Fact Check: Canelo Alvarez and Naoya Inoue Fighting on Same Boxing Event Rumors Debunked

Here’s some sad news for everyone hoping to see four-division champion Canelo Alvarez and two-division undisputed champion Naoya Inoue on the same card. The rumors on the internet floating around about their double header event in Japan on December 24th were false, even though it would have been a blockbuster showdown. 

You see, the thing is Canelo was recently pictured in Japan, which then started spreading on social media like wildfire. This, in addition to his desire to fight outside of Mexico and the United States, seems to have given birth to rumors about the co-feature event in Tokyo Dome in Japan. 

While the former undisputed champion enjoyed signing autographs and sampling local cuisine in Japan, speculation grew about a potential showdown with WBC and WBA No. 1 contender Christian Mbilli, possibly taking place in the Land of the Rising Sun. At the same time, Naoya Inoue found himself linked to several possible opponents, with his brother, Takuma Inoue, set to face Junto Nakatani on the same card.

However, the star-studded lineup proved too good to be true, as ESPN’s Salvador Rodriguez officially debunked the rumors. In a tweet yesterday, Rodriguez wrote, “Although @CANELOTEAM and @Canelo have shown their interest in fighting in Japan, it is not true, as reported in some sites, that he will fight in December in the Land of the Rising Sun. His return is expected next May,” per translations. 

While the rumors were untrue, this must have left many wondering who would be in Canelo’s sights next. 

Potential next opponents for Canelo Alvarez

Fresh off a unanimous decision win over former number-one contender Edgar Berlanga, Canelo Alvarez has several interesting options to choose from. If Canelo would want to continue his quest to hand unbeaten boxers their first losses, Christian Mbilli and Diego Pacheco, both undefeated and top-ranked contenders, would be good choices. 

Then, there’s, of course, the possibility of Canelo Alvarez giving the fans the fight that they really want against David Benavidez, which will be one of the biggest fights in recent history. However, Canelo has shown reluctance in that matter, even though this fight has the potential to generate millions for all the parties involved. 

Another possibility is a much-discussed rematch against WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol. This may become even more of a possibility if Bivol defeats Artur Beterbiev on 12th October in an undisputed matchup. Finally, there’s the dream matchup between Canelo and former two-division undisputed champion Terence Crawford. 

That being said, while fans were excited at the prospect of a doubleheader featuring Canelo Alvarez and Naoya Inoue, the rumors were completely false. On the bright side, though, it offered a clear glimpse of what fans truly crave. Would you have tuned in for that event?