Canelo Alvarez's next fight depends on striking a 'step-aside deal' with WBC mandatory cruiserweight contender Thabiso Mchunu
Canelo Alvarez's trainer and manager Eddy Reynoso has revealed that his team will try and make a step-aside deal happen with Thabiso Mchunu. What seemed like a rather easy process for Canelo to move up to cruiserweight to fight Ilunga Makabu has now hit a roadblock in the form of Mchunu.
Canelo and Makabu faced off for the first time today. They will go head-to-head for the WBC cruiserweight title in 2022.
(via @WBCBoxing) https://t.co/sIqlwsn1JS
Thabiso Mchunu is be the WBC mandatory challenger for Ilunga Makabu. As Canelo Alvarez and his team are trying to set up a fight with Makabu for next May, they have come up with a solution to make Mchunu wait.
While recently speaking to Matchroom Boxing, Eddy Reynoso revealed that they plan to offer Mchunu a deal to step-aside:
"Right now, we're in talks with the manager of the champion, he has a date in February where he has a mandatory defence aganst Mchunu. We're going to see if we can have negotiation to have a step aside, and then fight in May."
Canelo Alvarez and his team look optimistic about getting the deal done. However, Thabiso Mchunu has no interest in moving aside as of now. He will likely be offered money and even an immediate match with the winner of Canelo vs. Makabu as a part of the deal. It will be interesting to see how Canelo Alvarez and his team get 'The Rock' to step aside.
Watch Eddy Reynoso's full interview below:
Who will Canelo Alvarez fight if Thabiso Mchunu refuses to step aside?
During the same interview with Matchroom Boxing, Eddy Reynoso also claimed that if they are not able to get the deal done with Thabiso Mchunu, they have other options.
Canelo Alvarez's trainer/manager Eddy Reynoso has said they will try to do a step-aside deal with Ilunga Makabu's mandatory Thabiso Mchunu so Canelo vs Makabu is in May: "If we can negotiate that, we'll move ahead. If not, there are other options." [@MatchroomBoxing]
Although their options have not been made known to the public yet, it was hinted that they might take on a trilogy with GGG. However, that is only a possibility if Gennady Golovkin wins his next fight and both camps fall on the same page, which has been an issue in the past.
It will be interesting to see who Canelo Alvarez's next choice of opponent is if the step-aside deal fails.