Canelo eyeing light heavyweight title bout with Russia's Bivol after Plant talks break down – reports
Represententitives for pound-for-pound boxing great Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez have opened talks with WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol's camp over a potential title fight later this year, according to reports.
Fresh off a Cinco de Mayo win over Billy Joe Saunders, where he took the loudmouth Brit's WBO super middleweight belt and forced him to retire with a broken orbital bone, the Mexican has been keen to become the division's first-ever unified champion.
Holding almost all the 168lbs class' belts, only Caleb Plant, who has the IBF strap, stands in his way of achieving the historical feat.
The unbeaten American was previously accused of pricing himself out of the fight with purse demands rumored to exceed a career-best $10 million.
But even though those have been met, negotiations have broken down and 'Sweet Hands' reckons Alvarez's side are to blame.
Remember when we thought Chavez Jr was nuts turning down a minimum of $7,000,000 to fight GGG?
— Sergio Mora (@TheLatinSnake_) July 29, 2021
Caleb Plant just topped it by turning away 10mil to face Canelo. ????????????♂️
"His bark is bigger than his bite," claimed the 29-year-old to ESPN. "I question whether legacy or money is their real motive."
"Canelo was offered the highest guarantee of his career," explained Plant.
"He was set to make $40 million plus Mexican TV rights and his Hennessy Sponsorship. No problem, let’s fight. We gave it to him. Then they wanted [the] upside of gate and PPV revenue; no problem, let’s rumble."
"It was always agreed that it was a unification, no rematch for either fighter. Towards the end of negotiations, they asked for a rematch when they lose.
"No problem, you can have the rematch as well, I just wanna fight. We tried to give him everything he wants and more to make this fight," Plant insisted.
Caleb Plant broke his silence on the fight negations between his camp and Canelo Alvarez during a phone conversation with @MikeCoppinger Tuesday evening. #CaneloPlant pic.twitter.com/nik7RmQrsq
— ESPN Ringside (@ESPNRingside) July 28, 2021
Desperate to get something penciled in for the weekend of Mexican Independence Day on September 16, it seems Alvarez is now flirting with another campaign at 175lbs.
Fighting at light heavyweight just once before, in a November 2019 11th round knockout win over then-WBO champion Sergey Kovalev, the promoter of his compatriot Bivol claims that Canelo's team have reached out to him.
Speaking to Sky Sports, World of Boxing president Andrey Ryabinskiy said: "The fight has been mentioned to us, but we have not finalized any type of agreement.
"We would be interested in the fight within adequate timelines, it's a great test for Dmitry."
???????? Canelo Alvarez is rumoured to be stepping up to Light-Heavyweight for the second time in his career to take on WBA Champion Dimitry Bivol
— William Hill (@WilliamHill) July 29, 2021
Victory would make him a 16-time world champion and a 2-time champion at 175lbs????
King of the Ring ???? pic.twitter.com/HOHd9WExVL
Unbeaten like Plant, WBA champion Bivol was last seen in the ring outclassing Craig Richards via a unanimous decision in Manchester.
Should the fight materialize, possible future bouts for the winner include a meeting with WBC and IBF champion Artur Beterbiev or the newly crowned WBO champion Joe Smith.