At one point in time, super-middleweight champions Billy Joe Saunders and Gennadiy Golovkin seemed nailed to land a Canelo fight in 2020.
A pandemic and uncertainty over the future have since shifted the sands against the two stars as Canelo scouts potentially new opposition.
GGG and Saunders have now given way to reports Sergiy Derevyanchenko, Anthony Dirrell, and Ryota Murata are now ahead in the pecking order.
Derevyanchenko hoped to land a rematch with Golovkin himself before the IBF then ordered the Kazakh puncher to face his own mandatory.
As Golovkin prepares for Kamil Szeremeta, a fight that has to occur next basically rules the three-time WBN Fighter of the Year out of the running for 2020.
Saunders, who had penciled in Canelo for May 2 and agreed on the contract, has a fear of missing out (FOMO) syndrome. The Brit got himself into trouble on social media.
A suspension laid down by the British Boxing Board of Control, coupled with Golden Boy Promotions not expecting fireworks if they fought, has possibly knocked Saunders further down the list.
Derevyanchenko is free as a bird. Likewise is Murata. Whilst Dirrell is a latecomer to the party. All three are solid names for Canelo to pitch across to his DAZN executives post-virus.
Murata, on geography alone, holds the upper hand. The Japanese star could lobby for the clash to take place in his home country.
Due to COVID-19 and the state of play worldwide, Japan or somewhere in the Middle East would certainly be good options for either.
CANELO FIGHT
Landing that all-important Canelo fight is a must for any fighter under the cruiserweight limit at the moment. It’s the 2020 equivalent to securing a fight with Floyd Mayweather back in the day.
Ask Sergey Kovalev, the last man to face Canelo. The Russian didn’t even allow himself a full training camp after beating Anthony Yarde.
“Krusher” rushed head-on into the Mexican. He paid the price with a stoppage loss.
As Saunders contemplates losing his biggest career pay day, Derevyanchenko, Dirrell, or Murata may soon be able to start counting their cash.
The date would be September 14. The venue, who knows?
Fans being present may dictate those finer points.
