Sunday 18 September 2016 16:17, UK
Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez decimated Liam Smith's reign as WBO world super-welterweight champion but who will the Mexican face next?
If there was any doubt that Alvarez's popularity outweighed his ability, he went some to erasing it in Dallas on Saturday night by producing a systematic and ruthless nine-round destruction of Liverpool's Smith.
In the aftermath, Alvarez claimed that the hotly-anticipated match-up with middleweight king Gennady Golovkin is yet to take place because the Kazakh rejected a contract offer, so who else could be on his radar?
It was Alvarez's first world title fight at 154lbs since his sole career defeat to Floyd Mayweather in September 2013 and having moved to 48-1-1-KO34 by the tender age of 26, the spectrum of options is wide...
Sheffield's IBF world welterweight champion Brook (36-1-KO25) suffered his first loss to Golovkin on September 10 but emerged from the fight with great credit. Having reportedly drained himself for years to make 147lbs, Golovkin insisted he did not believe Brook possessed the physical attributes of a middleweight and that leaves the division in between - super-welterweight - his most likely destination.
Both Brook and Alvarez are thick-set and the fight would be an intriguing confrontation with lucrative financial potential on both sides of the Atlantic. Canelo remains one of the most popular fighters in the US and Brook enhanced his profile Stateside by facing Golovkin. Despite the pros, whether at this stage Alvarez and Brook are too dangerous for each other is a point of discussion.
Another Golovkin victim, Monroe Jr put himself in line for a big fight by outpointing Gabriel Rosado on Canelo's undercard at the AT&T Stadium. He did so with a typically wily performance; utilising his awkward southpaw style and natural reflexes to frustrate the more positive Rosado and clinch a unanimous decision.
The appetite of fans for seeing a fighter as defensive as Monroe Jr attempt to nullify and dilute the power of Alvarez is open for debate and given that Monroe Jr has weighed in under 154lbs just once in his entire professional career, any bout between the two would presumably involve Alvarez stepping back up. All the noises we have heard since the diversion away from the Golovkin showdown suggest that's the only fight that could tempt him to abandon (or postpone) dreams of unifying the super-welterweight division.
In July 2014, Alvarez was awarded a split decision against endlessly skillful southpaw Lara in Las Vegas. Many thought the Cuban was unlucky not to get the nod, with judge Jerry Roth scoring the fight in his favour by two points. The former world amateur champion has always made clear his desire to gain revenge and with the WBA Super super-welterweight in his possession, he has something Alvarez wants.
It's arguable that Lara is a higher-class version of Monroe Jr and given he also has world title, he's perhaps a more significant target. Facing Monroe Jr and moving on to Lara may prove logical, given both are southpaws. Perhaps a clash with Monroe Jr would take place at one of Alvarez's controversial catchweights, making his cutting down for the classy Lara easier.
Not both of them at the same time, obviously. That would be overly ambitious even if you'd imagine Alvarez to be a comfortable favourite against either Jermell or Jermall. Jermell recently snatched the WBC world super-welterweight crown by stopping John Jackson (son of the great Julian Jackson), while Jermall has made two defences of the IBF belt he relieved Cornelius Bundrage of a year ago.
Interestingly, the twins are from Texas; a state in which Alvarez commands a colossal fanbase due to its proximity to Mexico. If he's to immediately embark on a campaign to unify at 154lbs, signing up for a two-fight storyline involving three world titles and family revenge may be a shrewd move. If and when he is done with the Charlos, Lara would be the last obstacle in the path to domination.
Very much the fly in the ointment for Alvarez, some believe Andrade is he most talented super-welterweight in the world. The Rhode Island southpaw is certainly phenomenally gifted and only contractual wranglings have prevented (or maybe only delayed) his staking a claim as one of the world's best pound-for-pound boxers.
The problem for Andrade is he has no title to offer, relatively little financial clout but is a colossal threat. It does not sound like the slickest business move, does it? That could all change soon because Andrade is mandatory challenger to Jermell Charlo's WBC title but until that fight is ordered, nobody - least of all Alvarez - is likely to be rushing around trying to book a clash with 'Boo Boo' unless they absolutely have to.
