We're well into the second half of 2020, and three of boxing's biggest stars are still trying to figure out who — and when — they'll fight next.
Canelo Alvarez, Ryan Garcia and Anthony Joshua are all trying to lock down their next fight, with some potential names a bit more surprising than others. With the global pandemic throwing a wrench into all plans the world over, some outside-of-the-box thinking could be needed.
In the latest episode of "Jabs," hosts Chris Mannix and Sergio Mora look at each fighter's respective situation as it stands.
For Alvarez, the hosts agree that his next opponent should be either Callum Smith or Billy Joe Saunders, although the issue of when such a bout would take place is a bone of contention, with a possible mid-September match needing to be announced soon. "There's a deadline — a six week deadline — [and] they should have announced this fight a week or two ago," Mora said. "They need time to push up and promote a mega event, whether there's going to be fans in attendance or not."
Meanwhile, Garcia has been ordered by the WBC to take on 32-year-old Brit Luke Campbell, with the logistics still to be figured out. Both Mannix and Mora feel that a Garcia-Campbell bout would be good for both fighters, with 2012 Olympic gold medallist Campbell having the most to lose. "There's a lot of gold medalists that never shine as professionals. That's what we're seeing with Luke Campbell," Mora said. "He came up short with Jorge Linares, and he came up short with [Vasiliy] Lomachenko, the world's best fighter — no shame there. But if he loses to Ryan Garcia, that's a third strike, and I just don't see Luke Campbell coming up after that."
As for Joshua, the heavyweight has reportedly agreed to a two-fight deal with countryman Tyson Fury but will first square off with Kubrat Pulev. This is a good move, says Mannix, as Joshua can delay the big-money bouts for when crowds are allowed back in sporting venues. "[Joshua] should go ahead and do it," Mannix said. "Kubrat Pulev is not some big draw. So while Anthony Joshua consistently makes 5-10 million dollars for his live gates, Pulev is the one opponent that's not really going to contribute to that. So if you're going to lose some money from a live gate, you might as well lose it against an opponent like Pulev."
Watch the full show above, or on DAZN's YouTube channel.