CANELO IN SAUDI? Promoter Eddie Hearn Reveals SHOCK Discussions With Prince Khaled About UNEXPECTED Option For Mexican Star’s Next Fight
– Canelo Alvarez Will NOT Face David Benavidez In September Fight
– Rematch With Dmitry Bivol In Negotiations But Also Unlikely
– Third Surprise Saudi Option Revealed By Promoter Eddie Hearn
Canelo Alvarez’s promoter Eddie Hearn has revealed to Boxing King Media that the Mexican star could face Swedish three-weight champion Badou Jack, who won the WBC Cruiserweight world title in February, in his next fight.
Hearn revealed that discussions have taken place with Prince Khaled to potentially stage the fight in Saudi Arabia. The British promoter is open to making the bout which could see boxing’s biggest star win a world title in his fifth weight class.
“Yes. I spoke to Prince Khaled about that fight. I like the fight because I think Badou Jack was a Super Middleweight you know.” Hearn told Boxing King Media. “I don’t think Eddy Reynoso is rushing around that fight but I think it might have some legs.”
Yesterday, Sampson Lewkowicz, the promoter of the former two-time WBC Super Middleweight champion and current interim world champion David Benavidez, confirmed to BOXEO DE COLOMBIA that his charge will not be facing Alvarez in September.
Lewckowicz offered Canelo in the region of $40m guaranteed to face Benavidez in September with the potential for the purse to grow to $50m with upside, according to Chris Mannix. The deal is less money than he was offered last year to face Benavidez and is thought to be less money guaranteed per fight than his last two-fight deal with Matchroom/DAZN.
The focus for Canelo has been on a rematch with Dmitry Bivol but NoSmokeSport.com understands that the Canelo-Bivol 2 rematch is unlikely for September as well, leaving Canelo potentially without a fight.
Skills Challenge Entertainment, on behalf of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, have made some major moves in boxing in recent years including two Anthony Joshua fights and hope to continue the run of big events.
Bringing the face of boxing to the Kingdom would be another major boxed ticked for the Saudis, especially in terms of interest and exposure to the Kingdom from the American audience. Jack is aligned with the organisation.
Skills Challenge signed the unified Heavyweight champion, Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk last week and hopes to deliver a blockbuster Heavyweight double header in December with Joshua-Wilder and Fury-Usyk on the same card.
The teams of Wilder and Joshua have spoken positively about their clash, Usyk confirmed the Undisputed fight with Fury is the aim of signing with Skills Challenge and now it seems Tyson Fury is the final step in securing a major night for boxing.