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Canelo Alvarez says a boxing match with Jorge Masvidal wouldn’t be a challenge.
Earlier this month, Jorge Masvidal called out multiple-division boxing champion Canelo Alvarez for a boxing match, telling reporters at the UFC 244 post-fight press conference that he would like to break Canelo’s face.
“I don’t know I’d like to break his face. Just fight, just test myself, make a lot of money for testing myself. But I truly feel I could make it 1-1 MMA versus boxing,” Masvidal said after his ‘BMF’ title win over Nate Diaz.
An MMA-boxing crossover fight might be appealing from a business standpoint, but from a competitive point of view, Alvarez has no interest in the matchup.
Speaking to Little Giant Boxing in a recent interview (h/t MMA Fighting), Alvarez said ‘Gamebred’ wouldn’t pose any threat to him in the boxing ring, and the four-weight world champ has no interest in fighting Masvidal in MMA.
“With all due respect, I always felt that I have nothing to do in an MMA cage,” Canelo said. “I think the same if they get into a boxing ring. They have nothing to do. But from a business standpoint, yes it’s something attractive but it is not a challenge for me therefore it is not my priority.”
Asked why so many MMA fighters are now calling out boxers, Alvarez said there is one primary reason: money. UFC star Conor McGregor is estimated to have made a whopping $85 million for his boxing superfight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2017, which dwarfs all his UFC earnings to date.
“Because of money,” Canelo said. “There’s no other reason. Because of the money. Because of the money, because of the business. That’s the reality. What other reason would there be? They would’ve started boxing from a young age if they really liked it. With all due respect to everyone, I respect what MMA fighters do in their sport. They’re great fighters. But boxing is a different thing.”
Alvarez last fought earlier this month at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, where the Mexican TKO’d Sergey Kovalev to win the WBO light heavyweight title.