Canelo Declared Himself Free Agent Friday- Wants December Fight

The soap opera involving Canelo Alvarez , Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions and the DAZN streaming service took on a dramatic turn Friday morning. That’s when the four Division World Champion officially declared himself a “free agent,” publicly and more importantly, that Alvarez intends to try to fight in December.

Canelo’s manager Eddy Reynoso announced in a statement that as of today, they consider themselves free of the promotional deal with De La Hoya’s Golden Boy and also from  the television deal with the DAZN.

✍?#TEAMCANELO?? pic.twitter.com/zB2M3Esh4T

— EDDY REYNOSO (@CANELOTEAM) November 6, 2020

The statement said in part,

“In my role as a manager and coach of Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, I allow myself to communicate to the boxing community and to all our fans, that starting today, November 6th, ‘Canelo’ becomes a free agent, so we are ready to continue his boxing career.”

Reynoso continued,  “all this time we have been working 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!

“We will announce a date, rival and place very soon, and we will return stronger than ever to keep growing and showing that Mexican boxing is the best.” 

Mike Coppinger, Insider for the Athletic, reported Friday morning that Alvarez has been in the midst of working out a formal business divorce from Golden Boy,

Canelo Alvarez’s trainer/manager Eddy Reynoso announces that the star fighter is now a free agent. Sources tell @TheAthletic that Alvarez and Golden Boy are finalizing a complete severing of their relationship. That also means Alvarez is free from DAZN https://t.co/IR3HDvEMDg

— Mike Coppinger (@MikeCoppinger) November 6, 2020

This comes on the heels of Alvarez having filed a $280 million lawsuit in September in California Federal Court seeking to end his relationship with De La Hoya and DAZN. De La Hoya countered to the court saying that they should enforce the arbitration clause in Alvarez’s agreement to quickly decide whether Alvarez could be free or weather Golden Boy and the streaming service ultimately have the say-so in which opponents he can fight?

Alvarez’s 11 fight deal that he/Golden Boy agreed to with DAZN in October 2018 for a record $365 million, still has eight fights remaining on it.

Alvarez has not been in the ring since last November, when he captured the WBO Light Heavyweight title by 11th round TKO over Sergey Kovalev.

It is believed that Alvarez wants to have his next fight one weight class down at 168 lb. and could very well end up battling England’s unbeaten WBA Super Middleweight Champ, Callum Smith. Those two were in talks to fight earlier this Fall, but nothing formally happened.

ESPN Deportes reported on Friday mid-day that Alvarez and his team are targeting Saturday, December 19th as his return date with an intriguing opponent. Salvador Rodriguez said Alvarez is looking strongly at Dec. 19th against IBF 168 lb. champ Caleb Plant , who is part of Premier Boxing Champions.

The WBC had also “entered the fray” in early October and said they will sanction Alvarez fighting Turkish contender, Avni Yildirim at 168 lb. However, that fight it’s certainly not one to attract much interest outside of Canelo’s hardcore fans.

On our most recent edition of the Big Fight Weekend podcast released Friday, DAZN commentator Sergio Mora said to us about hoping for Alvarez’s potential return to the ring soon,

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“In this year of 2020, I’m dismayed with all the big names in boxing….. But, I’m optimistic. My ‘glass is always half full.’ And, I think Canelo will return early next year. I don’t think he’ll wait until May of 2021,” Mora told us.

I’m hoping, guessing, that he fights by early next year. Like by March. Canelo’s been a professional for 15 years, since he was 15 years old. This would be the first year, 2020, that he hasn’t fought as a professional…. Hopefully, he can fight by early 2021 and maybe three times next year. And that would make up for the passionate fans that follow him.”

Now we await to see if there is a finalized agreement for Alvarez to be able to walk away from Golden Boy and DAZN and will he be able to quickly make his own deal with PBC or with someone else?