Due to his ongoing litigation with promoters Golden Boy Promotions and streaming network DAZN, the immediate future of Mexican star Canelo Alvarez remains shrouded in doubt.
One option for Canelo’s eventual return is a vacant WBC 168lbs title fight against Turkey’s Avni Yildirim aka ‘Mr Robot’. The duo had been nominated to contest the crown lost by David Benavidez on the scales last month.
Purse bids were due on September 21, but the WBC has announced that they have been pushed back to October 6. This means Canelo (53-1-2, 36 KOs) and Yildirim (21-2, 12 KOs) have two more weeks to discuss a potential fight before bids to determine the promotional rights to the contest.
“The WBC is officially confirming the postponement of the purse offer ceremony for the Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez vs Avni Yildirim fight for the vacant WBC super-middleweight championship,” said the WBC in a statement on Sunday night. “The new date has been set for Tuesday October 6 and will be conducted on an open video conference [on Zoom].”
With Canelo claiming damages of $280 million in a lawsuit against his promoter and broadcasting network, it feels doubtful that a fight with Yildirim will happen without an unlikely shifting of the battle lines.