Canelo-Kovalev fight in the works for the fall

After all of the dust settles, it looks like Canelo Alvarez may fight to end the year after all.

Boxingscene.com reported on Friday confirmed that Alvarez had set up a contest with Sergey Kovalev. The fight is depending on the Russian winning next week against Anthony Yarde in his mandatory per Kovalev’s manager Egis Klima.

Klimas in the report stated Alvarez is waiting for Kovalev to win his bout on Aug. 24 so both sides can finalize. The fight could take place as early as November or December.

“Canelo has stated he doesn’t want to fight anybody else. He wants to fight Kovalev,” said Klimas to Boxingscene. “He’s waiting right now on this fight result. The fight against Yarde is a big motivation for Sergey, too. Winning this fight against Yarde will lead him to Alvarez, and it’s almost like putting the signature on the contract to Alvarez.”

When asked if the financials were set, Klimas in the report to Boxingscene stated, “Yes. I believe so. They were dragging initially, like everybody else, and playing games. The money they offered in the beginning was crazy. Then they came with financials like, ‘Okay, now we can sit down and talk.’”

Canelo-Kovalev Deal in Place Should Kovalev Win, Says Manager https://t.co/yv4zx97How pic.twitter.com/39NfNDEYsf

— BoxingScene.com (@boxingscene) August 17, 2019

The crazy Klimas is referring to is they had initially been bout plans in place during the summer but refused the offer initially from Golden Boy because it was deemed too low on the side of Kovalev. For the team of Kovalev, it looked like he was doing as much delaying as possible to see if a more significant fight was going to take place before Yarde. The Yarde mandatory was initially at a purse bid back n April and had numerous delays before being finalized once the Alvarez deal fell through.

On Wednesday to Boxingscene, Golden Boy matchmaker Robert Diaz told them they would have an announcement on Alvarez’s next opponent “very soon.” One of the scenarios was them waiting on the Kovalev-Yarde fight to unfold.

“That’s one fight Canelo likes, but there are a couple of other options we’re working on right now,” said Diaz to Boxingscene.

This fight seems to be the fight that Alvarez is wanting, and one he would be satisfied in having. Alvarez as of late has voiced his displeasure with Golden Boy Promotions over the inability to get a fight for him in place. A battle with Kovalev would also not only solve that but would also be approved by broadcaster DAZN, who Alvarez fights exclusively on.

All of this, of course, is riding on Kovalev beating the unproven Yarde next weekend in his native Russia. Klimas told Boxingscene that he is ready for this first and foremost.

“Sergey is ready for Yarde. He’s spent a lot of time in Oxnard. Calif. preparing for the fight,” said Klimas to Boxingscene. “From everything that’s been communicated, he’s in good shape and is in a good mood. Our preparation was very good.”