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Oleksandr Usyk opens door to fight Canelo Alvarez at cruiserweight despite sensational THREE-AND-A-HALF STONE difference

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OLEKSANDR USYK has sensationally opened the door to fighting Canelo Alvarez at cruiserweight.

Canelo, who has won titles in four divisions, most recently became undisputed super-middleweight champion.

Oleksandr Usyk opened the door to fighting Canelo Alvarez at cruiserweightCredit: Getty
Canelo Alvarez has announced plans to move up to cruiserweightCredit: Reuters

But he then had a request accepted by the WBC to step up to cruiserweight and challenge for their belt.

It was formerly held by Usyk before the Ukrainian moved up to heavyweight, where he recently beat Anthony Joshua in stunning fashion.

With the prospect of Canelo campaigning in his old stomping ground, Usyk confirmed he would move back down to fight the Mexican.

He told BoxingInsider: “Yes, I can fight him at cruiserweight. But with only one thing – I keep my belts at heavyweight.

“Then I go back to cruiserweight and fight him and then I come back to heavyweight.”

Usyk, 34, beat Joshua, 32, for the unified WBA, IBF and WBO belts in September.

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He scaled 15st 11lbs the day before, which is over THREE-AND-A-HALF STONE heavier than the 12st Canelo weighs in at super-middleweight.

Canelo, 31, has won belts from light-middleweight all the way to light-heavyweight.

His heaviest career victory was for the WBO 175lb title which he won after knocking out Sergey Kovalev, 39, in November 2019.

But Canelo soon moved back down to super-middleweight, where he has since settled.

And the pound-for-pound superstar became undisputed champion in just 11 months and four fights.

Wins over Callum Smith, Avni Yildirim, Billy Joe Saunders and most recently Caleb Plant saw him win and retain the belts.

The leap up to cruiserweight would be two divisions higher and see Canelo try and conquer a FIFTH weight class.

Canelo Alvarez is the current undisputed super-middleweight championCredit: AP

Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk

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