Canelo Alvarez Chooses Dimitry Bivol For May 7th Opponent

It looks like Canelo Alvarez will be back on DAZN, for a third time, after all. This after the Undisputed Super Middleweight champion has apparently agreed formally to meet WBA Light Heavyweight titleholder Dimitry Bivol on “Cinco de Mayo” weekend in Las Vegas.

ESPN’s Mike Coppinger had the story first last week that Alvarez would be facing the unbeaten Russian in his next fight. Coppinger then reported Friday mid-day that the future Hall of Famer Alvarez has finally signed off on a two-fight deal for DAZN and Matchroom Boxing,

Sources: Canelo Alvarez and Dmitry Bivol have finalized a deal for a May 7 fight for Bivol’s light heavyweight title. An annoucement is imminent for the DAZN PPV. It’s a two-fight deal for Canelo with Matchroom. Story coming to ESPN.

— Mike Coppinger (@MikeCoppinger) February 25, 2022

Then, the hope for the second bout will be for a trilogy fight with former current IBF Middleweight champ, Gennady Golovkin in September. Although reports still are that Golovkin has yet to formally agree to the second of the proposed two fights for Alvarez with Matchroom/DAZN

And, the long rumored Canelo-GGG III will also be contingent on the Lithuanian defeating Japan’s WBA World Middleweight titleist Ryota Murata, as the are re- scheduled to fight later this year.

As we wrote previously, Alvarez had been deciding on whether to return to Matchroom and DAZN, after he had three straight fights with them for his bouts with Callum Smith, Avni Yildirim and Billy Joe Saunders from December 2020-May 2021.

Alvarez also famously signed an astronomical 11 fight $365 million deal in 2018 with DAZN and his former promoter Golden Boy Promotions. However, that deal soured quickly on the lack of big time opponents for the streaming service. And, Alvarez eventually sued Oscar De La Hoya’s outfit and got out of his deal with them and the streaming service.

Canelo attained Undisputed status at 168 lb. by fighting Premier Boxing Champions fighter Caleb Plant on a Showtime PPV last November and won by TKO. However, PBC didn’t get a commitment (or at least an option) on a second fight.

Further, you have to wonder if the other bout that Alvarez had been strongly considering, which was with WBC middleweight titleholder Jamal Charlo (also with PBC) was derailed by Charlo’s second arrest in less than a year coming earlier this month. Charlo is charged with assault from an incident last Fall in his Houston area home and is out on bond.

As for the matchup with the unbeaten Russian Bivol, The 31 year old Russian is 19-0 and has made six defenses of his 175 lb. title. His last bout was in December and a lackluster decision win over fellow Russian Umar Salamov.

The Golovkin third fight, if it signs and actually happens, has been rumored for three years. That’s, since Canelo won a narrow split decision over Triple G in September 2018.