We can only assume that Canelo Alvarez was browsing Balls.ie this week, saw our fawning over 'the new baddest man on the planet', Gennady Golovkin, and decided that it simply wasn't worth the hassle. Canelo may have been promising the fight that all fans want to see after his win over Amir Khan but the latest developments would certainly suggest that was never likely.
WBA and IBF champion Golovkin, is now also the WBC middleweight champion after Alvarez vacated the belt. Alvarez had been given a deadline of May 22nd to begin negotiations with Golovkin but rather than being stripped of the title, the Mexican has decided to vacate the belt with all signs pointing to a fighter ducking the toughest fight available to him.
One way or another, that's now neutral fight fans will see this. However, Alvarez has another take on things.
I'm hopeful that by putting aside this ticking clock, the two teams can now negotiate this fight. I will fight 'GGG' and I will beat 'GGG' but I will not be forced into the ring by artificial deadlines.
Naturally, a large number of boxing fans are extremely dubious about these claims - intimating that Alvarez is running scared:
.@BBCSport proof no one wants to fight Golovkin
— Tom (@ForeverSkyBlue) May 19, 2016
Poor stuff from Canelo unless he fights GGG in September. Can't see Mexican fans taking it well. WBC 'their' organisation.
— Steve Lillis (@stevelillis) May 19, 2016
they actually go through with negotiations, make a deal and take the fight. Otherwise, it's just a case of GBP protecting their meal.
— Jamie Moore (@JamieMoore777) May 19, 2016
CANELO ALVAREZ DROPS WBC BELT
The state of boxing in 2016, BOXERS are chicken. Terrible 😒— The Boxing Fan (@The_Boxing_Fan) May 19, 2016
Disappointed in Canelo, after all he said in the ring and after the khan fight 👎🏼
— Liam Smith (@LiamBeefySmith) May 19, 2016
Whelp, Canelo vacated his belt instead of fight GGG. Wow. Great fighters step up when challenges like these are made. Very disappointing
— Shane Mosley (@ShaneMosley_) May 18, 2016
Golovkin now holds three of the four major boxing middleweight titles in his undefeated career. The WBC chief stated just on Tuesday that he expected the fight to happen between the fighters eventually, but this doesn't bode well for fans longing to see boxing's current finest clash in the ring.
