Mexican superstar Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (49-1-2, 34 KOs) has already targeted his venue of choice for September 15th, when the boxer plans to return to the ring as of Mexican Independence Day weekend.
According to the Las Vegas Review Journal, Canelo’s promoter Golden Boy Promotions made a formal request to reserve T-Mobile Arena for the September date.
The ** notes that the Nevada Athletic Commission is expected to approve the request at its monthly meeting Thursday.
Canelo has been out of the ring since the controversial twelve round split draw with IBF, IBO, WBA, WBC middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin back in September of 2017.
The two were scheduled to collide in a rematch on May 5, as part of Cinco De Mayo weekend - but everything fell apart when Canelo tested positive for the banned substance clenbuterol in a pair of tests taken in February.
Canelo received a six month retroactive suspension which expires in August.
With Canelo removed from the fight, Golovkin went forward on May 5 and fought with Vanes Martirosyan. He scored a two round knockout to retain the four belts at the StubHub Center in Carson, California.
The two sides were in talks to fight in September - but those discussions crashed after Golovkin demanded a 50-50 split of the money. Canelo stood firm on a split of 65-35 - which he says Golovkin agreed to when they made a deal for the canceled May date.
But there was also third ** pressure on Golovkin from the IBF.
Due to his inability to commit to a mandatory defense against Sergiy Derevyanchenko, the IBF stripped GGG of their middleweight title.
Now with that mandatory order out of the way, Golovkin is willing to move away from his 50-50 demand for something more in line to make a deal happen - like 55-45 in Canelo's favor.
When they fought the first time, there was a 70-30 split in Canelo's favor.
2023-10-21 05:45:00
