Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez’s manager and trainer, Eddy Reynoso, just ruined Chris Eubank Jr and the Brit’s promoter Ben Shalom, of Boxxer, before a punch could even be thrown. Throw in the white towel, it’s over.
Eubank and Shalom talked to Sky Sports earlier this week and suggested that they’d had conversations with Canelo’s camp about a transatlantic super-fight in the summer, possibly on the weekend closest to Cinco de Mayo, at Wembley Stadium in London, England, which can be modified to fit 96,000 fans inside the venue.
The only issue? A saga earlier in the year in which Canelo and Eubank appeared to be in fight negotiations for a September bout left such a sour taste in the Mexican superstar’s mouth that he is apathetic about ever having to deal with the middleweight ever again.
Canelo’s Team Torched Chris Eubank Fight Rumors
Eubank and Shalom suggested a fight could be made for 2025 (it can’t)
One of the things Eubank suggested, that does have a basis in reality, is that there are no glaringly obvious options for Canelo to fight outside of the No.1 pick, David Benavidez, a two-time super middleweight world champion boxer who has moved to light heavyweight after failing to lure Alvarez into the ring.
Eubank has a unique selling point that other fighters perhaps do not, which is the temptation to fight in England in front of approximately 80,000 or more screaming fans, eager to see a pound-for-pound stalwart like Canelo. The only problem, of course, is that Canelo’s manager and trainer Reynoso is put off from ever having to deal with Eubank and Shalom again. Once, it appears, was more than enough.
Reynoso called the notion that they were engaged in Eubank talks, no matter how big or small, “totally false,” according to Fight Freaks United, a newsletter from prominent boxing reporter Dan Rafael.
“Eubank had his chance to fight Canelo in September and the only thing he did was complicate the negotiations.”
He continued: “We will not touch base with him again for a future fight! Whatever I tell you is always true! I don’t like making statements, but what I declare is true.”
DATA | CANELO |
Total fights | 66 |
Wins | 62 |
Knockouts | 39 |
Losses | 2 |
Best wins | Gennadiy Golovkin Caleb Plant Billy Joe Saunders Sergey Kovalev Julio Cesar Chavez |
Where This Leaves Canelo, And Where This Leaves Eubank
David Benavidez remains a boogieman opponent for Canelo
With Canelo clearing not picking Eubank as his next opponent to defend his super middleweight world boxing championship titles against, it begs the question as to whom he might consider.
Rule out Benavidez, though, as Canelo appears to show no sign of fighting him despite his swarming, bruising, fan-friendly fighting style in a bout that would generate considerable attention at both the gate, and pay-per-view. Reynoso did seem to suggest they’d stay loyal to Al Haymon, the mastermind behind Premier Boxing Champions, which, though it has had a reduced offering this year, continues to organize and broadcast extraordinary, celebrity-ridden, blue chip events.
Canelo has previously spoken of his desire to rematch Dmitry Bivol, the former light heavyweight champion who has a win over the Mexican. Bivol recently lost a disputed decision to Artur Beterbiev in a recent undisputed title fight in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
As for Eubank, it leaves a very obvious candidate to move onto — Conor Benn.