Canelo Alvarez’s latest comments are good news for Billy Joe Saunders, but bad news for Gennady Golovkin

Canelo Alvarez has said his priority is to unify titles at super-middleweight, rather than fight Gennady Golovkin for a third time.

The Mexican star is set to return to action on December 19 and challenge Callum Smith for the WBA and Ring Magazine belts at 168lbs.

Canelo beat Golovkin in their 2018 rematchGettySmith is the WBA and Ring Magazine super-middleweight championGetty

Should he win that, his plan is to target the other champions.

Canelo told ESPN: “We all know that the only fight Golovkin wants, maybe to retire after, is the fight against me.

“We were in talks with Golovkin before the pandemic started.

“We were in talks to make a fight this year, but unfortunately this whole pandemic issue happened and all that was cancelled.

“But right now the most important thing, what we have in mind, are other objectives.

“The first is Callum Smith and we want to unify the titles at 168lbs and continue making history.

“We will see about Golovkin later.”

Saunders is the WBO super-middleweight championMark Robinson/Matchroom Plant has the IBF beltStewart Cook/FOX Sports

This news will be music to the ears of Billy Joe Saunders.

The WBO champion defended his super-middleweight title against Martin Murray on Friday night and reiterated his desire to fight Canelo.

It will also cause optimism for IBF champion Caleb Plant, who was in talks for a bout with Canelo this month, though a deal didn’t get done.

As things stand, the WBC belt is currently vacant.