Jason Quigley in contention for Canelo Alvarez fight next
Irish middleweight Jason Quigley is part of a very short shortlist to take on boxing’s biggest name.
Mexican megastar Canelo Alvarez is on the hunt for an opponent for his customary September outing and Golden Boy stablemate Quigley is in the frame.
Eric Gomez, president of Golden Boy Promotions, name-checked Quigley alongside English fighters Callum Smith and John Ryder as well as defeater Tureano Johnson in a recent interview with ESPN’s Steve Kim.
READ – Promoter: If Canelo fights in September, ‘he’s going to make less’
It is not confirmed that Canelo will fight at all on Mexican Independence Day weekend considering the current global crisis and the related impact on financials but, if he does step into the ring, Quigley could be in the opposite corner.
Gomez noted that “We are not closing the door on anybody.”
“Canelo’s always available to fight the best, he always wants to fight the best. The problem right now is fighters have to be reasonable — everyone has to be reasonable. So the first guy to step up and is reasonable, and understands we’re in a pandemic, that’s probably the guy who’s going to get the fight.”
Quigley, who debuted on this day in 2014 on a Canelo undercard, is currently ticking over at home in Donegal.
The Andy Lee-trained former European gold and World silver medallist had been due to take on England’s Jack Cullen as part of the Matchroom Fight Camp series in Essex.
Quigley [18(4)-1(1)] withdrew from that August 22nd fight the night before it was announced earlier this month, a move which apparently left Matchroom boss Eddie Hearn “baffled”.
READ – “Baffled” Eddie Hearn reveals Jason Quigley pulled out of Jack Cullen clash
It is now, however, clear to see that the Irishman’s eyes were on a much bigger potential prize.
Guadalajaran Canelo [53(36)-1(0)-2] is a three-weight, eight-time world champion and three fights into an 11-fight $365million deal with the DAZN streaming service.
29-year-old Quigley has mentioned Canelo as a possible opponent numerous times throughout lockdown and had been suggesting the match-up as long ago as 2016.
Having been upset by Bahamian Johnson last Summer, Quigley teamed up with Limerick’s Lee and has rattled off two stoppage wins.
Cullen was seen as the next step – and a bout with another Mexican Jaime Munguia has also been suggested – but a chance to make life-changing money and catapult himself onto boxing’s top table versus current WBA middleweight champion Canelo could be too hard to refuse.
