Canelo Alvarez tells Sheeraz and Iglesias to fight each other first

Canelo Alvarez says WBO middleweight/" class="internal-link text-bone underline decoration-ash/30 hover:decoration-gold underline-offset-2">super middleweight champion Hamzah Sheeraz and IBF titlist Osleys Iglesias should fight each other before either gets a crack at him.

Alvarez told the Mr. Verzace Podcast that a showdown between the two beltholder makes sense as his next move after he returns against Christian Mbilli on September 12 in Riyadh. "I think they need to fight each other and then I fight the winner," he said, per The Ring. "That's the most smart thing they can do. We all need to earn what we deserve and they need to earn it."

Why Canelo is pushing for a Sheeraz-Iglesias eliminator

Iglesias sits at No. 2 in The Ring's 168-pound rankings after stopping Pavel Silyagin in eight rounds to claim the vacant IBF strap in April. Sheeraz, ranked No. 9, flattened Alem Begic inside two rounds to win the vacant WBO title on Saturday in Egypt. Alvarez acknowledged both have earned their status but added that a head-to-head clash would separate the contender from the pretender.

The Mexican star is coming off elbow surgery and his first loss since 2013, a decision defeat to Terence Crawford. His opponent in Saudi Arabia, Mbilli, is unbeaten and ranked in the top five at middleweight/" class="internal-link text-bone underline decoration-ash/30 hover:decoration-gold underline-offset-2">super middleweight. "I'm very motivated to come back," Alvarez said. "It's gonna be a good fight. He's a dangerous fighter and explosive but I enjoy that kind of fight."

Alvarez holds a 63-3-2 record with 39 knockouts and remains The Ring's No. 1 super middleweight despite the Crawford setback. His next fight after Mbilli could hinge on whether Sheeraz and Iglesias take his advice.

Source: ringmagazine.com