Canelo Alvarez has finally gotten out of a big hole after reaching an agreement with DAZN and Golden Boy Promotions. After months of turmoil, the Mexican Brawler is now free to fight anyone he deems worthy. No date or names have been confirmed but something is expected to be announced soon.
Considered one of the top boxers today, Alvarez finally agreed with representatives of Golden Boy Promotions to release the four-time champion. This was confirmed no less by Eddy Reynoso, Alvarez’s manager and trainer in a report from ESPN.
"All this time we have been working very hard in the gym with a lot of responsibility and discipline, to be in great physical shape and ready to fight this year and it will be!" Reynoso said in a statement.
Canelo eyes super middleweight title fight with Caleb Plant in December (via @ChavaESPN) pic.twitter.com/Ep5ZhCn0m4 — ESPN Ringside (@ESPNRingside) November 6, 2020
With that issue out of the way, Alvarez is raring to get back in the ring. It will be almost a year since his last fight.
He faces Sergey Kovalev in November 2019, winning via knockout in the 11th round to win the WBO light heavyweight title at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas. The victory placed him along with the ranks of boxing greats such as Thomas Hearns, Sugar Ray Leonard and Mike McCallum as the only former junior middleweight champions in history to win a title at light heavyweight.
Billy Joe Saunders was set to be next up for the Mexican but the COVID-19 pandemic altered those plans. Saunders and Callum Smith turned down offers to fight Alvarez, both wanting a better purse. With no audience in attendance, revenues from fights will take a hit and any Alvarez fight is not exempted.
Regardless of the hurdles that he is facing, Alvarez is looking to fight soon. It could go down this December with an announcement possibly being made this week, Boxingscene reported.
“I don't care if it's December 19 or Christmas, I don't care, what I want is to fight this year and on any day. For me, when you have to work you have to work and I am willing to sacrifice anything,” Alvarez said in an interview with Rodolfo Vargas.
It remains to be seen if Alvarez can find a credible name to fight before 2020 comes to an end. Aside from Saunders and Smith, other names being suggested include Caleb Plant and Ryota Murata. Canelo holds the WBA middleweight title and the WBA "regular" title at super middleweight.
