By Dan Ambrose: Eddie Hearn says Canelo Alvarez and his manager Eddy Reynoso are expected to decide this week on the two-fight deal he has for them to face Dmitry Bivol and Gennady Golovkin. The Matchroom Boxing promoter Hearn says they’re in a “reasonable position” to get Canelo to agree to their two-fight deal.
Hearn says he’s not privy to the money offer that was given to Canelo from PBC to face Jermall Charo and David Benavidez in his next two fights. That deal was rumored to be worth $100 million, which is obviously huge money being offered to Canelo.
It would be difficult for Canelo (57-1-2, 39 KOs) to fight Charlo and Benavidez back to back, considering that the Mexican hasn’t fought anyone high-caliber like that since his rematch with Golovkin in 2018.
Hearn expects a decision this week
“From our side, we don’t have a signed agreement yet, but we’ve been in talks with Saul and Eddy Reynoso and his legal team to try and get that over the line,” said Eddie Hearn to the DAZN Boxing Show on the two-fight deal for Canelo Alvarez to fight Bivol in may and Golovkin in September.
“I feel like it’s a great opportunity for him [Cnelo], and for outside, we’d like to welcome him back to Matchroom and DAZN. We’re doing everything we can to close that.
“I think it’s 10 weeks this week until the proposed fight week in Vegas, so we’re getting close to decision time. I’d like to think we’re in a reasonable position, and we’ll see what happens over the news few days.
“I think it’s likely he’ll make his mind up this week,” Hearn said about Canelo. “Regarding the PBC offer, I don’t know anything about that. I haven’t spoken to Saul about that. I’m sure he’s had multiple offers from multiple platforms and promoters.
“Eddie and Saul wanted to put it out there themselves on social to say nothing is signed yet, which it isn’t, even as we speak. So, we’re working through all the options, dates, and fights. Like I said, hopefully, we get picked,” Hearn said.
Money not an object for Canelo
“We don’t know what’s true about the numbers,” said Hearn when asked if it’s true that Canelo was offered $100 million by PBC for their two-fight deal. “As I always said about Saul and Eddy, it’s not really money-motivated decisions. It’s legacy-related decisions.
“It’s history-related decisions. That’s what appeals to them. I will say that the money that was reported was way out. It was a lot more money than that. It was a lot more money from us.
“I think that’s one thing that Eddy and Saul looked at. If you’re going to report something, at least make the numbers right,” said Hearn.
What Hearn isn’t saying is that even though the money being offered from PBC is huge, the chances of Canelo losing to Charlo or Benavidez would be high.
Once Canelo loses to one or both of those fighters, it may prove difficult for him to continue to be offered that kind of money in the future.
So, it makes sense for Canelo to reject PBC’s two-fight deal because his chances of losing those fighters would be high in comparison to Hearn’s two-fight deal for Alvarez to face Bivol and 40-year-old Golovkin.
With four years that Canelo has waited before finally showing interest in fighting Golovkin since their last fight in 2018, Saul would have a good chance of beating GGG now without controversy.
“Obviously, financially it’s always important to a fighter, but it has to be something that excites Saul,” said Hearn. “He’s the undisputed world champion, he’s the pound-for-pound #1.
“It’s about which fights excite him and Eddy Reynoso. I think the money is always going to be record-breaking with Canelo Alvarez,” said Hearn.