BOXING legend Bernard Hopkins believes Jason Quigley should be the next man face Canelo Álvarez.
Quigley is one of the leading contenders to take on the Mexican superstar Álvarez (53-1-2, 36KOs) who is in line for a mid-September ring return.
Picture: Jason Quigley with Bernard Hopkins.
WBA super-middleweight titlist Callum Smith, and super-middleweight contender John Ryder are among those being touted for the bout.
Quigley (18-1, 14KOs) is also in the frame and the Ballybofey man’s team have confirmed to Golden Boy Promotions that they are ready and willing to take the fight.
Hopkins, who made 20 defences of the IBF middleweight title and who was the undisputed middleweight champion from 2004-2011, has backed Quigley, the former NABF middleweight champion.
“I think its (Jason) Quigley,” Hopkins told the Ak and Barak Show.
“To me, I like that style. I like that fight. Plus, I like that fight for now going into 2021.”
Hopkins is a partner in Golden Boy Promotions and had preciously backed Quigley to become a world champion.
“Remember I said that. Remember this day,” Hopkins said prior to Quigley’s 2018 win over Freddy Hernandez.
“Future world champion, I guarantee you. And I don’t give anybody a title.”
Álvarez, the middleweight champion and super middleweight titlist. has not fought since stopping Sergey Kovalev in Las Vegas last November.
The Mexican has told his promoters that he wants to return on the Mexican Independence weekend in September – and Quigley has already stated his willingness.
“I want to get in there because I want to test myself and I want to see how good Canelo really is,” Quigley – now trained by former world champ Andy Lee – said in a recent interview.
“He is the main man in boxing right now. This is what it’s all about. I want to get in there with the best, I want to test myself and I want to test them.
“If I had a chance to fight Demetrius Andrade or a few of the other world champions in or around these divisions, I would decline all of those fights to fight Canelo.”
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