Roy Jones Jr Names Boxing's 'New Canelo'

Roy Jones Jr. has chosen the fighter he believes has taken the mantle of 'face of boxing' from pound-for-pound star and boxing legend Canelo Álvarez.

For a decade, Canelo has been the biggest star in the whole sport, winning world titles in four different weight classes and becoming the undisputed super middleweight champion twice.

But the inevitability of time excludes no one, and with Canelo now 36 and visibly past his best, there will be a long line of young fighters hoping to fill the power vacuum left by the Mexican when he decides to hang up his gloves.

2026 marks the first time in five years that Canelo will not fight on either Cinco De Mayo or Mexican Independence Day, perhaps marking the coming end of his career. This year, that slot was taken by the man Jones said on the will be next to take over the sport.

Roy Jones Jr. says Ryan Garcia is the 'new Canelo'

Speaking on the All the Smoke Boxing podcast, Jones Jr. revealed who he thinks is the new superstar everyone wants to see.

"Ryan is the new Canelo - everybody wants to see Ryan. Everybody wants to see Ryan. Everybody wants to see Ryan."
Roy Jones Jr.

Garcia is coming off the biggest win of his career so far, demolishing Conor Benn inside two rounds to defend the WBC welterweight title he took from Mario Barrios earlier this year.

After a mixed run in the years running up to this, with an overturned victory over Devin Haney and a loss to his old rival Rolando Romero, Garcia has shot back into superstardom with his signature style, making him an undeniably exciting fighter to watch, no matter the result.

Conor Benn vs Ryan Garcia | IMAGO / Hoganphotos

What's next for Garcia?

Garcia's next opponent is still understandably up in the air, as he is now in the picture for unification fights at welterweight with Devin Haney, Liam Paro, and Teofimo Lopez, who was just ordered to fight Jack Catterall on Tuesday.

Another option that is being discussed is a fight with Isaac 'Pitbull' Cruz, who most recently became WBC super lightweight by defeating Lamont Roach Jr., and defended the belt last weekend by knocking out Nestor Bravo.

Isaac Cruz during the Weigh-In Ceremony prior to the heavyweight boxing match at Gold Ballroom 3 at the J.W. Marriott. | IMAGO / Agencia-MexSport

Jones Jr. compared this fight to the likes of Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier - speed vs. power.

“[Cruz] has the style – the perfect style – that you want to see against Ryan," Jones said. "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?”

Garcia is also up for that fight. He and Cruz have come close to fighting on more than one occasion and Garcia said on 'X' that whilst he is still keen on that fight happening, his interest is waning.

"To make this very clear to the fans I’ve asked to fight pit bull twice and one time he was my mandatory and he has denied twice," Garcia explained on social media. "This will be my last time ever attempting to give him a chance. My word is very clear and I’m plan with my whole heart to follow it.

"If he denies I’ll never entertain this again."

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