzel Bentley against Shane Mosley Jr. in the co-feature.

Main-card broadcast:

🇺🇸 2 pm ET / 11 am PT

🇬🇧 7 p.m. GMT

Preliminary coverage:

🇺🇸 12 pm ET / 9 am PT

🇬🇧 5 p.m. GMT

Sky Sports broadcasts the main card in the UK, with prelims available on its digital platforms. Paramount+ carries the prelims and main card in the US through a subscription, without a separate PPV charge.

Two June Stoppage Wins Set Up the Main Event

Both fighters arrive after punishing fights.

Billam-Smith beat Ryan Rozicki in June, with the Canadian’s corner withdrawing him after seven rounds of their Bournemouth contest. Clarke endured a rougher route on the same bill, recovering from two knockdowns before stopping Jack Massey.

Tonight’s contest carries no championship belt. For Billam-Smith, it offers a chance to strengthen his position at cruiserweight while beating an opponent who twice frustrated him.

Clarke’s second amateur victory came in the 2016 national elite championship final. Beating Billam-Smith in the paid ranks would add a former world champion to his professional record and strengthen his case for bigger fights.

Billam-Smith enters at 22-2 with 14 knockoutswhile Clarke brings a 12-2 record with nine stoppages. The experience gap amounts to ten professional contests.

Both cleared the scales on Friday. Billam-Smith weighed 199.5 lbs (90.5 kg) and Clarke 198.8 lbs (90.2 kg) for their cruiserweight headliner.

Zuffa Boxing 12 Undercard Results

Confirmed results and finishing details will be added alongside the matchups below as the bouts conclude.

Main Card

Denzel Bentley vs Shane Mosley Jr.

Middleweight · 10 rounds

Da’Mazion Vanhouter vs Ivan Balaz

Heavyweight · 8 rounds

Sam Hickey vs Amaury Massenaux

Middleweight · 8 rounds

Kayla Allen vs Julia Igel

Super lightweight · 6 rounds

Lucas Roehrig vs Connal McDonald

Cruiserweight · 8 rounds

Prelims

Zach Parker vs Umar Dzambekov

Light-heavyweight · 10 rounds

Vinnie Kemp vs Liam McElhinney

Middleweight · 4 rounds

Masood Abdullah vs Adan Palma

Featherweight · 8 rounds

Boxing

Chris Billam-Smith vs Chev Clarke Live Updates: Round-by-Round Analysis from Zuffa Boxing 12

Published

6 hours ago

November 7, 2026

The Punch Junkie™ News

Chris Billam-Smith vs Chev Clarke Live Updates: Round-by-Round Analysis from Zuffa Boxing 12

Follow Billam-Smith against Clarke with live round reports, scoring and the official result from London.

Billam-Smith vs Clarke Round-by-Round Updates

Live reports will appear here from the opening bell, tracking clean punches, knockdowns and which fighter controls each round.

● LIVE

Chris Billam-Smith vs Chev Clarke

2026-11-07 · 14:00 ET / 7:00 PM UK · Copper Box Arena, London · Paramount+, Sky Sports

Chris Billam-Smith0

AFTER0ROUNDS

Chev Clarke0

ROUNDChris Billam-SmithChev Clarke

Undercard Results

Featherweight Masood Abdulah (14-1, 8 KOs) scored two knockdowns to defeat Adan Palma (14-2) by an eight-round unanimous decision. The judges scored it 78-72, 77-73 and 76-74.

The referee briefly paused the action to warn Kemp about his verbals before allowing the fight to continue. Kemp resumed his attack, stalking McElhinney and driving punches into his midsection.

When Does Billam-Smith vs Clarke Start?

Main-event ring walks: 🇺🇸 5 pm ET / 2 pm PT · 🇬🇧 10 p.m. GMTapproximately.

The undercard determines the final timing. Billam-Smith and Clarke headline a nine-fight show, with Denzel Bentley against Shane Mosley Jr. in the co-feature.

Main-card broadcast:

🇺🇸 2 pm ET / 11 am PT

🇬🇧 7 p.m. GMT

Preliminary coverage:

🇺🇸 12 pm ET / 9 am PT

🇬🇧 5 p.m. GMT

Two June Stoppage Wins Set Up the Main Event

Both fighters arrive after punishing fights.

Tonight’s contest carries no championship belt. For Billam-Smith, it offers a chance to strengthen his position at cruiserweight while beating an opponent who twice frustrated him.

Billam-Smith enters at 22-2 with 14 knockoutswhile Clarke brings a 12-2 record with nine stoppages. The experience gap amounts to ten professional contests.

Both cleared the scales on Friday. Billam-Smith weighed 199.5 lbs (90.5 kg) and Clarke 198.8 lbs (90.2 kg) for their cruiserweight headliner.

Zuffa Boxing 12 Undercard Results

Confirmed results and finishing details will be added alongside the matchups below as the bouts conclude.

Main Card

Denzel Bentley vs Shane Mosley Jr.

Middleweight · 10 rounds

Da’Mazion Vanhouter vs Ivan Balaz

Heavyweight · 8 rounds

Sam Hickey vs Amaury Massenaux

Middleweight · 8 rounds

Kayla Allen vs Julia Igel

Super lightweight · 6 rounds

Lucas Roehrig vs Connal McDonald

Cruiserweight · 8 rounds

Prelims

Zach Parker vs Umar Dzambekov

Light-heavyweight · 10 rounds

Vinnie Kemp vs Liam McElhinney

Middleweight · 4 rounds

Masood Abdullah vs Adan Palma

Featherweight · 8 rounds

Boxing

Robert Garcia Analyzes Tim Tszyus Odds Against Erislandy Lara | Boxing News

Published

8 hours ago

November 7, 2026

The Punch Junkie™ News

"Robert Garcia Analyzes Tim Tszyu's Odds Against Erislandy Lara | Boxing News"

Tim Tszyu seeks to become Australia’s third multi-divisional boxing world champion when he competes for Erislandy Lara’s WBA middleweight title next month, and ahead of the action, trainer Robert Garcia has offered his thoughts on the fight.

Tszyu lost his WBO super-welterweight title in a defeat to Sebastian Fundora back in 2024 and twice failed to reclaim 154lb honours, both against Bakhram Murtazaliev and in a rematch with Fundora.

Since then, the Aussie has stepped up to middleweight and scored a career-best win over Errol Spence Jr earlier this yearand now, the 32-year-old could join lead trainer Jeff Fenech and Liam Paro as his nation’s third two-weight world champion, if he can trump 43-year-old.

Speaking with ProBox TVRobert Garcia, who trains a potential future Tszyu opponent in Vergil Ortiz, admitted that he is leaning towards the home fighter, but noted that Lara will not be phased by competing in the challenger’s backyard.

“We can probably lean towards Tim Tsyzu because he is fighting at home, in front of his hometown, but Lara is not the fighter that brings in a lot of fans following him.

“He doesn’t have a following, he is not one that is going to sell out arenas, so even if it is in the United States, it is likely that most of the people are going to be [there] for Tim Tszyu because Australians do travel and Tim Tszyu has a lot of fans.

“For Lara, going to Australia is like going to Las Vegas or going to New York because he never has that following anyways. Anywhere he goes, he is going to be against the crowd. So, I think for him it is going to be one of those performances where it doesn’t make a difference if he is going to Tim Tsyzu’s hometown.”

Tszyu-Lara takes place at the Cbus Super Stadium in Queensland, Australia on Sunday 13 December.