The winner of GGG vs Canelo, if the rematch is signed for 2018 like it is expected that is, might come from the winner of an alternative fight some definitely won’t have seen coming.

Negotiating boxing rankings and ratings is a tricky game at the best of times. Even to those intimately familiar with the sport.

Ask a prospective new fan about rankings and belts in boxing and see what happens. They likely wouldn’t have a clue what you’re talking about.

But if the best continue to fight the best like they did in 2017, for the most part, and there is world title fights involved – everyone wins.

So to speak.

One such fight that many a boxing fan will be will be hoping for is of course the part two between middleweight kingpins Gennady Golovkin vs Canelo Alvarez.

The first bout ended in a controversial draw but it is widely thought the rematch will take place this May. Most likely in Las Vegas again.

However the winner of the fight could  have to face the winner of a bout between Jermall Charlo vs Hugo Centeno Jr – to take place next for the WBC “interim” championship at middleweight.

WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman confirmed the news in his organisation’s latest meeting:

“In order to allow this rematch, the WBC ordered mandatory challenger Jermall Charlo to fight Hugo Centeno for the WBC middleweight interim championship.”

What this could also mean is others hoping to land the winner of GGG vs Canelo, like Billy Joe Saunders for example, may be out of luck as far as 2018 goes.

Particularly with GGG and Canelo likely to box only twice each this year. Unless the winner fights three times in 2018 that is.

In theory, it would be up to the WBC to decide whether the winner of Golovkin and Canelo would have to box the winner of the interim championship straight away after the fight, or not.