The WBC has scheduled a purse bid for Sept. 21 on the ordered bout between Canelo Alvarez and Avni Yildirim for its super middleweight belt, though the organization has kept open a negotiation period until then.
The news comes days after Alvarez filed a federal lawsuit against the streaming service DAZN and promoter Golden Boy Promotions and its CEO, Oscar De La Hoya, alleging breach of contract on a $365 million deal signed in 2018. Alvarez is seeking at least $280 million in damages, according to the suit.
Alvarez has been sidelined during the coronavirus pandemic and last fought in November, stopping Sergey Kovalev in 11 rounds to win the WBO light heavyweight title. Alvarez does not currently have a fight scheduled.
The WBC super middleweight title was left vacant when then-titleholder David Benavidez failed to make weight for a defense against Roamer Alexis Angulo. Benavidez defeated Angulo on Aug. 15, but he wasn’t allowed to recapture the belt.
Alvarez, DAZN and Golden Boy have not been on the same page on challengers or terms. DAZN was reportedly not on board with Yildirim as Alvarez’s opponent and was in talks to land other contenders such as super middleweight titlists Billy Joe Saunders and Callum Smith, but DAZN wanted Canelo to take a pay cut.
If an agreement on the purse isn’t reached by Sept. 21, the WBC would hold a bid that would be open to any registered promoter — including Golden Boy, Alvarez’s promoter.
With Alvarez’s legal battle pending, it will be interesting to see if companies such as Top Rank, TBG Promotions, Mayweather Promotions, Matchroom Boxing and Queensberry Promotions bid alongside Golden Boy and Arena Box Promotions, Yildirim’s promoter, and how the winning promoter would organize the event.