On September 14, Canelo Alvarez will enter the ring again for yet another title defense. He squares off against the WBA’s mandatory challenger, Edgar Berlanga. For Berlanga, this could be the most significant fight of his career. But for Alvarez, it’s been a narrative of constant criticism. After receiving backlash for not fighting fellow supermiddleweight David Benavidez, Alvarez has also faced scrutiny regarding the potential bout with Terence Crawford. The Mexican star reportedly suggested a hefty price tag to consider either fight.

But is that the only reason why Canelo Alvarez might be avoiding some of the biggest names in contemporary boxing? According to Joe Rogan, there could be an underlying reason why Alvarez prefers not to talk about future projects. So even if financial incentives are available, it might be challenging to sway him from his current focus.

Canelo Alvarez commands

Comedians Brian Simpson and Tony Hinchcliffe and former UFC fighter Brendan Schaub joined UFC’s longtime commentator on a live stream of ‘The Joe Rogan Experience’. The group had gathered to watch UFC 305. However, intermittently, their discussion turned to the state of boxing as well. Joe Rogan and his guests talked about Francis Ngannou‘s foray into the heavyweight division of boxing.

Brendan Schaub mentioned how the ‘Predator’ moved from a near-win against Tyson Fury to the devastating knockout loss to Anthony Joshua. Nevertheless, the Cameroonian-French fighter took home big paydays that he could have never managed as an MMA fighter. Joe Rogan agreed and praised Riyadh Season’s role in bringing some of the biggest fights to life.

“This is one of the things, what you know, hats off to the Saudis,” Rogan remarked. He added further, “What they are doing is incredible, because they’re just saying, We have all the money; why don’t we just make these fights happen? Hey, Terence Crawford, do you want to fight Canelo Alvarez? Hey Canelo Alvarez, do you want to fight Terence Crawford?” Rogan had just speculated on the much-anticipated matchups. However, Brendan Schaub seemingly felt that, in all likelihood, that’s not going to happen. The UFC commentator corrected him instantly. “This is what Canelo Alvarez doesn’t want to do,” he said.

“He doesn’t want to talk about other fights while he is preparing for this fight that he’s going to have in September,” Rogan continued. “It’s like, I don’t talk about future fights before I fight this dude that I have to fight.” He highlighted that money can influence decisions. However, Canelo Alvarez perhaps remains an exception to the narrative. The champion insists on having things his way, regardless of others.

If Canelo Alvarez were to fight David Benavidez or Terence Crawford, the purse would likely need to be between $150 million and $200 million. Incidentally, the stance, as it eventually turned out, placed him at odds with His Excellency Turki Alalshikh.

Choosing fights on his own terms?

In a statement, the head of Riyadh Season said, “I decided to disregard the Canelo fight, as I don’t want it anymore. Instead, I will be focusing on the US market with bigger fights, especially for the legend Crawford.” Many fans could agree with Joe Rogan’s assessment of Canelo Alvarez.

After defeating John Ryder, he went against Jermell Charlo. During this period, Benavidez became his WBC mandatory challenger. Nevertheless, the Mexican superstar stuck to his own path. Instead, he fought fellow Mexican Jaime Munguia, even when talks of a fight with ‘The Mexican Monster’ gained some momentum.

Any hopes of Alvarez taking on Benavidez for the September feature were eventually dashed when the announcement came that Edgar Berlanga would stand opposite him. The move eventually saw Benavidez move up the ladder to find his fortune in the light heavyweight division. Now, the fate of the Terence Crawford fight hangs in the balance. So it remains to be seen who Canelo Alvarez fights after Berlanga. As it’s been his usual practice, it should happen during the Cinco de Mayo weekend next year. Fans would be eagerly watching out for an update.

Do you agree with Joe Rogan’s views on Canelo Alvarez staying focused on a single fight instead of thinking about any upcoming ones?