Canelo Alvarez confidently predicts an easy victory over Conor McGregor if they were to box, while focusing on his upcoming title defense against Edgar Berlanga and expressing no concerns about competing with UFC events.
Canelo Alvarez expects to make light work of Conor McGregor if the two ever meet in the boxing ring.
The super middleweight champion defends his WBA, WBC, and WBO titles against Edgar Berlanga this Saturday. However, that hasn’t stopped reporters from asking about his future plans. Boxing reporter Manouk Akopyan asked Alvarez if he’d ever be interested in fighting UFC star Conor McGregor. Alvarez found the question amusing.
“I know, and then we show boxing is better,” Alvarez said. He added, “Easy, easy, way easy money.”
McGregor, who previously held UFC titles at 145 and 155 pounds, has participated in only one pro boxing bout. That high-profile contest saw him go nine rounds with the legendary Floyd Mayweather before succumbing to strikes in the 10th round. Since that August 2017 event, McGregor has competed sporadically in MMA. Winning just one of his past four fights, he still awaits his next booking after an injury forced him out of a fight with Michael Chandler at UFC 303.
Asked how long McGregor would last against him, Alvarez predicted he could beat McGregor by knockout whenever he decided to do so.
“At the time I want,” Alvarez said. “One round, two rounds, three rounds, whatever I want.”
Though it’s unlikely that Alvarez and McGregor ever square off under any combat sports rule set, the boxing superstar is going head-to-head with the UFC itself this weekend. He takes on Berlanga at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, not far from Sphere, which hosts UFC 306 the same night.
UFC CEO Dana White has made it clear that he won’t shy away from scheduling annual UFC events for Mexican Independence Day weekend in the future. A decision that Alvarez has no problem with.
“No, it’s nothing,” Alvarez said. “Competition is good. May and September are my days and competition is good.” He continued, “I don’t do it in that way; I just focus on my team and focus on what I’m doing. If somebody wants to do other shows, it’s fine.”