Canelo Alvarez has responded to WBC cruiserweight champion Badou Jack’s claim that he was trying to weight-drain him as talks over a fight broke down.
According to reports, Jack was in line to face the Mexican boxer if the rematch with Dmitry Bivol didn’t materialize.
The fight was significant as Jack holds the WBC cruiserweight title, and a win for Canelo would have made him a five-division champion.
However, reaching an agreement on the weight class would have been challenging since Canelo has fought in various weight classes, and Jack would have had to drop down at 39 years old for a catchweight at 180 lbs.
That did not go down well with Jack, as he was visibly frustrated.
“I won’t be fighting Canelo next. They said the weight difference is too much. They wanted to drain the old man and fight me twenty pounds under the cruiserweight limit for the title – plus a rehydration clause,” Canelo
And yet, Canelo hit back by retweeting a quote from Jack in 2021, confirming that the latter would have been willing to fight Canelo at 175 lbs.
Canelo Alvarez responding to Badou Jack with a retweet today… pic.twitter.com/x9MO2ZeMbH
— Michael Benson (@MichaelBensonn) June 19, 2023
Nevertheless, it is important to bear in mind the following points. Since 2021, Jack has put on mass, weighing over 200 lbs.
Therefore, it would be extremely unlikely to expect a 39-year-old to drop down, especially with a rehydration clause.
With that being said, Canelo’s aspirations to become a five-division champion are on hold for now.