Canelo Alvarez And Premier Boxing Champions Split

So much for a multi-fight deal between future Hall of Famer Canelo Alvarez and Premier Boxing Champions.

This, as reports, on Monday night say the two sides have split after only one fight of their three-fight arrangement. And, Alvarez will now be a free agent likely to wind up on DAZN for his May 4th next bout in Las Vegas.

Our insider Dan Rafael reported overnight Monday that he has confirmed that PBC and Canelo will go their separate ways. This is after Alvarez had just one fight on the multi-fight deal last September. That was a 12-round decision over former undisputed 154 lb. champion, Jermell Charlo. Canelo won that fight easily over a fighter who had never boxed at a 168 lb.

Canelo Departs PBC But What Comes Next?

Canelo Departure Has Been Brewing

There has been much back-and-forth discussion and dispute in recent weeks over Alvarez’s next opponent for the second fight of the three-fight deal. Alvarez, ultimately, has the final say in who his opponents are going to be.

Further, Canelo has reportedly refused at this time to fight the WBC’s interim super middleweight champion and top contender. David Benavidez. And, he was instead insisting on fighting WBC middleweight champion and twin brother Jermall Charlo in May for the second bout of the PBC deal.

However, that fight is even less marketable and desirable, as Jermall Charlo has fought only once in the last 2 and a 1/2 years. And, that bout was a ten-round non-title decision against Jose Benavidez, Jr. (the older brother of David) last November.

Who is Canelo Fighting in May?

As Rafael further reports- the choice is now going to come down to two fighters with separate promoters, but both have relationships with DAZN streaming. Those names are unbeaten Mexican contender, Jaime Munguia and unbeaten Puerto Rican-born, contender, Edgar Berlanga.

ESPN Deportes Mexico reported Monday that they’ve learned the talks have centred on Munguia, who is promoted by Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions. Munguia recently scored an impressive KO over England’s John Ryder in his most recent main event appearance earlier this year. And, that’s the same Ryder who lasted the distance with Canelo in a title shot last May.

But, it is also, well-known in the industry that Alvarez wants nothing to do with De La Hoya after he sued to get out of his multi-fight promotional contract with them four years ago. They eventually also agreed to split up, then, making Canelo a free agent.

Another option is Berlanga, who has been a rising contender at 168 pounds for the last few years and recently knocked out Irishman Padraig McCrory in The Matchroom Boxing/ DAZN main event this past Saturday night in Orlando, Florida.

As Rafael laid out on our “Fight Freaks Unite Recap Podcast” a potential Canelo-Berlanga title fight would have the angle of Puerto Rico against Mexico, which has been a decades-long rivalry of countries to hype world championship fights.

PBC Deal With Amazon in Jeopardy?

The split with Alvarez calls into question the long-term viability of Premier Boxing Champions with their new Amazon Prime video streaming deal. That deal is to start with a March 30th pay-per-view featuring Australian WBO junior middleweight world champion Tim Tszyu fighting former world welterweight champion Keith Thurman in the main event.

As Rafael has reported and industry experts have pointed out, that fight was supposed to be a “test run” to be ready for the Alvarez PPV, which would be much larger and potentially lucrative, on May 4th.

However, with Alvarez now choosing to be somewhere else, you wonder how many pay-per-views Premier Boxing Champions will do on Amazon later this Spring and Summer or might the deal fall apart quickly?

Rafael has further reported that PBC has been actively seeking a second broadcast partner to televise non-pay-per-views for the past six months. This after their primary broadcast partner, Showtime, ceased their boxing operation after 37 years last December. That’s when the parent company Paramount did away with the budget and funding for boxing and all sports through Showtime.

Will PBC salvage the current Amazon situation? Will they find another partner or partners as 2024 unfolds? That’s all up for debate and “wait and see.”

What we do know is that Canelo Alvarez was supposed to be their #1 draw for two more fights this year, and now, that’s over before the first fight of 2024 ever happened.