Junior Makabu is still hopeful of one day fighting Canelo Alvarez after a meeting between the pair was speculated at the backend of last year.
The WBC cruiserweight champion posed for multiple pictures with the Mexican icon prompting talk that a fight between the pair could be set for some point in 2022. The contest however never materialised after Canelo chose an alternative route.
After aiming to become a two-time world champion at 175lbs in May, Canelo was outclassed by Dmitry Bivol as he endured his first defeat in almost a decade.
Canelo bounced back to register a second win over Gennadiy Golovkin in September, but with his next move still unconfirmed, Makabu has spoken out at the possibility of revisiting Canelo’s potential move to cruiserweight.
"Jumping divisions sometimes is very difficult, but if Canelo still wants to fight me, I'm going to knock him out. I'll do a lot better than Bivol did," Makabu told DAZN.
"I'm disappointed (that fight didn't happen last year) because Canelo is the best fighter at the moment and I really want to fight the best and there wasn't the opportunity, but if he (Canelo) really wants to make history I'm there, I'm waiting and I'm ready. I'm not afraid, I'm not scared.
"I know everyone was waiting for that fight, but I want boxing fans to know. I never asked for the fight with Canelo, Canelo was the one who challenge me out. I'm still champion, but Canelo never came to fight me, but I'm sure Canelo realised that it was complicated to face Junior Makabu."