After defeating Miguel Cotto by unanimous decision in Saturday night’s middleweight championship fight, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez(46-1-1, 32KO) seeks to bring the coveted Mexican holiday fight weekends back from the grips of the recently retired Floyd Mayweather Jr.
In a tweet from LA Times writer Lance Pugmire, Canelo’s promoter, Oscar De La Hoya, makes it clear that they are looking to lock in those dates for the Mexican superstar.
“@latimespugmire: Canelo’s next fight will be in May and then again in September, @OscarDeLaHoya says”
This would mean we will likely see Alvarez back in the ring Saturday, May 7, 2016, for Cinco de Mayo weekend which has traditionally been one of the biggest fight dates on the calendar. Floyd Mayweather has controlled the first weekend of May five of the last six years only missing May of 2011 when he was in semi-retirement. In Floyd’s absence, Manny Pacquiao took the May 2011 date for his fight against Shane Mosley.
Alvarez has talked to great lengths before about wanting to “take back” the Mexican Holiday dates and even flirted with the idea of having his fight with Miguel Cotto take place this last May. Of course, Floyd Mayweather had other plans setting the richest fight in boxing history with Manny Pacquiao for May 2 forcing Alvarez to yet again relinquish the dates he most certainly covets.
With Mayweather repeatedly confirming his retirement and Manny Pacquiao reportedly ready to call it quits after this upcoming April, there seems to be no better time than now for the 25-year-old Alvarez to seize the Mexican holiday dates as his own.
If Alvarez is able to secure the May 7 date for his next fight it would mark the first time since the May 5, 2007 De La Hoya-Mayweather bout that a Mexican or Mexican-American would feature as the “A” side Cinco de Mayo weekend. Even if Mayweather’s retirement isn’t permanent, which many believe it isn’t, there is still a chance that Alvarez could share the date with the pound for pound champion as Lance Pugmire also tweeted out:
“@latimespugmire: De La Hoya says @Canelo “is THE man now,” and open to a rematch with @FloydMayweather”
Alvarez lost by majority decision to the self-proclaimed “TBE” in September 2013, although most observers worldwide scored the contest a wide decision victory for Mayweather. Mayweather-Alvarez sold 2.2 million PPVs on its way to becoming the most profitable boxing event of all time until Mayweather-Pacquiao beat those numbers this last May.
As of right now a rematch between the two is still unlikely to happen but there certainly are some exciting options for Alvarez to face in May with a middleweight title fight with Gennady Golovkin topping the list. The fight with the feared Golovkin would be sure to capture high numbers and garner the attention of boxing media and fans alike.
After claiming the WBC championship Saturday night, Alvarez didn’t shy away from questions regarding Golovkin who happens to be the interim WBC champion.
“I’m not afraid of any fighter. GGG is a great fighter, and he is my friend,” Alvarez said. “I have respect for him, but if we do fight it’s going to be at my [natural] weight class (of 155 pounds). I’m the champion. I don’t have to do what he wants. With all due respect if he wants to fight right now, I’ll put the gloves on and fight him.”
If somehow a matchup between Alvarez and Golovkin can be made there is no doubt Alvarez will secure the dates he desires so badly in May or September.
2016 might just shape up to be another big year for boxing with Canelo Alvarez looking to lead the charge.
