Canelo is done fighting Golovkin: ‘We’re finished’

Win or loss, Canelo Alvarez is not expected to hang around the 175-pound weight class.

Alvarez said Wednesday that he plans to drop back down to the middleweight division following his Nov. 2 light heavyweight world title fight against Sergey Kovalev at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

But when he returns to his natural weight, a trilogy bout against former unified titleholder Gennady Golovkin, is not on the table.

“For me, yes, we [Golovkin and I] are finished [fighting],” Canelo continued. “He doesn’t represent a challenge that I haven’t had.”

This is in stark contrast to recent comments made by Oscar De La Hoya, Canelo’s promoter of Golden Boy Promotions, who claimed a third fight would take place in 2020.

Alvarez said: Oscar says “many things that don’t make any sense.”

Canelo and Golovkin fought to a controversial split draw in their first fight in September 2017. They initially agreed to rematch in May 2018, but Alvarez was suspended six months after testing positive twice for the banned substance clenbuterol, and the rematch was postponed until September, which Canelo won via majority decision.

“My intention is to return to 160 pounds, but it’s difficult when you go up, and then to go back down. With discipline and diet, anything is possible,” said Alvarez. “You need to take risks in order to make history, and I’m willing and happy to do it. [Kovalev] will be one of the most difficult fights of my career. I want to be an active champion across three divisions. I am motivated by every challenge that I take.”

When asked who he would like to face after Kovalev, Alvarez did not name a specific opponent, but kept an open mind. Canelo wants a challenge and as De La Hoya would say, “That’s the bottom line!”

“I don’t really have in mind any specific fighter,” he said. “Whoever will be the best challenge for me, [I’ll fight him]. I never imagined fighting Kovalev, and here I am. I have the ability and experience. Once you get in the ring, you never know.”