“It’s not going to go far, believe me,” McIntyre told Esnews about Lester’s fight against Aleem. “He’s a good fighter.” When asked about what’s coming next, BoMac didn’t hesitate. “Yep,” he said of chasing Canelo. “Him and Lester? We already got the blueprint on him.”
That plan assumes a few outcomes before the first one is assured. Martinez still has to win on Saturday, Canelo will have to stay in position with the WBC belt, and the approach Crawford uses will have to translate to a different fighter with a different style. None of this is guaranteed, yet the focus has already moved in that direction.
Aleem is not fired outright. McIntyre did not dismiss Aleem, noting that his record and past wins are the reason he is in this position.
“Aleem is not here by mistake. He is there because of what he has done in the past,” BoMac said. Yet the tone of the conversation is determined by what comes next, not what immediately lies ahead.
There is also recent evidence that Lester, 30, still has work to do before looking at names at the top of the division. His draw with Christian Mbilli last September highlighted issues from close range, where he struggled to control the exchanges and had to rely on constant pushing to create space. That’s a more immediate concern than anything linked to Canelo.
The appeal of the Canelo fight is clear, both in profile and money, and that explains why it’s being discussed now. However, getting there still depends on clearing a step that hasn’t happened yet.
