As BoxingScene.com reported earlier, the World Boxing Council has ordered a rematch between WBC champion Gennady Golovkin (37-0-1, 33 KOs) and Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez (49-1-2, 34 KOs).
WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman confirmed that the sanctioning body will enforce a sequel to their scintillating battle from last month, which ended in a controversial twelve round split draw at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
"It’s the fight that the world wants to see. It's the fight that both fighters want," said Sulaiman at the council's convention in Azerbaijan. "Hopefully it will be a second chapter of what we saw on September 16."
The order is still very odd, because Canelo wants nothing to do with the WBC title and last month made it clear that he would not accept the title in victory.
It was believed by many expects that Golovkin had done enough to win the first bout, but the result fell victim to a highly dubious scorecard by judge Adelaide Byrd who inexplicably ruled that Alvarez had won comfortably, 10 round to 2 (118-110), which resulted in worldwide headlines. Byrd has since been removed from working high-level fights.
The rematch could take place in May next year, with Mexican holiday Cinco de Mayo a particularly attractive date.
There is still the issue of WBC mandatory challenger Jermall Charlo (26-0, 20 KOs). Charlo had been expecting to fight the Canelo-Golovkin winner - but now has to wait for the outcome of a rematch.
According to WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman, the situation with Charlo will be sorted out on Wednesday.
The likely scenario is the WBC ordering the Golovkin-Canelo winner to face Charlo. Of course if Canelo wins, and rejects the WBC title, then Charlo will have to face the highest available contender for the vacant belt.
"This is the first step, and now it is up to both sides to make the rematch happen. We've definitely had a plan that we worked out, to have the flexibility to make the decisions that are appropriate for the sport and the boxers. We are going to address the issue [of Jermall Charlo] on Wednesday during the session for mandatory fights - but Charlo is the official challenger and his case will be taken care of.. we will design a path for justice," Sulaiman said.
2023-10-19 16:44:33
