By Jim Maltzman: Dmitry Bivol has already started training three weeks ago so that he could be ready in case he’s selected by Canelo Alvarez as his replacement opponent for September 18th on DAZN.
Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn says the WBA light heavyweight champion Bivol (18-0, 11 KOs) remains the frontrunner to be Canelo’s opponent if they can’t salvage the undisputed super middleweight clash with IBF 168-lb champion Caleb Plant.
Above all, Plant (21-0, 12 KOs) is the fight that WBA/WBC/WBO 168lb champion Canelo wants and needs for him to complete his task of becoming the undisputed champion.
Canelo still wants Plant
“Now I’ll reiterate that he wants that Plant fight,” said Hearn to the DAZN Boxing Show about Canelo. “It’s the undisputed fight but he also wants to face other champions.”
Canelo and Hearn are still holding out hope that they can preserve the fight with Plant for September 18th. It’s possible that Canelo could save the fight with Plant, but it would require that he give ground in the negotiations.
The negotiations between Canelo, 31, and Plant evaporated last week over contract issues.
One of them was Canelo’s assistance on still receiving his $40 million purse for the September 18th fight, even if Plant pulled out due to an injury or illness. PBC wasn’t going to agree with that request from Alvarez.
While it sounds strange that Canelo would still want $40 million even if Plant pulled out of the fight, the likely reason for his request was to avoid getting potentially trapped into a back-door two-fight deal in which Plant pulls out, and then Canelo faces a replacement opponent on PBC for a much smaller purse.
As such, Canelo would still want/need to face Plant to become the undisputed 168-lb champion. Hence, a second fight with PBC. Asking for $40 million for the replacement as well would be Canelo’s way of making sure that Plant doesn’t pull out.
Plant, 28, will get a $10 million payday if the fight with Canelo gets made, and that’s the kind of money that he probably won’t see again. It depends on what kind of career he has.
If Plant could beat guys like David Benavidez and Jermall Charlo, it wouldn’t be a big deal if he were to lose out on the Canelo fight. But from what we’ve seen of Plant, he likely can’t beat Charlo, Benavidez, or David Morrell Jr. They have too much talent.
That’s why it’s crucial that PBC put the deal together with Canelo to stage the fight on September 18th. Plant is too vulnerable of a champion for him to just brush off him losing out on the $10 million payday fight against Canelo if it doesn’t happen.
Bivol is already in training for Canelo
“So, we’ve been in touch with Dmitry and they’re ready to fight Canelo Alvarez on September the 18th,” said Hearn. “They’ve been sort of training really for the last two or three weeks in the hope that they do get that pick.”
“Bivol is the front runner, in my opinion for that slot on September the 18th. “I think if it’s not Bivol, then I think there’s a very good chance that September 18 will be put on hold, and we’ll move on to another date and potentially another opponent,” said Hearn.
We haven’t heard who the Plan-C is for Canelo to fight on September 18th if he can’t negotiate a fight with Plant, and for whatever reason, he chooses not to fight Bivol.
It would be hard for Canelo to justify not fighting Bivol as the Plan-B, especially with him ready and willing to move down to 168 for the fight.
Hearn mentioned Carlos Gongora (20-0, 15 KOs) as a possible opponent for Canelo’s September 18th fight, but he doesn’t hold a title.
Morrell’s name hasn’t been mentioned for some reason, and neither has David Benavidez as options for Canelo.