Canelo Alvarez still talks like a central figure in the super middleweight division, even though he no longer holds all the belts after his loss to Terence Crawford.

“They have to fight each other and then I will choose the winner.” Canelo said to Mr. Verzace. “At some point we all have to earn what we deserve, right? And they have to earn it.”

The comments were notable because Canelo is no longer a world champion at 168, and yet he still speaks from a position that allows him to avoid the same path he believes others should follow.

Since his loss to Crawford last September and absence following elbow surgery, the 168-pound belts have spread to a up-to-date group of champions that includes Christian Mbilli, Hamzah Sheeraz, Osleys Iglesias and Jaime Munguia.

Despite the loss, Canelo will still have an immediate shot at winning the world title against Mbilli on September 12 in Riyad.

This has sparked criticism from some fans who believe the former undisputed champion should now prove himself against threatening rivals before being given another shot at the title.

Fighters such as Lester Martinez, Diego Pacheco and Bektemir Melikuziev were mentioned by fans as opponents that Canelo would normally have to face if he was treated as a standard fighter rather than boxing’s biggest commercial star.

Canelo also rejected the idea of ​​closely studying up-to-date names entering the division.

“I never check it,” he said when asked about the current situation in the super middleweight division.

For many fans, this reaction only reinforced the feeling that Canelo still sees himself as a cut above the rest of the division, even though he no longer holds all the belts.

But the Mexican star remains the sport’s biggest financial draw, which allows him to move on differently than most fighters after defeat. While younger fighters continue to try to establish themselves, Canelo returns to another championship fight.

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Last updated: 24/05/2026 at 21:10

Head coach Rudy Hernandez clearly remembers the moment Junto Nakatani revealed the level of power he experienced from Naoya Inoue’s punches.

The two Japanese stars faced each other in the highly anticipated matchup earlier this month, which took place at the sold-out Tokyo Dome stadium in front of approximately 55,000 fans.

Many expected Inoue to retain his undisputed super bantamweight crown as the ponderous favorite, but his dominance in the early rounds came as a surprise to most.

At last, “The Monster” scored a clear unanimous decision victorybut was forced to overcome Nakatani’s attack between rounds seven and ten.

At this point, “Large Bang” suddenly came to life after his much more measured approach in the previous rounds, and he seemed to no longer respect his opponent’s power.

According to his coach, Hernandez, it was a key moment that, if it had come earlier, could have been enough to secure a points victory.

Anyway, the experienced trainer said Boxing Scene what Nakatani thought about Inoue’s strength, while believing that a potential rematch with Inoue would surely go their way, being so confident in Nakatani’s abilities that he promised to retire if he was proven wrong.

“If we don’t beat it [Inoue] in a rematch, I will never coach players again. I will retire. I’m leaving because I truly believe we’ll kick Inoue’s ass in the rematch.

“The moment Junto told me [Inoue] doesn’t hit as difficult, it was a game changer. I wish he had told me that in the second or third round.

Hernandez adds that regardless of their earlier head clash, Inoue’s uppercut in round 11 ultimately broke Nakatani’s orbital bone.

From there, the three-weight world champion put up an uphill battle to complete the full 12 rounds, let alone pull off a major upset.

According to a statement issued Wednesday by BZA PR on behalf of the promotion, the planned exhibition of Mike Tyson and Floyd Mayweather has been postponed to the fall of 2026 after Tyson suffered a broken arm during training.

The release stated that Tyson, who was photographed in a cast, is recovering and intends to continue fighting once he heals. He described the delay as a brief postponement and said the date, location and broadcast plans for FIGHT SPORTS would be announced soon. According to information, the exhibition was last scheduled for May 30 under agreements with CSI Sports and FIGHT SPORTS.

The fight between the two former champions was first announced in September 2024, and was originally planned for spring 2026. In the following months, the fight took place on several proposed dates and locations without a confirmed broadcaster. The planned date for April 25 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo did not materialize. Veteran reporter Dan Rafael wrote in March that the fight “definitely won’t happen on that date,” citing a source familiar with the plans.

Tyson’s advisor, Amer Abdallah, said Boxing news in April that the contract remained valid and that he believed the fight would continue. Tyson himself admitted that he injured his hand earlier this year.

Tyson (59) last competed in November 2024, when he returned to the professional ring and lost by decision to Jake Paul. Mayweather, who retired with a professional record of 50-0, has not fought professionally since stopping Conor McGregor in 2017, although he still competes in exhibition fights. Mayweather has separately confirmed a June 27 fight against Greek kickboxer Mike Zambidis in Athens and is linked to a September rematch with Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas.

CSI Sports, founded by Richard and Craig Miele in 1997, owns the rights to a catalog of championship boxing events and operates the FIGHT SPORTS network. The company said it would debut the up-to-date technology in 2026, without providing further details.