WBA light-heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol is now the favourite to face Canelo Alvarez on September 18.
Alvarez, who holds three world titles at super-middleweight, had hoped to challenge for undisputed status by fighting IBF champion Caleb Plant next month. However, talks between the two teams broke down last week and that showdown is now not an option for seven weeks time.
Speaking to The DAZN Boxing Show Canelo’s promoter Eddie Hearn, who also works with Bivol, revealed that the four-weight world champion may well be making the jump back up to light-heavyweight on September 18.
“A decision is really imminent,” Hearn said.
“We’re seven weeks away. There was a number of conversations between myself, Eddy [Reynoso], Saul and the team over the weekend to say we really have to make a decision. We’re looking at a number of options in terms of dates, broadcasters, etc for that fight because there’s a number of offers that have come into Saul.
“Dmitry Bivol is the front-runner, in my opinion, for that slot on September 18. I think if it’s not Dmitry Bivol then I think there’s a very good chance September 18 will be put on hold, and we’ll move on to another date and potentially another opponent. I reiterate he wants that Plant fight, the undisputed fight but he also wants to face other champions. We’ve been in touch with Dmitry Bivol’s team. We’re on that team with World of Boxing, Vadim Kornilov and Andrey Ryabinskiy. They’re ready to fight Canelo Alvarez on September 18. They’ve been in sort of training for the last two or three weeks in the hope that they do get that pick.”
Canelo captured the WBO light-heavyweight title by beating Sergey Kovalev in 2019. The Mexican then vacated the title which is now held by Joe Smith Jr.
Bivol, who has made seven defences of his title including one against Smith, was last in action in May beating Britain’s Craig Richards by unanimous decision.