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Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez could look to the formidable Artur Beterbiev for his next fight, promoter Bob Arum has said.
Unbeaten Beterbiev will stake his WBC and IBF lightweight titles and his 100% KO rate against Marcus Browne, live on Sky Sports from 1am Saturday morning.
He could become a target for Canelo, the pound-for-pound superstar who progresses through the weight divisions in search of more daring challenges.
Top Rank promoter Arum, who represents Beterbiev, insisted Canelo had shown interest: “Yes. I know he would.
“Eddy Reynoso is a great coach and is very close to Canelo.
“I’ve known Canelo pretty well since he was young.
“He told me of his interest in fighting Beterbiev or Joe Smith Jr.
“I would look forward to May or September, the two dates Canelo loves to fight, that he would fight one of those light heavyweights.”
Artur Beterbiev vs Marcus Browne, live on Sky Sports, from 1am Saturday morning
Canelo is already a four-weight world champion and has been cleared by the WBC to enter a fifth division to challenge cruiserweight champion Ilunga Makabu.
But with Makabu also having to make a mandatory WBC title defense against Thabiso Mchunu, Arum has raised doubts as to whether Canelo can move forward with a problematic fight.
“I think they will have to give it up,” he said.
Beterbiev has a 100% KO rate
Canelo has already entered the lightweight division to take out Sergey Kovalev and win a WBO belt.
But facing Beterbiev, who is in his prime and has eliminated every opponent he has ever encountered, is a much more difficult task.
Beterbiev demonstrated his threat by stopping Oleksandr Gvozdyk, also undefeated world champion at the time.
Beterbiev is the WBC and IBF lightweight champion
“Canelo is a risk taker and that makes him so popular,†Arum said.
“It would be a huge fight because the betting action would go both ways.
“Some will say that Beterbiev is too big and powerful. Others will say that Canelo is special and can handle anyone.
“It’s one of the biggest boxing fights.”
Sky Sports Boxe schedule
Saturday December 18 – Top Rank in Montreal
Artur Beterbiev vs Marcus Browne – IBF and WBC lightweight titles
Saturday 29 January – BOXXER in Cardiff
Chris Eubank Jr vs. Liam Williams
Claressa Shields vs. Ema Kozin – IBF, WBA & WBC Middleweight Titles
Saturday 19 February – BOXXER in Manchester – Sky Sports Box Office
Amir Khan vs. Kell Brook
Saturday February 26 – Top Rank in Glasgow
Josh Taylor vs Jack Catterall – undisputed welterweight titles
