‘I didn’t even know about that!’: Canelo Alvarez claims he had NO IDEA about trainer Eddy Reynoso’s ambitious plan to move up to cruiserweight… with request to face world champion Ilunga Makabu taking him by surprise
- Canelo Alvarez could be set to face WBC cruiserweight chief Ilunga Makabu next
- The WBC granted Eddy Reynoso’s request for his fighter to meet their champion
- Canelo will be jumping up two weight divisions if the bout materialises
- The Mexican insists he only discovered Reynoso’s bold move on social media
Canelo Alvarez has sensationally claimed he had no idea about Eddy Reynoso’s ambitious plan to request a shot at world cruiserweight champion Ilunga Makabu.
Reynoso, Canelo’s long-time trainer and manager, sent shockwaves rippling through the sport of boxing when he called for his fighter to move up to cruiserweight and face Makabu, 34, at last month’s WBC convention in Mexico City.
The WBC swiftly accepted his request, meaning Canelo, 31, will bid to become a five-weight world champion if a deal is reached with Makabu’s team.
Canelo Alvarez claims he had no idea about Eddy Reynoso’s plan to face Ilunga Makabu
The pound-for-pound superstar has already tasted glory at light-heavyweight, middleweight and light-middleweight, while his most recent knockout of Caleb Plant earned him the undisputed super-middleweight crown.
A cruiserweight title tilt would represent one of his most dangerous challenges to date, but Reynoso didn’t even consult him before throwing down the gauntlet.
‘I didn’t even know about (the request),’ Canelo told World Boxing News. ‘I heard about it on social media what Eddy did.’
He then added while laughing: ‘No, I didn’t even know about it.
The WBC granted Reynoso (left) his request for Canelo to face their cruiserweight champion
The Mexican would be moving up two weight classes if a deal is reached with Makabu
‘Like I always say, if Eddy says something or he tries to do something crazy, I’m always in. I’m his warrior.
‘He called me after that, and I said, ‘OK, whatever you want.’
‘I never thought (about cruiserweight). Eddy always is thinking about things, but I never thought about it.’
Makabu, whose last defeat came against Britain’s Tony Bellew back in 2016, has claimed victory in his last nine contests, picking up the WBC strap in the eighth fight of that winning run.
Beating the 200lbs chief next year would make Canelo a five-weight world champion
Nevertheless, when asked if he had heard of Makabu before Reynoso’s shock request, Canelo admitted: ‘No, never before. After that, people on social media started putting up videos and everything. That’s why I saw him in a fight.
‘But never before that (had I heard of him). I really don’t care. I’m a fighter.’
Negotiations for the bout are still ongoing, with Canelo adding: ‘It’s not done yet. We want to see, we want to try to do it, but it’s not done yet. So we will see in January what is coming for us.’