Roy Jones Jr. has identified a fighter as the “new Canelo” and declared him the sport’s newest marquee face.
Although Canelo Alvarez still garners significant commercial attention, the 36‑year‑old’s impending retirement has created a vacancy for a fresh star to dominate the spotlight in boxing.
Curiously, the four‑division champion will not be featured on Cinco de Mayo or Mexican Independence Day weekend this year.
Instead, Ryan Garcia headlined the Mexican holiday festivities earlier in the month, securing a second‑round knockout of Conor Benn to retain his WBC title. The win bolstered his record to 26 victories—21 by knockout—while incurring just two losses.
At 28, Garcia remains in contention for potential unification bouts with Teofimo Lopez and Devin Haney, and he intends to stay active, defending his welterweight belt in the interim.
Jones has suggested Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz as a viable next opponent. Cruz earned a decisive sixth‑round knockout of Nestor Bravo last weekend, prompting speculation that the pound‑for‑pound legend would relish a clash between the two.
“Ryan is the new Canelo – everybody wants to see Ryan.
“[Cruz] has the style – the perfect style – that you want to see against Ryan. Ryan’s a classic boxer-puncher; Pitbull is a brawler-puncher. That’s Ali and Frazier, almost.
“Who would not, on planet Earth, want to see that fight?”
“Ryan is the new Canelo!”
Roy makes the case for Pitbull Cruz vs Ryan Garcia being one of the most exciting fights to make in boxing pic.twitter.com/PWVwO68sTj
— ALL THE SMOKE Boxing (@atsboxing) September 22, 2026
Despite Cruz’s reputation as a brawler‑puncher, his 5‑foot‑4 stature would pose a notable size challenge if he steps up to the 147‑pound welterweight division to face Garcia.
